Student leaders from from various District universities gathered Wednesday at Georgetown to discuss city-wide responses to the tragic events of Sept. 11 and to coordinate future efforts against what are considered to be discriminatory District polices toward students.
The D.C. Metro University Student Alliance (MUSA) represents over 55,000 students across the District and includes student leaders from Georgetown, the George Washington University, American University and Howard University, among others.
American Student Association President Ken Biberaj said that students responded positively. According to Biberaj, the Student Association recruited almost 300 students to help run basic university facilities such as operating dining halls when the University ran only limited services following the attacks.
“We tried to mobilize the student body,” Biberaj said.
According to Biberaj, American’s campus store donated food and clothing to victims of the World Trade Center attacks and Residence Hall advisers also conducted bomb-sweeps through residence halls to ensure student safety.
GW Student Association President Roger Kapoor said student leaders at his university responded in similarly positive ways. Kapoor said GW set up a crisis committee that sent out counselors to respond the emotional needs of students who had lost family members or close ones during the attacks.
Kapoor said that though students were “extremely panicky” in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the GW student community quickly came together during the terrible events.
“The sense of community that night was unreal,” Kapoor said.
Student representatives said each university held either interfaith services or prayer vigils that focused on uniting the community.
Georgetown University Student Association President Ryan DuBose (CAS ‘02) said he felt a great sense of pride during Georgetown’s five minute moment of silence the Friday following the attacks.
“I’ve never been prouder to be a Georgetown student,” DuBose said.
In addition to discussing the events of Sept. 11, student leaders discussed what their response would be to what they believe to be anti-student District policies. The Board of Zoning Adjustment, a governmental body responsible for land zoning in the District, recently set forth policies that require any violations of off-campus student conduct to be reported to landlords, parents and guardians. The BZA also ruled that living off-campus is not a student right, but a privilege that can be revoked.
Student leaders agreed to support a MUSA-sponsored letter addressed to D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams asking him to consider student grievances with respect to BZA policies. They agreed to forward copies of the letter to their respective student governments. They also agreed to consider urging Mayor Williams to attend the next MUSA meeting, scheduled Nov. 7, in order to hear student concerns.
MUSA agreed to begin the process of planning a city-wide Charity Ball that would involve all its member universities. According to Biberaj, proceeds from the Charity Ball could help the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as promote a greater respect for MUSA in the District.
Student leaders also agreed to offer whatever support it could to aid the University of Maryland, whose campus underwent significant damage from last month’s tornado.
