A graduate student of Middle Eastern decent recently withdrew from the University following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.
"He wanted to go home and be with his family," Asst. Dean of Students Ajay Nair said. "But it was not related to any [post-attack] backlash."
There are no other known cases of University students withdrawing because of the terrorist attacks.
"Other schools may be facing a problem, but we've been fortunate," Nair said. Student groups related to the Middle East have found support in the University's faculty and student body.
Afghan Student Association Co-President Lida Noory said no one within her organization is thinking of withdrawing.
"It has made us stronger in the sense that we want to educate people," Noory said. "We do not want to hide or withdraw."
Arab Student Organization President Yahya Fouz credited the actions of student organizations and the administration in comforting students. "People are not withdrawing because we were quick to work with other organizations and deans to reassure people," Fouz said.
Fouz also made a distinction between the reactions of first years and upperclassmen.
Many upperclassmen just wanted someone to talk to, while first years were unaware of the resources available to them, making them more afraid of a blacklash, Fouz said.
The ASO held many meetings to offer support, including a meeting with the deans of students and the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services.
CAPS focused on the situations that students with Middle Eastern backgrounds faced.
Members of the Afghan Student Association also said they initially feared a backlash and that people would make false assumptions about the Afghanistan people.
Before the attacks on Sept. 11, the organization was planning to hold a forum to educate people about Afghanistan. In light of the attacks, the group now is trying to decide what the focus of the forum will be.
The Afghan Student Association also held meetings along with other student groups to educate and offer support.
The number of people in attendance at the teach-in showed "the intellectual level and maturity level of U.Va.," Noory said.
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