Written by Grace Gillespie
SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum still remembers exactly where he was on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, a day that changed the nation and left lasting impressions on campuses across the country.
At the time, Bitterbaum was serving as president of West Virginia University at Parkersburg and vice president at the main campus in Morgantown. He was in a cabinet meeting when his secretary knocked on the door. “She said something peculiar was going on. That an airplane went into one of the twin towers,” Bitterbaum recalled.
At first, he thought it was a small plane accident. Minutes later, he learned it was a major airline. “We put on the TV, and then we saw the second plane hit,” he said. “We realized something horrendous was happening.”
The campus quickly shifted into crisis mode. Faculty and staff gathered around televisions, and classes gave way to discussions. Bitterbaum reassured the community while counselors were made available. “It was a very memorable, sad time,” he said. “So many people lost.”
The tragedy hit close to home. A board member’s daughter, who had recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was working in one of the towers and became one of the victims. In her honor, the campus later established a scholarship.
Bitterbaum said the university canceled evening classes that day but reopened the next morning. “We had to continue the courses, but there was also lots of conversation,” he said. “We wanted to make sure people had space to process.”
He remembered seeing Coast Guard boats patrolling the Ohio River near chemical plants in the days after the attacks, a reminder of the uncertainty that lingered. “We didn’t know how broad it was,” he said. “We were worried about more attacks, but thankfully nothing happened in West Virginia.”
Reflecting on his leadership, Bitterbaum said the key was communication and compassion. “If there is a campus emergency, you make counselors available,” he said. “You bring speakers, you have conversations. That is what an intellectual institution should do.”
He noted that SUNY Cortland continues to mark Sept. 11 with memorials, though attendance has declined over the years. “In 2003 we had close to 1,000 students there,” he said. “Last year we had like 50. For today’s generation, it feels like ancient history.”
Still, Bitterbaum believes the lessons endure. “We came out as a strong nation,” he said. “We were attacked, but we still moved forward and tried to make the world a better place. That is one of the shining lights about this nation.”
For students who did not live through 9/11, Bitterbaum’s message is clear: remember the resilience. “We continue to help people around the world,” he said. “That’s what we’re admired for, and that’s what we should keep doing.”