UNC Student Body President Found Dead

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Daily Tar Heel

Breaking News

Student Body President found dead

Carson was shooting victim off campus

Student Body President Eve Carson was shot and killed early Wednesday morning, Chapel Hill police confirmed. Police said they are looking for Carson's vehicle - a blue 2005 Toyota Highlander - which was stolen in the incident. The license plate is AIV 6690, registered in Georgia. There are no suspects at this time. Police said they believe the shooting to be a random act at this point in the investigation.

Read more: http://www.dailytarheel.com

---

Chill, folks. This is not a mass shooting. The shooting itself is old news (not to trivialize it). What is news is the identity of the victim. Here are more links.

Police yet to ID shooting victim

Google news

Also, credit goes to CBS radio news, where I heard the story first, at 1 p.m EST.

CBS News

[mike_c]

1. NOT THE GUN'S FAULT! NOT THE GUN'S FAULT!

If the attackers hadn't been able to acquire guns they would have killed her with bad excuses!

:sarcasm:

[BrklynLiberal]

4. well put.

[anokaflash]

6. You're kidding, right!

"If the attackers hadn't been able to acquire guns they would have killed her with bad excuses!"

We can have laws against acquiring guns, but then what happens. The law abiding can't defend themselves and the criminals still break the laws to get guns anyway. Common sense folks.

Laws to prevent criminals, who have already shown they could care less about the law, are ineffective. What I do know, is that in my conceal carry state, I don't have to even worry about carrying a gun, but the criminal who may want to jump me has to think twice about whether I do or not.

This is a tragedy, my heart goes out to the family during this difficult time.

Flash
Centrisity

[superkia]

20. "Common sense folks." Lack of, is the problem.

[superconnected]

36. Scary opinion.

Like we want more crazy people armed.

[appal_jack]

39. well-put anoka

Welcome to DU anokaflash!

:hi:

I will add my voice to your condolences to the affected family of this student.

As for those who think that a tragedy is a handy excuse to push a gun-grabbing agenda... :mad: ...

...just stop, OK?


-app

[unc70]

11. Please take the gun discussion to another thread n/t

[roguevalley]

27. this is awful. my condolences to family and friends.

[ohio2007]

32. guns don't kill people...bullets kill people

Sledge Hammer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fktjw7gNv3M

[Thepricebreaker]

62. How about the fucker who killed her? He could have used a number of other weapons.

[Maddy McCall]

2. Here's another today: Auburn Freshman dead, car torched.

Authorities have not yet named a suspect or motive in the shooting death of an Auburn University freshman who was found along an Alabama highway Tuesday night, a half-hour before her car was found engulfed in flames on campus.

Lauren A. Burk, an 18-year-old pre-graphic design major, was taken to the East Alabama Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, according to the Auburn Police Department.

Shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday, authorities responded to a call about an injured female along Alabama Highway 147 near the university. There, they found Burk, who had been shot once.

Less than a half-hour later, another call came in, this time about a vehicle on fire in the parking lot of Hinton Field on the southern part of the Alabama campus behind a residence hall.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4394654&page=1

************************************

These young people's deaths are awful...I feel terrible for the families. :(

[unc70]

15. They look similar on several levels

It is just barely possible that the murders are connected and that is being investigated.

The murder in Auburn was a little before 9:00 pm, the one in Chapel Hill just after 5:00 am the next morning.

With "normal" driving it would take 7-8 hours to make that trip. That time of night, it could be done in under 7 hours.

Not a likely scenario, but certainly one to be ruled out.

[RebelOne]

16. I hope the police compare the bullets that killed both girls.

It would really be strange if they came from the same gun. I really think that these murders are linked. The details are all too similar.

[Iris]

3. What the hell? Two college girls from Georgia in 2 days - in different states

UPDATED: 12:07 p.m. March 06, 2008
$10,000 reward offered in Auburn freshman's death
No suspect yet named; police continue questioning

By KAREN ROSEN, CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/05/08

AUBURN, Ala. — Police have interviewed some "persons of interest" but no arrests had been made by Thursday morning in the death of Auburn University freshman Lauren A. Burk of Cobb County, who was found shot a few miles from the campus on Tuesday night.

