"In the Eye of the Storm: Students’ Perceptions of Helpful Faculty Actions Following a Collective Tragedy"
by Therese A. Huston (Seattle University) & Michele DiPietro (Carnegie Mellon University) looks at the ways instructors respond following a tragedy, as well as student reactions to the variety of most common actions.

Abstract
On occasion, our campus communities are shaken by national tragedies such as hurricane Katrina and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, or by local tragedies such as the murder of a faculty member or student. Because these are unusual circumstances, faculty are often initially confused about how to respond, and later have little or no sense of how effective their actions have been (DiPietro, 2003). This paper investigates the most common instructor responses following a tragedy and which of those responses students find most helpful. Implications for faculty and faculty developers are discussed.