Below is a copy of the letter.

December 2, 2008

Dr. Ravi Dani

President

Indian Association of West Texas

Texas Tech University

Department of Biological Sciences

MS 3131

Lubbock, Texas 79409

Dear Dr. Dani:

On behalf of the entire Texas Tech System family, I would like to express our profound sympathies to you over the tragic loss of life and injuries resulting from the inhumane and senseless terrorist acts in Mumbai. We all greatly regret each and every life lost to these brutal terrorists, and join the rest of the civilized world in condemning this outrage. I would greatly appreciate you passing on our feelings to the members of your community. All of our thoughts and prayers are with our Indian colleagues, your families and your country at this tragic time.

Yours very truly,

Kent R. Hance

Chancellor

Below is a copy of the letter.

December 2, 2008

Dr. Ravi Dani

President

Indian Association of West Texas

Texas Tech University

Department of Biological Sciences

MS 3131

Lubbock, Texas  79409

Dear Dr. Dani:

On behalf of the entire Texas Tech System family, I would like to express our profound sympathies to you over the tragic loss of life and injuries resulting from the inhumane and senseless terrorist acts in Mumbai.  We all greatly regret each and every life lost to these brutal terrorists, and join the rest of the civilized world in condemning this outrage.  I would greatly appreciate you passing on our feelings to the members of your community.  All of our thoughts and prayers are with our Indian colleagues, your families, and your country at this tragic time.

Yours very truly,

Kent R. Hance

Chancellor

KRH:ljs

cc:           Dr. Surya Yadav, TTU Indian Student Association    

                Dr. Guy Bailey, President, TTU

                Dr. John Baldwin, President, TTU HSC

                Dr. Joseph Rallo, President, ASU

                Ambassador Tibor Nagy

WHEN:           11 a.m. Wednesday (Dec. 3)

WHERE:         The Merket Alumni Center on the Texas Tech University campus – Map. The news conference may be viewed online at www.tiehh.ttu.edu. Questions can be e-mailed during the news conference to media.questions@ttu.edu.

EVENT:          Researchers and Congressional leaders will announce results that demonstrate the superiority of a wipe developed by researchers at Texas Tech University. After researchers at The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University developed a nonwoven wipe that could be used to decontaminate toxic chemical warfare agents, an evaluation of the wipe using a live threat agent was carried out by a nationally-known, independent laboratory.

This news comes after blue-ribbon Congressional panel has recently concluded that it’s likely that terrorists will use a weapon of mass destruction somewhere in the world by 2013.

CONTACT: Ronald Kendall, director, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, (806) 885-4567, ron.kendall@tiehh.ttu.edu.

The ceremony will be at 4 p.m. Dec. 12 at United Spirit Arena.

“He’s handled himself well throughout the campaign,” Hance said. “After he lost, he was very gracious and went out of his way to say he would work with everyone. I personally think he is a true American hero.”

Receiver Wes Welker, engulfed by reporters, paused from answering questions and offered up one of his own:

“No questions about my hat or anything?” asked Welker, who was donning a red Texas Tech winter cap. “How ’bout those Red Raiders?”

Welker, a Texas Tech alum, was representing his alma mater leading up to Saturday’s big game at Oklahoma. It’s No. 2 Texas Tech against No. 5 Oklahoma.

“We wanted to reduce overall costs in the refund process; including the printing of physical checks to students, maintaining ACH documentation, stop payments, reconciliation and escheatment processes,” said the university’s Becky Hyde, managing director of Student Business Services. “We wanted to reduce the number of checks.”

After more than two months of preparatory work, the Carol of Lights celebration is ready to begin. The lights have been hung and tested, the Christmas tree and wreath are in place and everything is ready.

“I love it,” said Alice Scott, with University Student Housing. “It’s a wonderful tradition and I think we are the only university to have anything like this. I’ve had universities throughout the country call me about this, wanting to know how we do it and what we do. But no one else has done it yet. I think it’s something of which Texas Tech should be very proud.”

This is Scott’s 22nd year to be a part of the planning and execution of the Carol of Lights and she knows exactly what to expect this year.

“We aren’t planning anything different,” she said. “That is the whole point of a tradition.”

From the beginning, the Residence Hall Association (RHA) has been involved in the Carol of Lights ceremony, although it wasn’t called that at the time. The tradition was introduced through a partnership between the RHA and the music department in the 1950s. Gene Hemmle, the director of the music department, got together with a small group of students from the residence halls to sing carols.

Bill Dean, executive vice president and CEO of the Texas Tech Alumni Association, was there for the first gathering at Memorial Circle.

