University of Hawai'i at Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw issued the following message yesterday in response to the shootings last week at Northern Illinois University that resulted in the deaths of five students:

On behalf of our University of Hawaii at Manoa community, I extend our deepest condolences to Northern Illinois University during this tragic time.

Our hearts are saddened by the loss of life and the frightening reality of such a terrible event. Our universities belong to one 'ohana and that connection is extremely important in these times.

Last Thursday's tragedy at Northern Illinois University is yet another reminder that violence can occur at any place, at any time. We at UH Manoa take the safety of our students and campus community very seriously, and we have plans in place to deal with emergencies.

As part of our planning, next week UH Manoa students will be asked to sign up to receive emergency messages via cell phone text-messaging. I urge all students to agree to receive these messages, because they could be crucially important in an emergency situation. Many UH Manoa faculty and staff have recently enrolled to receive such messages.

I also want to take this opportunity to remind our Manoa students of our support resources that are available:

Campus Security (956-6911) — Campus Security should be contacted for immediate assistance. Campus Security also provides such services as crime prevention services, escort service (see below), emergency call boxes, crime prevention presentations, and others.

Escort Service (956-8211) — Campus Security provides transportation or a walking escort from dusk to dawn for anyone walking alone on campus at night. By calling 6-8211 (V/T) (on-campus phone), an escort can be summoned to your location. The escort will either transport you in a Campus Security vehicle or accompany you on foot to any University parking lot or facility.

Women's Center (956-8059) — The Women's Center is a safe space for students to meet and to gather. The Center also oversees the Program Against Violence to Women, which has established a coordinated campus-community response to address issues of partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus.

Ombuds Office (956-3391) — The UH Manoa ombuds staff will help you deal with any problems that faculty, students and staff may have with the University. It is impartial and offers a safe, confidential way of helping you deal with your problems.

Advocacy Office (956-9977) — The Advocacy office provides information for students, staff and faculty at UH Manoa, conducts educational workshops for the entire campus community, and provides advocacy and informal resolutions for students specifically on issues of sexual harassment, assault, stalking, Gender Equity and Civil Rights. Their emphasis is on education, prevention and early resolution.

Counseling and Student Development Center (956-7927) — The Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) is a University service that provides a variety of counseling and testing services for students and uses a holistic approach to promote wellness and personal success. The services are confidential and free of charge for Manoa students.