In response to Haiti

In response to the devastation wrought by the recent earthquake in Haiti, there has been an impressive outpouring of student support at Columbia. Any university—any institution, for that matter—with a sense of social conscience has a responsibility in times of such catastrophic damage to extend what resources it can to those in need. But for a university that so fervently preaches the gospel of globalism, there is a particular duty to remember that being global means giving as well as taking.

Fortunately, Columbia’s efforts have been admirable. Within a few days of the earthquake, a broad coalition of student groups met to discuss and coordinate responses to the disaster. We hope this coalition will serve to channel the energies of both groups and individual students. It seems to be the best vehicle through which students can magnify the impact of their work and avoid undermining one another.

With respect to the University administration, the response has been encouraging so far. The administration has supported student efforts by working to limit the bureaucratic obstacles that tend to accompany any sort of major undertaking on campus. While students have a tremendous amount of energy and know-how to contribute to this effort, the administration has the institutional expertise and global reach that can help to further student efforts. We are proud to see that it is committed to assisting student efforts, and we hope it continues to do so down the line.

Ultimately, Columbia’s long-term response to this disaster will be just as important as its immediate reaction. The rebuilding effort will take years, but Haiti will only be on the front pages of newspapers for so long. We hope that students will remain committed to this cause for the long haul.

In the coming years, Haiti will need tremendous sums of money to rebuild. But beyond monetary aid alone, the country will need expert assistance to provide health care to its citizens, redevelop its devastated infrastructure, and diversify its economy. These are all areas in which Columbia can and should support Haiti. Natural disasters such as this earthquake may not be within human control, but the extent of their destruction almost always is. Columbia can do its part to ensure that a rebuilt Haiti has the resources to protect its people from the man-made side of such disasters.