"We have not named a suspect and are still investigating leads," Auburn police Capt. Tom Stofer said, adding that officials are remaining tightlipped because of the circumstances of Burk's death. Earlier, a spokesman at the department's offices had said "persons of interest" were interviewed, but he declined to say how many or who they were.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/03/05/auburn_0306_web1.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

[Chovexani]

5. It always seems to be woman season

:(

[Ordr]

9. ...wait

What?

[Chovexani]

34. You know how there's designated hunting seasons

For particular animals?

It always seems to be woman hunting season.

[Ordr]

40. Hm.

I thought you had to have been kidding.
Is every tragedy political?

[bluedawg12]

73. Every time women, pregnant women and kids are slaughtered

as they seem to be, at an almost daily and hideous rate, it is a social issue and social issues are political.

Or did it appear that the comment was just a whiney, feminist, pointless diatribe?

Because it does appear that women and children (abduction and murder) are being slain at a rate as if there was open season.

Of course with brain dead amoral leadership at the helm, with a souless, dancing baffoon manakin in a suit in charge evil runs riot.

Political? Political you ask? I was wondering almost the exact same words: is it hunting season on women and kids?

Maybe some leadership, perhaps some national awareness as a policy, some academic advisory groups, with experts actually weighing in on a national level, perhaps if the bully pulpit was used for something other than crass RW ideology, perpetuating war and chaos, or outright fund raising, perhaps if the hypocritical, self righteous scum that gave this country away due to their own selfish vision and version of theofascism, if they would have more concern for living women and children then blastocysts and faux outrage over ananecphalics like terryschiavo maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't seem like society has gone f8cking crazy.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. Sadly, it *always* has been.

My mom says the greatest divide that needs to be conquered is not race, sexuality, political, or age, but sex. Once the divide between the sexes falls, all other things will fall into place. I tend to agree.

[Chovexani]

35. I think your mom is right too.

Sexism has been so ingrained in society for so long, and it seems to cross all other isms.

[RebelOne]

14. In my opinion the details of their deaths are so similar.

They were both college students from North Georgia. They were both shot to death, they were both found on a road and both of their cars were missing. It is all too concidential.

[LisaL]

33. Very strange indeed.

Could just be a coincidence, though. Who knows?

[ProfTawney]

42. Similarities are spooky

Both girls are from towns close to I 85 and both schools are on the same highway; both were left in the road, and neither's car was the target but was abandoned promptly. I'm glad I'm not a detective , I'm too dumb. But this is weird. My daughter's her classmate and they are totally ruined up at Chapel Hill. It's just too irreconcilable with normal experience for them.

[dweller]

46. welcome to DU on this sad day here in CH, ProfTawney

under other circumstances i would post a smiley-wave, but i'll not this time.

I'm sure your daughter is in safe surroundings here in Chapel Hill even with this horrible circumstance that has virtually shut down our small community. I just rode into town and it is very, very quiet, not a soul on the main street. A town in mourning.

I've lived here for the past 20 years, raised 2 daughters here, and they feel very safe and secure in their environment. And yet, i've constantly worried about them due to senseless killings like this. I wouldn't fool myself for a moment to believe if it had one of my loved ones slain, it would not be national news. Nor would it have crossed the consciousness of so many local townfolk at this level.
It's almost as if it takes a certain degree of unbelief for people to realize how fragile and how futile our existence is when sensless violence prevails.

We have a long way to becoming a peaceful loving society. Events such as this make it seem far away yet if one or more come to realize how precious each life is, then Eve Carson has fulfilled more than she will ever know.

peace to you
dp

[libnnc]

7. Horrible news

As an alumnus and current graduate student in the UNC system, this really hurts.

I hope they find who did this.

[unc70]

8. WCHL radio broke story before noon - CBS affiiate

WCHL 1360 in Chapel Hill interrupted Stephanie Miller just before noon with the news; CBS is picking up pieces of their coverage. They have been in continous coverage since then. There was a UNC press conference at 12:30, a gathering at the pit at 3:00, and a vigil tonight at 7:00.

