For University faculty, staff and students, emotions ranged from utter devastation to a shared disbelief over the death of Princess Diana of Wales, who some describe as the world's most famous woman.
| Princess Diana |
Since early Sunday morning, when televised reports gave viewers constant updates about the fatal car crash, the confirmation of Diana's death has raised questions regarding who is to blame and what repercussions are appropriate.
James Bennett, a British native and graduate student in the School of Education, said Diana's death is incomparable to any event in recent British history.
"This is an event is unparalleled, as far as I'm concerned, in British history in the last 15 to 20 years," Bennett said. "This has created more news than anything. She was such an icon, it can only be written down as such a major event. It was just as big a shock as if I'd been at home because she's just a world icon."
LSA first-year student Carolyn Jones said Diana's death will find a place in history alongside other major tragedies of the 20th century.
"It probably going to be like, 'Where were you when JFK died?'" Jones said. "I wonder if any good will come out of it."
Former CNN foreign correspondent Tony Collings, who teaches in the communication studies department this year, said the media's image may fall under scrutiny since paparazzi are being blamed in part for Diana's death.
Photographers were following the princess before the car crashed, ending her life as well as that of her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the car's driver.
"I'm definitely concerned about what the public reaction of this situation will do to the media, which is already going through a difficult period," Collings said.
LSA sophomore Lisa Berry said that no matter who's to blame, the circumstances around Diana's death are unfortunate.
"It's just tragic," Berry said. "That's the only word I can use to describe it."
However, as the story unraveled, speculation about the cause of the crash has moved from the photographers to the fact that the car's driver was driving drunk when the car hit a wall in the Paris tunnel.
Still, Collings said many people will continue to focus on the role of the media in covering public figures.
"This has been a problem for some time," Collings said about public skepticism of the media. "I think that this latest incident will increase the concern in the profession, the image of journalists."
Meanwhile, University students said they will continue to remember the major role that Diana played in the lives of British people.
"It's going to take a long time for people to come to terms with it," Bennett said. "I think the oldest son, William, is at an age where he'll be able to deal with it better than Harry can."
Jones said news of the accident seems somewhat unreal because Diana's humanitarian presence and captivating smile made her seem almost immortal.
"She's a princess," Jones said. "They called her the people's princess."