President applauds memorial scholarship
President Stan Albrecht addressed members of Utah State University’s Faculty Senate Monday, expressing his appreciation for their help and cooperation with the accident Sept. 26 involving 10 students and one faculty member.
A memorial scholarship and a memorial fund for the families of the victims is currently being collected as a result of the tragedy, Albrecht said.
Students, faculty and members of the community can contribute to either of these funds.
“Right now, a majority of donations are going to the family fund, as it should,” Cody Bingham, ASUSU Agriculture senator, said. “However, let us not forget the department that has been dealt a devastating blow to one of its great programs.”
Reminderbands are also being sold to students and faculty to be put toward the family fund, Bingham said.
As of earlier this week, Albrecht visited the two students who are still in the hospital. Robert Petersen, 21, of Elwood, Utah, is currently receiving physical therapy after suffering a number of broken bones.
“He’ll have a long recovery,” Albrecht said.
Jared Paul Nelson, 22, of Logan, is still in a coma at McKay-Dee Hospital and doctors suspect he has contracted an infection.
“They’re still not out of the woods yet,” Albrecht said.
Albrecht also encouraged the senate members to not come to any conclusions about how fast the 15-passenger van was going at the time of the accident or whether or not the victims were wearing seat belts before the investigations are completed.
The accident occurred Sept. 26 at about 4:30 p.m. when a group of 10 students from the College of Agriculture and their instructor were returning to Logan on Interstate 84 after a field trip.
The van’s left rear tire blew out, causing the vehicle to skid out of conrol and rolled several times off the right side of the road, Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Ed Michaud said.
All 11 individuals were ejected from the vehicle. Six were pronounced dead on the scene and three died later.
Although the Presidential Inauguration Week, which was set for Oct. 10-14, will not be rescheduled, the Road Scholars Tour is still scheduled for this week. Albrecht and other university administration will be visiting different high schools throughout Idaho in an effort to increase enrollment from students living outside of Utah.
“Our biggest challenge right now is to stabilize enrollment,” Albrecht said. “It’s something we’ll have to work on aggressively.”
Those interested in helping the families and friends of the victims can contact the USU Development Office at 797-1158 to donate.
-mmackay@cc.usu.edu