While Williston resumes our normal schedule and students returned last night from an extended long weekend, our thoughts are with those who were not so fortunate. As with other natural disasters with widespread tentacles, six degrees of separation invariably means that the extended Williston family has been directly and profoundly affected.

We have students living in the tri-state zone of destruction, a faculty member whose relatives suffered an unimaginable loss, a colleague whose Easthampton home sustained a direct hit from a tree—these are some of the stories affecting Williston. The minor disruptions we tolerated are nothing compared to what some have had to endure.

Williston is “back to normal” today, and our community is thankful for being spared human and property loss, but ever mindful of those who continue to suffer from Hurricane Sandy’s wrath.