Collegiate Times

Tech officials announced Oct. 30 that the school has officially released more than $8.5 million dollars in donations to the families of the victims of April 16 from the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund (HSMF).

Under the consult of Kenneth Feinberg, who led the distribution of the federal September 11 Victim Compensation Fund in 2001, an official protocol for distribution of the HSMF was announced on August 16.

The protocol specified how money would be distributed based on the severity of injury, with those 32 families of the deceased receiving an original cash payment of $180,000, among other stipulations. The sums given to the families of the injured were divided up based on how many days the victims spent in the hospital.

"(Feinberg) came up with a protocol which we accepted and adopted after he met with all the families and all of the people who were injured in the tragedy," said Mark Owczarski, university spokesperson. "The only difference from that protocol and the one we announced today was that more funds came in, so the overall figures were increased."

The HSMF received a much higher donation total than the university had originally accounted for, and the extra money was re-dispersed among the victims, increasing the lump payment made to the 32 families of the deceased to $208,000, and also increasing the amount paid to the injured.

"While there were then, and there remains today many university needs for these generous contributions, we determined it would require the Wisdom of Solomon to determine 'fair and appropriate' uses of the monies," said university President Charles Steger in a press conference announcing the disbursement. "There is no right way to disburse these monies, but we believe the best way to continue the healing is to put as much as possible in the hands of those who have suffered the most."

Of the 32 families of the deceased and over three dozen more who were injured or otherwise present during the tragedy, everyone who was eligible filed the necessary paperwork with the university and will be receiving disbursements.

"People sent (these donations) to Virginia Tech and have entrusted to us to do what is right and appropriate," Steger said. "And that is why we now are disbursing the bulk of the monies to 79 families or individuals. We believe it was best to focus on their needs. They experienced extraordinary loss and emotional trauma and deserved the most support."

Money from the fund was also allocated to the 32 families of the deceased in the form of reimbursed tuition for the 32 deceased and 32 endowments with which to begin a university scholarship in the name of the victim. For the families of those injured, additional money was distributed for tuition and mandatory fees to cover the remainder of the injured student's education at Tech, with some being offered the choice to accept the total amount of tuition and fees as one lump payment.

The fund also delegates the coverage of remaining tuition and fees for all students who were present in Norris Hall classrooms 204, 205, 206, 207, and 211, where the shootings took place on April 16.

Even after increasing the sum of the disbursements for all of the families, about $860,000 dollars remains in the Fund, which will be distributed among the 32 university scholarships at the discretion of the donors. The fund will remain open until Dec. 31, 2007, and anyone wishing to make donations of aid after that date will be encouraged to contact the family directly.

"We again send our most sincere condolences and deep sorrow to all the families for their loss of precious loved ones," Steger said during the conference. "We know that no amount of money can bring back a loved one. I wish for each and every one continuing wisdom and peace as they cope with their loss and recovery."

The fund, which was established on April 17, has been responsible for managing all donations made to the university as aid for all of those affected by the tragedy since that day. In July of 2007, Feinberg was named as the official adviser to the Memorial Fund. Lawyers representing some of the families considering lawsuits against the university had no comment regarding the impact of the Memorial Fund payment on their clients' possible decision to sue.