Terrible news for a Valpo student and for Valpo's image

[vu72]

This sort of attack will only spread bad publicity for foreign students thinking of attending Valpo.

https://www.greatandhra.com/articles/special-articles/family-of-telugu-student-stabbed-in-us-seeks-help-133305

[VULB#62]

It's an even worse situation for the city than the university. But your point is spot on for international students' perceptions of the environment surrounding the campus.

But, in a way, in this era of intolerance and conspiracy theories, while shocking, is not surprising and very sad.

[valpotx]

Any international student should fear coming to the US right now, not just Indiana.  So many Americans have such a generalized view of where people come from, if they don't look like them.  It wouldn't surprise me if this assailant thinks that people from India and Palestine/Gaza are of the same culture, just given general American ignorance on other cultures.

[vu84v2]

Any international student should fear coming to the US right now, not just Indiana.  So many Americans have such a generalized view of where people come from, if they don't look like them.  It wouldn't surprise me if this assailant thinks that people from India and Palestine/Gaza are of the same culture, just given general American ignorance on other cultures.

This is terrible and your comments on the generalized view of the US by potential international students (especially those that are non-White) are valid. But we do not know the assailant's motive or ideology, so we should refrain from tying this to any specific ideological group in the US. We can say that this person was seriously disturbed and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

[KreitzerSTL]

Valpo is doing the right thing:

Officials from Valparaiso University ... are offering all assistance to fly the victim's family to the country.

https://indicanews.com/valparaiso-attacked-indian-student-family-fly-us/

[wh]

Any international student should fear coming to the US right now, not just Indiana.  So many Americans have such a generalized view of where people come from, if they don't look like them.  It wouldn't surprise me if this assailant thinks that people from India and Palestine/Gaza are of the same culture, just given general American ignorance on other cultures.

I'm picking your post out, but I could just as easily have selected any other post in this thread to take issue with. Where did you get the idea that this was a racially or ethnically motivated attack? The local story I read indicated that the attacker had a history of mental problems, and the victim was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you guys have the receipts, produce them. If not, I'll look forward to reading your retractions.

[vu84v2]

Any international student should fear coming to the US right now, not just Indiana.  So many Americans have such a generalized view of where people come from, if they don't look like them.  It wouldn't surprise me if this assailant thinks that people from India and Palestine/Gaza are of the same culture, just given general American ignorance on other cultures.

I'm picking your post out, but I could just as easily have selected any other post in this thread to take issue with. Where did you get the idea that this was a racially or ethnically motivated attack? The local story I read indicated that the attacker had a history of mental problems, and the victim was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you guys have the receipts, produce them. If not, I'll look forward to reading your retractions.

I have no idea that this was a racially or ethnically related attack, nor do I know the assailant's ideology. All I was saying is that people in India, including those who would be considering attending Valpo's program (as well as their families), may interpret this as a racially or ethnically motivated attack or may interpret this as "no place in the US is safe" - which hurts the university. The point here is that, besides being awful and something for which the assailant should be prosecutedto the fullest extend of the law, it creates a marketing challenge for Valpo to attract students from India (and elsewhere).

[wh]

Any international student should fear coming to the US right now, not just Indiana.  So many Americans have such a generalized view of where people come from, if they don't look like them.  It wouldn't surprise me if this assailant thinks that people from India and Palestine/Gaza are of the same culture, just given general American ignorance on other cultures.

I'm picking your post out, but I could just as easily have selected any other post in this thread to take issue with. Where did you get the idea that this was a racially or ethnically motivated attack? The local story I read indicated that the attacker had a history of mental problems, and the victim was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you guys have the receipts, produce them. If not, I'll look forward to reading your retractions.

I have no idea that this was a racially or ethnically related attack, nor do I know the assailant's ideology. All I was saying is that people in India, including those who would be considering attending Valpo's program (as well as their families), may interpret this as a racially or ethnically motivated attack or may interpret this as "no place in the US is safe" - which hurts the university. The point here is that, besides being awful and something for which the assailant should be prosecutedto the fullest extend of the law, it creates a marketing challenge for Valpo to attract students from India (and elsewhere).

I agree with you that MISinterpreting this as a racially or ethnically motivated attack or MISinterpreting this as "no place in the US is safe" can hurt the university AND damage the image of our fair city.

[crusadermoe]

Nearly all media reports are guilty of seeking out motives for killings by obviously mentally ill people.   In 90% of multiple murders or random ones, the largest and most proximate cause element is the delusional state of the person.  If you dig deeper into nearly all these stories there are flashings signs of a mental illness months or years before the killing(s.)  Unfortunately perception is reality. But the focus on a root motive by media is harmful with collateral damage to many.

