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The Office of Support and Advocacy is a new office created to aid those directly affected by the Feb. 14 tragedy.

Scott Peska, director of the Office of Support and Advocacy, said the office was created to serve students, faculty and staff who were in Cole Hall at the time of the shootings, as well as victims’ families.

He said the office will coordinate all campus and community efforts for the victims and their families.

“We ask that individuals planning events and fundraisers in connection with the attack to contact our office prior to the use of any photos of those who died on Feb. 14,” Peska said.

The office is modeled after the support office at Virginia Tech.

According to the March 28 Northern Today, Brian Hemphill, vice president of Student Affairs, said Virginia Tech’s office provides help and support to those individuals affected.

“We know from speaking to colleagues at Virginia Tech and other schools that have experienced tragedies of this magnitude that events like these can cause emotional trauma on campus long after the event, and this office will help those individuals cope with those issues,” Hemphill said.

The office provides counseling, academic advising, help applying for crime victim’s assistance and help for students who need other types of accommodations, Peska said.

Peska said the office will also provide an assistant director for counseling services, a licensed counselor who has experience with trauma and grief counseling, as well as ongoing group and individual counseling sessions.

Peska said the office will help students in a number of ways.

“We will work with them and advocate on their behalf for services and resources that will not be directly provided by this office,” Peska said. “We know that their needs may change over time and this office is dedicated to see them graduate from NIU and work with those graduating soon to become successful and productive members of society.”

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