“It was pretty small and pretty insignificant at the time. It didn’t have all the lights up,” Dean said. “It was pretty low key. They sang Christmas carols and drank hot chocolate.”

Let There Be Light

Light was shed on the tradition in 1959, thanks to former Board of Regents member Harold Hinn who provided the funds for 5,000 lights. The initial strand covered the Science Quadrangle and the Administration Building.

The next year the RHA named the tradition the Christmas Sing. It was not called the Carol of Lights until 1961, when the light display increased to 16,000. At the time, Dean was student government president. He, along with interim university president R.C. Goodwin, was invited to flip the switch to ignite the new and improved version.

Through the years the number of lights continued to increase. Today 25,000 red, orange and white lights outline 13 buildings. The six miles of chord stretches from the Broadway Avenue entrance, around the Engineering Key, Science Quadrangle, Administration Building and back to University Avenue.

Kyle Cooper with the Physical Plant electric shop is in charge of hanging the lights, which begins in late September. The lights stay on until the first week when students come back from the holidays. Then the workers are busy, once again, this time removing the decorations.

“It takes anywhere from a month to a month and a half to take everything down,” Cooper said.

But he says all the hard work that goes into the Carol of Lights is worth it.

“It’s great to see the community come out and see what you have been working so hard on,” said Cooper. “It’s one thing to see it, but when you know what’s put into it and seeing all the student organizations come together with us to make all of this happen, it’s just very worthwhile.”

Molding a Tradition

The foundation of the Carol of Lights has remained the same since its beginnings 50 years ago. The holidays are a time of giving and the Carol of Lights is Texas Tech’s present to Lubbock and the surrounding communities. It is a chance to spread holiday cheer as well as show honor and pride for the university. But while that foundation remains the same, the tradition has grown larger over the years, adding special nuances representative of Texas Tech.

Decorations like the 38-foot lighted Christmas tree, 3,000 luminaries lining the sidewalks of Memorial Circle and a 21-foot fresh pine wreath hung on the Physics/Geosciences Building are now part of the tradition.

The evening celebration kicks off with a Carillon concert, from its 43 bells located in the west tower of the Administration Building. The chorus of bells echoes through the crowd building the anticipation for the next phase of the ceremony, when the Saddle Tramps and High Riders begin their stately Torch Light Processional. The Trombone Choir and combined choirs lead the massive crowd in singing carols. The ceremony culminates with a moving soloist performance of “O Holy Night,” and the lights are illuminated.

Weather Rain or Shine

The Carol of Lights tradition is carried out whether rain, snow or shine. And no matter what the temperature, the crowd of students, fans, friends, family and community members, still gathers to take part in the ceremony.

“Sometimes it’s been mild, sometimes it’s been chilly, and sometimes it’s been downright cold with snow on the ground” said Dean, who only missed a few ceremonies while he was in the army. “My wife and I have never missed one since we have been married.”

The ceremony has continued every year except for 1972, when Texas Tech cancelled the event due to the university’s energy conservation policy.

At the 50th anniversary celebration on Dec. 5, Dean once again will be asked to help illuminate the campus, this time alongside RHA president Benjamin Bronson.

“I am very humbled by the whole thing when you stop and think it’s been that long,” Dean said. “Other than the athletic traditions with the masked rider, I think it embodies Texas Tech’s spirit probably as well as anything we do and I am happy to be a part of it.”

The Carol of Lights is made possible by the efforts of the Residence Hall Association, Chi Rho, Alpha Phi Omega, High Riders, Saddle Tramps, Women’s Service Organization, Music Department, Grounds Maintenance, Physical Plant and McDonald’s. Photos by Artie Limmer.

Harley Oberhelman (center) with his son Richard after his initiation into the Order of Don Quijote by Comfort Pratt, Adviser of Sigma Delta Pi (right).

Professor Harley D. Oberhelman was honored by the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi, on Nov. 21.

Oberhelman, professor emeritus of romance languages, will be inducted into the Order of Don Quijote, the highest honor awarded by Sigma Delta Pi. The order recognizes service in the fields of Hispanic scholarship, the teaching of Spanish, and the promotion of good relations between English-speaking countries and those of Spanish speech.

“I sincerely appreciate this recognition of my years of service teaching Spanish and bringing my experiences in Spanish America to students and to others at Texas Tech and beyond,” Oberhelman said.

Sigma Delta Pi has more than 550 chapters in the United States and Canada. The Texas Tech chapter recently received Honor Chapter Award for its outstanding activities in 2007-08.