Coverage also at the sites for the local TV stations. A lot of local and national media were already in town to cover the Duke-Carolina basketball game on Saturday night. The 3:00 pm Roy Williams press conference has been canceled.

While I did not know Ms. Carson personally, it be hard to live in Chapel Hill and not know who she was. As Student Body President, she was also a member of the UNC Board of Governors and was always in the local news.

The Bell Tower will toll from 2:45 until 3:00.

All the local news sites are slammed.

[libnnc]

10. I am anticipating that our Chancellor

will make some sort of announcement or comment here at UNCG. I haven't seen anything posted yet on our website.

Thoughts and prayers go out to Ms. Carson's family and to the campus at Chapel Hill.

[High Plains]

13. 16,000 murders a year, about 50 a day in the US

What makes these killings especially newsworthy? Is it the pretty young white woman effect?

[RantinRavin]

17. so tell us

have you been a racist all your life, or ar you taking lessons ?

[High Plains]

24. Can you tell me just what it is you are trying to say?

I don't get it.

[unc70]

21. President of Univ. of NC student body and a lot more

She was an exceptional person from everything I know and from everything I have heard this afternoon.

The local leaders and news people have been having great difficulty.

Just read a bit of her biography and various comments by others. So impressive and with so much in common with many of us at DU.


Her car has now been found.

[texshelters]

22. So, what happens if the person wasn't exceptional?

Is one life worth more than any other?

Is that why the media focuses on Americans dying?

She has things in common with Us. Is that why we should care?

We should care, but let's not let out ethno-cultural-gender-centrism stop us
from caring about the hundreds of thousand of people dying tragically in countries around the world, say Iraq.

Tex

[unc70]

28. Few murder victims this prominent, this involved

Ms. Carson was the most well-known, most recognized student at UNC who doesn't play basketball. That mostly explains this coverage.

The University of North Carolina has over 250,000 living alumni and is one of the highest rated and most visible universities in the country, both for academics and for athletics.

[girl gone mad]

30. Then why don't you go start some threads about them?

Set a good example for us all.

[texshelters]

37. Misses the point

People make these grand statements about how this victim is worth mourning and I wonder why this victim and not others.

Or, put in a call to action to stop violence against women. That's unfortnately necessary cause in this world.

That's all.

Tex

[Lex]

47. They should all be mourned of course.

This thread is about mourning one of the victims of violence, but doesn't mean that all shouldn't be mourned. How could it?

That's all.

[girl gone mad]

29. You really don't understand why these murders are newsworthy?

Or are you just trying to race bait?

[burythehatchet]

31. 54 Iraqis blown to bits today n/t

[Lex]

43. start a thread for this yourself? nt

[yardwork]

54. Just stop that. Nobody is saying that anyone's life is more important than another's.

Would you prefer that we ignore all murders?

People are devastated here. Eve Carson had thousands of friends here in Chapel Hill and throughout the nation and world. When somebody touched this many lives, it's natural that the news media will jump in.

[Lex]

58. Thanks for saying so.

Jesus, some people, huh?

[yardwork]

61. They must not be from around here. Got no manners.

[NoodleyAppendage]

18. Chapel Hill is no longer a safe city. Apple Chill festival there was cancelled due to gang violence

Multiple shootings are routinely reported on a monthly basis in Chapel Hill, once a quaint college town, but now infused with hispanic and african-american gangs, who have ruined a couple of large events. The police presence is pitiful in Chapel Hill relative to the crime problems these days.

J

[unc70]

23. Still safe, much safer than your hometown where those gangs came from

Chapel Hill is still a very safe town, much safer than over your way where many of those gangs are based. The Chapel Hill police do an incredible job dealing with our special issues: huge number of visitors, active music/clubs, concerts, sporting events and celebrations, with expected accompanying levels of drinking. Several times a year they deal with 75-100,000 people in two blocks downtown.

So give it a rest; I also find your characterization of various groups as offensive on several levels.

[DURHAM D]

25. Agree - very offensive.

I have several friends serving in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro police departments. They are some of the best as police go.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[yardwork]

55. Welcome to my ignore list. THis time you've gone too far.

Your posts are often offensive, but this one really takes the cake.

