Hence the main campus is still blockaded, this time from the inside, preventing entrance, and guarded by 30 additional security guards provided by some external agency.
I circumnavigated the main campus this morning (Saturday, November 30, 2019). The entrance at Core Y is still completely blocked.
The slopes behind core Z look ominous, even in broad day night.
The south side is completely blocked off.
And manned by many security guards.
The good thing is that they do not look too tense.
The foot-bridge leading to Core D is still completely blocked.
The foot-bridge leading to Core P is also blocked.
But Core M is now visible from the bridge - since the roof of the bridge has been burned off.
The campus looks bad. But it could have been worse. I shudder to imagine what it would look like had the police actually stormed the campus to capture the more than a thousand people inside.
As bad as it looks, I think the damage is mostly superficial. The garbage and rotting food can be cleared away quickly. The broken glasses and destroyed furniture can be replaced fairly quickly if we have the money. Some of the damages caused by the fires and flooding may take more time. The residues of the teargas may also take time. But much of the campus can be re-opened fairly quickly.
If we have the will, and I think we do, we can resume operations fairly quickly. Many people are in fact quick eager to return, to help to clean up, to resume.
Such a trauma cause much damage, physically and psychologically. But it also gives us a chance to see who is a leader, who can deal with challenges with a positive attitude, who can be counted on when the situation is difficult, who can come up with creative solutions to problems, who can help the team achieve our goals.
Shared intense experiences can forge a strong identity and sense of belonging. What kind of identity are we going to forge for our university through this experience? It is up to us. God help us with the recovery.
No comments:
Post a Comment