Written by Ava Tibbitts & Claire Peters
On September 11, 2001, the United States faced tragedy when terrorist attacks struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a United Airlines Flight. The events that morning quickly brought confusion, fear, and grief to the SUNY Cortland campus. There was a disruption in the daily academic life, and it reshaped the campus atmosphere for a long time.
Almost twenty-five years later, a reflection on how campus experienced and responded to 9/11 offers insight into the collective emotion and unity that came out of the tragedy. Understanding Cortland’s response to the events not only preserves an important part of campus history but also helps current students comprehend how this event shaped so much of our campus atmosphere and environment.
The Morning of the Attacks
For many students, the morning began like normal. Justin Barlow, a senior Phys Ed major at the time, recalled being in his off-campus apartment getting ready to go to classes when his roommate came back and asked him if he knew what was going on. He had no idea, so they decided to turn on the TVs to get an idea of what was happening.
As the news spread to the rest of campus, confusion and fear set in. The day shifted from normalcy to disbelief.
“Shock, disbelief, fear,” Barlow recalled the immediate reaction of students and faculty at SUNY Cortland. “A lot of the students were from Long Island. Everyone was constantly trying to get people on the phone to figureout what was going on.”
The lack of communication, especially for students with family in New York City, amplified the panic. Barlow remembered his cousin was working within a few blocks of the attacks and he didn’t know what was going on with her until he was able to speak to his aunt weeks later.
Immediate Campus Response
SUNY Cortland responded to the news of the attacks by canceling classes and allowing students to grieve and process the events that had occurred.
“All classes that day and the next were canceled. Everyone was concerned with what was going to happen in the coming days,” Barlow explained.
Barlow also recalled that Cortland’s campus was quiet. The campus was more tense than usual, like the mourning many felt across the country. “Everywhere I went it just felt like we were all grieving together. We were scared, anxious, nervous, and there was a lot of unknown,” he said.
Campus Comes Together
In response to a horribly tragic event, SUNY Cortland came together in compassion and solidarity. Students reached out to comfort those with family that had been affected, and professors provided understanding and flexibility. These shared experiences created a community full of empathy. Grief became something that unified people and the shared experience during those weeks left a lasting impression on campus.
“I think there was just a sense of unity on campus where people were kind of looking out for each other and trying to be supportive of one another,” Barlow said. “Even the professors and everyone at the campus was just being extra understanding and lenient with whatever work or assignments.”
The Long-Term Effects
The unity that emerged after the attacks continued to shape SUNY Cortland’s campus even after the initial shock had worn off.
“For weeks after that, there was more camaraderie with everyone,” Barlow reflected. “It didn’t matter where they came from, what they were doing, if you were on campus at the time, you kind of had that common experience.”
This strengthened sense of community was apparent not just on Cortland’s campus but across the nation. Across the United States, people came together in collective mourning and patriotism.
Barlow recalled hearing about Pat Tillman, a professional football player who left his career to enlist after the attacks, something that helped give a new sense of purpose that spread across the country.
“It was pretty obvious that not just in Cortland or New York State, but nationally there was a lot of support and a lot more emphasis for the armed services.”