Bottom line, this Valpo killing was 98% likely to have been random.  Now it is true that a paranoia can grow out of a delusion that fixates on a grievance of some kind.  But perfectly sane people, especially men, can very sadly be hit rapidly with the illnesses.  The media just loves to run with the grievance when it fits a claim of wide ranging bias and prejudice.  Some of the obvious examples are the Maine shooter in October, Gabby Giffords, Sandy Hook, Florida HS, Highland Park, the long ago Denver movie shooter, Virginia Tech shooter, Northern Illinois shooter. And of course there are weekly stories of people attacking police, and many others I can't recall off hand. 

Buffalo and the El Paso Wal-Mart clearly were racial. And yet the proximate trigger might have been a severe mental break.  But the Gifford shooting had zero to do with politics as they combed his writings. But the media never circled back as they liked the narrative.

As an aside the purposeful kllings in the name of Islam generally do not dwell on the motives even when the killer shouts Allah akbar as he shoots.   

[David81]

Oh this poor young man and his family...0 to 5 percent chance of surviving.

While the specific motivation for this attack may be unknown, the optics are indeed reinforcing what we're hearing from international student recruiters, namely that the perception of the US as being an unsafe and intolerant place for foreign students of certain nationalities is part of the downturn in enrollment.

[valpotx]

My comment above was less tied to what specifically happened in this case as reasoning for the attack, and more so tied to what I know international students experience in the US.  As someone who heads a Technical Recruiting department that hires a lot of Software Engineers, we run into and hire a lot of folks that come from other countries.  I hear so many horror stories about what these folks have experienced on US campuses, but also a good amount of positive experiences.

[vu72]

ABC Chicago report:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EndFt-QPQ0

[valpopal]

I pray for Varun and his family in this terrible moment of personal sorrow, for which I have no words satisfactory to the situation.

Some have commented upon the possibility of this tragic incident tainting, rightfully or not, the university's reputation and relationships with incoming International students exploring VU as an option. I am also concerned that may be a consequence. In this case, the victim is one of the many Indian grad students who have come to Valpo for a masters in IT the past couple of years, which has been a wellspring and a bright spot among otherwise darker enrollment numbers.

However, I also worry that this horrible event, naturally broadcast elsewhere, could marginally harm domestic enrollment as well. For the decades that I hosted families of prospective students at the university for campus visit days, parents would often express to me a bit of assurance that their children, especially the young women, would be safer in Valparaiso (university and community) than at other competitive colleges under consideration, particularly those located in urban areas with high crime rates. The safe haven of Valparaiso always seemed a positive selling point among others for those parents, and that favorable facet may be unfairly compromised by this one evil act.

[valpopal]

I don't really understand why parents would assume that Valpo is somehow safer than other places....But I just don't understand the the notion expressed here that parents would send their kids to Indiana/Valpo because it's 'safer.' It just seems to me they would have had to be living under a rock for the last decade to assume that.

The families of prospective students I met were also considering colleges in places like Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and other locations, all of which have significantly higher rates of crime than Valparaiso, so it was not just an assumption. Some clearly expressed to me the safety and security they felt not only on campus but also dining downtown. It was clearly a selling point of merit for the university to those parents.

[VULB#62]

What probably won't get in the Indian press directly:  The Lewiston mass shooting.

Yes, it is just another in the long-time litany of the modern wild, wild, gun-toting US.  But, now that the facts are out there, does anyone think that Bates College, a highly selective LA college located in Lewiston, is sweating a decrease in foreign student apps?

Yet, there is a difference.  Bates selects from around 10k highly qualified (i.e., >1350 SAT scores) applicants for 500 openings. Local or international, they can take a hit. Valpo can't.  VU accepts 90% of applicants. If 10% of those are international and don't show up, the incoming class will suffer.

I hope that the thoughtful steps VU has taken so far to show concern and empathy in a situation that was out of the control of the university will not only help the kid's parents deal with this terrible situation but also lay the groundwork to foster a more accommodating and safe environment for our potential international applicants. 

[wh]

Yes, I would not be surprised if the coverage in the Indian media does lead to a decrease in Indian computer science grad students. I'm sure now if they search for "Valparaiso U", search engines will come up with the Indian media coverage of this incident.

In general, I think these incidents are still rare, so do have to be kept in some kind of statistical perspective. But I don't really understand why parents would assume that Valpo is somehow safer than other places. This isn't 1992 or something, and we've been seeing the rise of far-right groups for a while now in Indiana. I'm not saying that's necessarily what was at play in this case. But it seems odd to assume that just because its rural it would be safe or something. Most the attacks here on immigrants during the 2016/2020 election seasons and on Asian Americans durign COVID were in rural parts of the Midwest, not in urban settings. Last January's stabbing at IU Bloomington was similar -- an international woman student stabbed in the head on a public bus, and I think the dynamics are similar in terms of it being a 'college town' but surrounded by a general area where agressive white supremacist groups are on the rise. Again, I'm not saying that every case where a brown person gets attacked is racially motivated, since there are other dynamics that can be at play and y'alls cautions against ascribing motives are well put. But I just don't understand the the notion expressed here that parents would send their kids to Indiana/Valpo because it's 'safer.' It just seems to me they would have had to be living under a rock for the last decade to assume that.

