On November 21, Berklee President Roger H. Brown and the Berklee President’s Cabinet sent this letter out to students, faculty, and staff to reaffirm our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all.

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President Roger H. Brown responds to the tragedy in Boston on Marathon Monday and reopens the college in his third message to the community. To read the first two, and a message from Director of Counseling Services Karen Grimes, visit Berklee.edu.

Dear Members of the Berklee Community,

First, let me say that the stories of student bravery and generosity in helping others through this crisis have been both astounding and heartwarming. One particularly compelling example is that of Callie Benjamin, a songwriting student who responded immediately to help victims of the blast. We’ve also heard many stories of students donating their time and energy at local hospitals and community gatherings. We look forward to hearing more about the contributions of our students, faculty, and staff. If you’d like to add yours, please respond in the comments below. We are a strong and talented community and Boston and the larger world need our skills right now. 

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President Roger H. Brown reflects on the tragedy in Newtown, CT. Join the dialogue by leaving your comments below. Community members are invited to drop by one of three spaces around campus this week to take time to personally reflect on the incident and to sign a banner with words of support and unity.

I was flying to Georgia on Friday to visit my parents, catching a bite in the Legal Sea Foods Test Kitchen. The man at the table across from mine was watching the television.  I saw his face go blank followed by a look of agony and shock. I turned to the screen and without reading the captions, just viewing the images of police running here and there, cordons, parents and students in anguish, I could tell the outline of the story before even hearing it.

For some of us, particularly some of our students who grew up in and around Newtown, this is not an abstract tragedy. For those of us who have endured other tragic situations, this evokes the pain of those times. And for some, this is a reminder of how vulnerable our society is; how hard it is to protect ourselves from the unthinkable.

What can we do? Of course our first task is to review all the ways we can protect ourselves from crisis with our campus security team. Roy Murphy and his team of security officers are committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus and will review their protocols and practices.

We will reach out to those most directly affected and attempt to support them and their families. We will explore a way to offer our sympathies through a reflective musical event.

Students, faculty, or staff who are in need of counseling or support are encouraged to reach out to the counseling office. Helpful materials are available online, including this information about how to support students through such a crisis.

I believe the most important thing we can do is affirm our commitment to one another as a community. Our hearts go out to the families who are grieving the loss of so many children and friends.

Yours,

Roger H. Brown
President, Berklee College of Music