[NoodleyAppendage]

66. So, it's offensive to call someone on their being rabidly politically correct? Whatever. n/t

J

[Lex]

67. "politcally correct" is a stupid right-wing concept

that someone like Frank Luntz thought up

don't be a sucker

[NoodleyAppendage]

72. It's not a stupid concept. It captures sensitivity taken to the extremes.

People have differences. Politically correct speech seeks to minimize those apparent differences by altering the language (a la Orwellian double-speak), but does NOTHING to address the FACTUAL REALITY of the differences that should be addressed.

J

[Lex]

75. Nope.

It is a made-up concept to insult people who choose to be sensitive people's differences and respect them.

The only people I hear squealing "politically correct" are right-wingers. There's a reason for that.

[Lex]

44. That's racist bullshit. "These gangs" came from Durham?

Based on WHAT? That Durham has more black people in it than Chapel Hill? (that's the translation anyway)

Typical racist bullshit. Durham is far bigger and far more diverse than Chapel Hill, but all of Chapel Hill's problems are not caused by "these gangs from Durham."

[unc70]

53. Wrong! Nearly all shooters and victims have Durham addresses

Most of the shootings in Chapel Hill and Carrboro have involved gangs from Durham. Even so, we had no murders in either town for 18 months! None. Zero. This year, there were a couple of murders by family members. Now how many murders during that period in Durham? Per capita? If I read the crime statistics data correctly, Chapel Hill had just eight murders in ten years ending in 2007.

We have our own problems in CH, but most of the shootings here involve rival Durham gangs, many in turf wars related to dealing drugs, etc. Durham also gets extra non-local murders because it is a convenient transfer point for drug trafficking. If the deal goes sour, another body is found in a mall parking lot and the victim is usually from NY or FL or TX. I think there have been fewer of these the last couple of years, but I haven't verified this.

Most of the shootings in Chapel Hill occur in and around just a couple of nightclubs. Many of our robberies and assaults are in these same areas.

Below are a few links to back up what I said. I do not post as facts things I can not confirm, state when I am speculating or when it is my own observation. I try not to criticize groups of people, towns, states, or regions. I consider the Chapel Hill side of Durham including downtown to be part of my extended neighborhood and often praise but rarely criticize it.

I strongly resent being libeled as a racist by you and others here for posting facts and statements from the local police departments to refute accusations about my hometown. I would appreciate responses after you have read these articles.


CHAPEL HILL - For the second time in just over two weeks, a family dispute has ended in a public killing.

Police say 27-year-old William Albert Stroud shot his stepfather, 51-year-old Marshall Ralph Brown, to death on Sykes Street Tuesday afternoon. Last month, 65-year-old Garland Mcray King killed his son-in-law in the parking lot of Carrboro Plaza, police say.

These were the first murders in Chapel Hill or Carrboro since a shooting outside the Avalon night club in July 2006.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/941131.html

Second Arrest Made in Avalon Nightclub Shooting
Christopher Allen Shipley, charged in Avalon shooting

Posted: Aug. 14, 2007

Chapel Hill, N.C. — A second man has been arrested in a fatal shooting outside a Chapel Hill nightclub last year, police said Tuesday.

Christopher Allen Shipley, 25, of 1421 Milan St. in Durham, surrendered to police Monday and was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Kedrain Monta Swann of Chapel Hill. Shipley was being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.

Swann was shot 12 times with a high-powered rifle outside Club Avalon on July 29, 2006, after an altercation inside the club, police said. He died at a local hospital. ...

Last week, Willie James Mayo, Jr., 28, of 910 Cartman St. in Durham, was charged with first-degree murder and accessory after the fact in the case.

http://www.localtechwire.com/news/local/story/1701768/

Six people were treated for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds after a shooting at Visions Night Club at 136 E. Rosemary St. in Chapel Hill around 1 a.m. Monday.

According to the Chapel Hill Police Department, the suspect is an unidentified black male who remains at large. He reportedly fired multiple shots from a handgun and was able to exit the club with the rest of the crowd.

Those wounded in the shooting include: Rowland Garret, 21, of Durham; Maurio Mitchell, 25, of Durham; Roy Parker, 21, of Raleigh; Marcus Dorty, 27, of Durham; Kenneth Lunsford, 20, of Durham; and a 16-year-old whose name was not released. ...

