Feb. 11 - Special Message from the President

February 11, 2011

Dear Northeastern faculty, staff and students,

It appears that the winter siege of the past two weeks will soon be behind us.There will be remnants left to remind us of how unprecedented the snow andfrigid temperatures were for Oklahoma and our region. Even the long timeveterans of service to NSU cannot recall such a set of circumstances lasting solong. And we know that roofs, aging pipes and other infrastructure may havebeen damaged, but not yet detected. Those challenges will be addressed asdiscovered. Some of us live in areas that received historic snowfalls which maylinger longer than anyone cares to see it. And caution when traveling and walkingcontinues to be wise counsel.

Over the past few weeks our Physical Plant, Housing, Residence Life, StudentAffairs Food Service and other crews have labored to clear the paths to ourbuildings and parking areas and tend to our staff and students needs. To allof them, we offer a heartfelt thank you. Be sure to express your personal appreciation to these staff members.

But as Scarlett OHara triumphantly proclaimed at the conclusion of Gone Withthe Wind, tomorrow is another day. And so is next Monday. It will be our opportunity to take stock of our situation, and proceed together to actively createas productive and enriching a learning opportunity possible. We have all the rightingredients to make it happen, beginning with each of us, working together, beingpositive, working out accommodations for those who have been disadvantagedby circumstances beyond anyones control.

I wish each of you the best Friday possible. Don't forget our RiverHawks playing athome on Saturday. When we gather again Monday at Tahlequah, Muskogee andBroken Arrow, it will be Valentines Day, and the beginning of Spring Semester2011, Phase II.

Take care,

Don Betz