Exactly when did Valpo become unsafe? And, if it isn't "safer," who are you comparing it to? What serious crimes have increased? Apparently, I missed it. Then again, I've only lived here my entire life.

[valpopal]

The Butterfield Harre study sort of cuts off in COVID, but provides some record of incidents (at least those reported in the newspaper)
http://nwibiasincidents.org/incidents_by-year.html

I know we are no longer necessarily in a situation like the 1970s where the first two black students apparently had to carry a letter from the uni president saying they were permitted to be in the city overnight, but I also think the height of safety was probably the 80s and maybe 90s before some of the current neo KKK and neo Nazi groups got so strong in the 2000s

This is the evidence you have that Valparaiso is not a safer place than locations like Chicago? It is a list of alleged incidents, apparently most of which did not even involve a charged offense or verification. The site lists the average number of "incidents" not for Valparaiso, but for all of NW Indiana, including Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties, as well as at least 10 cities. The average of claimed incidents per year for all of these places combined is about 15. In fact, Valparaiso has zero incidents reported during some given years, including 2020, the same year BLM protests burned down sections of cities across the country. Try comparing this to real crime statistics elsewhere. In Chicago you don't even need to add up crimes for a year; you can use a single weekend.

[historyman]

In Chicago you don't even need to add up crimes for a year; you can use a single weekend.

Chicago is a mighty wide area. It would never compare to Valparaiso and is truly an apples to oranges comparison. I think you would have to go neighborhood by neighborhood in the city of Chicago where I work on almost a daily basis.

I'm also an almost daily user of the Planet Fitness on Strongbow Center Dr. in Valpo.

[crusadermoe]

Again, it is pointless to draw conclusions from tiny .01 statistics of violent crime. They are random whether in Beverly Hills or in Appalachia and typically have a mental illness element.  The media needs a fixation every 24 hour news cycle and naturally shuts down all other stories to keep eyes on their cable channel versus others who are playing it round the clock.  But to contradict my point just a bit, you likely could demonstrate with stats that you are less safe off campus at Marquette or Saint Louis U.

I forgot to include in my last post other random gun incidents in Highland Park, Waukesha, and the Indianapolis mall in the last two years. The elements of mental illness there are more marginal, but certainly present. Sadly it is inevitable that more illness will pop up. And they will be random so please don't try to draw causal links from coincidences. 

I didn't do well in statistics but I do recall one very serous point.  It is called the "standard deviation."  There is a burden of proof on wiser and objective scientific method to use a sufficient quantity and prove a notable trend. 

[valpopal]

In Chicago you don't even need to add up crimes for a year; you can use a single weekend.

Chicago is a mighty wide area. It would never compare to Valparaiso and is truly an apples to oranges comparison. I think you would have to go neighborhood by neighborhood in the city of Chicago where I work on almost a daily basis.

True, but even the "best" neighborhoods in Chicago are not nearly as safe as Valparaiso. Consider Rogers Park, regarded as one of the city's safest areas (located near Loyola University with which VU competes for students) and which is literally praised in guidebooks as "one of Chicago's safe neighborhoods": "Rogers Park is on the Far North Side of Chicago, with a lot of wonderful architecture. It is a great place for members of the LGBTQ+ community and families. The 2022 crime rate is 23% below Chicago's average, with 666 violent and 2,378 property crime instances per 100,000 people." By contrast, Valparaiso with its population of 34,500 had a total of "58 violent crimes and 349 property crimes" in 2021 according to FBI data.

[DejaVU]

Unfortunately, the victim passed away. President Padilla just made the announcement this evening via a campus-wide email.

[VULB#62]

So sad.  So sorry for the poor young man and so sorry for his family. Words can't cover this.

[historyman]

As I understand it talking to an Indian-American lady I do business with this was not a wealthy family that could come to the US easily. They are devastated. Varun was their person to take them out of the poor status in India. He would get his degree and pay for the whole family to survive back home. Now all that hope is gone. His father was a teacher and they make very little in India.

[VULB#62]

Even more crushing. Heartbreaking.

[David81]

The poor man's chances of surviving were originally put at 5 percent. I'm wondering if they fought to keep him alive long enough for the family to say goodbye.

This is a heartbreaking nightmare version of what otherwise is a variation on the American Dream, that is, study at a quality US university, get a degree that will open doors to jobs with good salaries, and use that income to lift up the rest of the family.