Gunter said investigators are working with Durham officials to run down gang-related leads, Gunter said. “The gangs from Durham were involved in this,” he said.

http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2007/10/04/nightclub-shooting-wounds-six/

[Lex]

56. And Wendell Williamson too eh?

LOL.

And since no one but students and the wealthy can afford to reside in Chapel Hill, well . . . you do the math.

[yardwork]

60. I was thinking the same thing, Lex!

Wendell Williamson does not fit the gangbanger stereotype, and neither does this crime.

[unc70]

68. Williamson was 13 years ago! Law student became sniper

That was the last time a student was murdered in Chapel Hill. Williamson was a law student who quit taking his meds and became a sniper in downtown. He killed two people, one a student riding his bicycle. That was in January 1995. Here is a link to a list that includes all but one of the students murdered in Chapel Hill since I moved here in the mid 60's:

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/987183.html

About 1980 or so, a non-local was driving in downtown through the middle of a snowball fight. His pickup was hit by several, so he got his gun from under the seat, shot out the window towards the throwers and killed one (student I think). I was less than a block away. This was almost the same location as Williamson, the sniper.

I said most of the "shootings", not "murders" were Durham related. I think only one person has died from these shootings, but many have been seriously wounded. Some are probably alive because Chapel Hill/UNC, like Durham/Duke, has an excellent trauma center and quick emergency response.

BTW I agree that the recent crime rates in Durham do not support its reputation among many in NC. Racism is certainly a factor.

I don't understand why you chose to fight about this particular situation. The "Durham gangs" discussed above are the same ones responsible for most of the violent crime in Durham and a lot elsewhere in the Triangle. Most of the murders, shootings, drive-bys, and assaults in Durham occur in a few locations, mostly near several clubs.

Some of the "Durham" gang members grew up in Chapel Hill/Carrboro and still have family here, a few still live here. For drug dealing and such, Chapel Hill is a "branch" operation with the main offices in Durham. A recent drive-by shooting in CH was payback for one in Durham. It has been this way for 30-40 years, although fewer shootings back then, more discipline, and little chicken had a different meaning.

[yardwork]

69. We're saying that it's unfair to assume that this murder was committed by black gangs from Durham.

As you note, the last time a student was murdered in Chapel Hill was more than a decade ago. As we note, the killer was a while male and the crime had nothing to do with any gangs.

There's been a knee-jerk reaction here - among some - that this heinous murder was perpetrated by a black gangster. There's no evidence indicating that that is true.

Yes, there are gangs in both Chapel Hill and Durham, and sometimes gang members shoot one another. Eve Carson was not in a gang! And if she was the victim of a random crime, it's a pretty strange criminal who seeks victims in a quiet residential area at 5 am.

[Lex]

70. Exactly so, yardwork.

I couldn't have possibly said it better or more reasonably than that. Thanks.

[yardwork]

71. You would have said it just as well, but used fewer words!

yardwork = the longwinded one.

[unc70]

77. I never said or implied that. Just defended C H as safe

This subthread begins at post 18 by NA's claim that Chapel Hill is no longer safe, brings up gang violence and regular reports of shootings, and then maligns the CH police.

I then defended CH as safe, its police as effective. and the gangs as being from NA's hometown.

Lex then declared my response as "racist bullshit" and questioned the basis for my attributing the regular shootings to Durham gangs.

I responded with links to news stories which supported my claims of the rarity of of murders in CH and that many of the shootings and the gang violence had their nexus in Durham more than in Chapel Hill. I did not assume or imply anything about who killed her; I only discussed the general issue of violent crime in CH. I have not published anything about any local rumors or such and prefer to remain agnostic and leave this in the hands of our competent police department.

Part of the reason I posted to refute the allegations about Chapel Hill is that these posts are picked up by Google and the other search engines and will be read for years to come, often by people unaware the context, background, or local common knowledge in 2008.

BTW I started this post about 5:00 am and did not notice it had not posted properly until now, 1:00 pm.

[Pavulon]

79. It seems statistics catches up

murderer dressed as a gangster, appears black. He may be dressing the part.

