The Association for Development and Interest in the Indian Subcontinent, along with multicultural sorority Sigma Psi Zeta, so far has collected $1,300 to help earthquake victims half a world away.
The organizations are collaborating to raise funds for the American Red Cross? relief efforts in western India and eastern Pakistan. Students have staffed donation tables in Douglass Food Court and Wilson Commons during high traffic times.
ADITI has set a tentative goal of $3,000 from students and plans to include local businesses interested in matching student donations. The first set of funds will be sent to the Red Cross at the end of this week, but donations will be accepted through next week.
ADITI started taking Flex donations at the Common Market last Tuesday.
The movement began when students from both organizations stated that they wished to aid Indian earthquake victims. Members of Sigma Psi Zeta were influenced by the efforts of fellow sisters at St. John?s University in Queens, N.Y.
?It really started with individuals,? junior and ADITI President Rahul Seth said.
Many in ADITI had family and friends affected by the disaster. ?Some haven?t even heard if [their family members] are OK yet,? said sophomore and ADITI cultural secretary Kavita Sharma.
The earthquake that registered 7.9 on the Richter scale in Gujarat, Jan. 26, destroyed most lines of communication. The death toll is now at 17,000. The Indian government expects this count to rise to at least 30,000.
ADITI and Sigma Psi Zeta will be collecting donations this week at Douglass from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations can be made at the Common Market using Flex through the end of next week.
Senate approves Vietnam War memorial
The Students? Association Senate on Monday unanimously approved to fund $2,500 towards a Vietnam War marker for all those students and alumni that died in the Vietnam war.
The memorial will go up next to markers for the World Wars and the Korean War in the memorial grove in the Residential Quad between Burton and Crosby Halls.
?It is important for students to see that the student senate took initiative to fund this,? said junior and ROTC member Amy Shutt, who spearheaded the campaign for the memorial.
The dedication ceremony, which will be funded by ROTC, is scheduled for this spring.
Dean?s office seeks exceptional students
The Office of the Dean of Students is seeking nominations for the Alice DeSimone Student Life Awards and the Excellence in Program Planning Award.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to nominate exceptional students and recognize programs that have distinguished themselves through their achievements and their contributions to the common good.
In addition, nominations for outstanding freshmen are still being accepted for the Andrew Fried and Delno Sisson prizes.
Nominations can be made online at www.rochester.edu/student-srvcs/DOS/awards.html.