If you get shot in durham it will probably be a gang member killing you.

This is a problem people do not like to address.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2545076/

see photo..

[Pavulon]

26. Durham Problem

Durham is out of control. Gangs and drug crime spilled over into Chapel Hill. Pull crime stats by city if you do not believe me.

My home town. Murder is RARE in Chapel Hill.

[Lex]

45. Racist bullshit. Compare Durham to other urban cities of its size

and tell me its "out of control."

People in Chapel Hill (and Cary) just think "black people live there" when they think of Durham. It's been admitted to me by folks who live there, sadly.

[Pavulon]

74. Murder stats..

you can get racial if you want. But Durham carries a much higher murder rate than CH. If you wan tot address socio economic reasons and culture that is cool but it is not a disputed thing.

[Lex]

76. Well duh. Durham is a diverse, urban city. Chapel Hill is a college town.

Please.

[Pavulon]

78. So are charlotte and raleigh

whose murder rates are LOWER than durham's.

I live here, and watch the local news.

Durham is 1.5 times the national rate for murder per cap.

Please what?

[Lance_Boyle]

57. the populations of durham and CH are not comparable.

Durham is a city. CH is a town. Durham has larger population by far. Nevermind the economic divide between the two. Only the "haves" and the "have mores" can afford to live within CH town limits.

[nealmhughes]

19. A freshman female student was found shot to death in a burning car on campus at Auburn Univ. in

Alabama yesterday. She was 18 years old.

[mdinusa]

41. These are two terrible tragedies

We should be grateful for every day that we have.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

48. Eve Carson, UNC Chapel Hill Student Body President, Shot To Death

Source: The Huffington Post

The student body president for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been shot and killed in a residential neighborhood.

Police say that 22-year-old Eve Marie Carson was found dead in a street Wednesday. Neighbors had reported hearing shots at about 5 a.m.

Police spokesman Lt. Kevin Gunter has told The News & Observer of Raleigh that Carson had been shot several times, at least once in the head. Officials say there are no suspects and no arrests have been made.

Carson was a senior at the university. She was from Athens, Ga.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/06/eve-carson-unc-chapel-hi_n_90286.html

---

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

49. Very sad

It's sad when ANYBODY gets gunned down, but this gal was such a shining star, and it sounds like it was random violence (carjacking gone worse).

My heart goes out to her family and friends, and to all my fellow UNC-Chapel Hillians.

[Lex]

50. Lots of local coverage here (link) if you are interested in following

the story:

http://www.wral.com/

[Amerigo Vespucci]

51. Thanks for posting...

...what a senseless waste of life. Who knows what this woman might have accomplished.

[Lex]

52. Right now on local TV

thousands of people converge on campus tonight for a vigil.

At least 2 local news channels (ABC and CBS affiliates) break into regular programming to carry the vigil live.

Helicopters hover over, now "Sound of Silence" is being sung by the a cappella group Clef Hangers (?).

Oh, and a jumbotron so those in the back can see. And it flashes pictures Eve Carson.

For real. Amazing.

[libnnc]

59. Here is an updated link from local News14 Carolina website

They've included clips from Carson's SGA inauguration and her message to incoming freshmen on YouTube.

Also posted is a picture of her getting to meet Barack Obama.



http://news14.com/content/top_stories/593613/unc-student-president-shot--killed/Default.aspx

[ncrainbowgrrl]

63. The police station is set up well for all of the news trucks.

No helicopters today. Just campus crawling with photogs trying to capture emotion.

The media itself is starting to get to me. Why can't they leave our town alone to grieve? Seriously. No one's gonna cry if a microphone is shoved in their face. We- the community- and the students- also part of the community are one. Why is this not understood. So many of us are UNC alum or work for UNC...

I didn't know Eve. But I know what I see- mass crowds of teary-eyed scared kids and adults- for what is still unknown, and what we've already learned.

[libnnc]

64. My best friend from HS works for the Dean's office

I can't imagine what she's going through right now.

I need to email her.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

65. I also have a friend in the Dean's office...

emailed her today- got back a reply late in the day.
It must be a hard road back to normalcy in that office...