Higher Education: Virginia Tech to Distribute $7 Million to Families of Shooting Victims

Virginia Tech will be distributing a total of $7 million from its Hokie Spirit Memorial Funds to compensate the families of students killed or injured in the spring school shootings, the school announced in July.

The school has hired Kenneth R. Feinberg to administer the allocations from the Hokie Fund. Feinberg served as "Special Master" of the federal September 11 Compensation Fund. He will handle the disbursements on a "pro bono" basis, the school said.

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"It is very important for us to seek input from families of victims and the surviving victims about distribution of the funds ... They have experienced extraordinary loss and emotional trauma and deserve the most support," said Charles Steger, Virginia Tech president, in a statement.

Following the shootings April 16, donors spontaneously began contributing to the school in memory of the victims, and the pooled donations came to be known as the Hokie Spirit Memorial Funds. There are 34 funds under that umbrella, including 32 named funds--one for each victim. There is also a general scholarship fund and a memorial fund.

Altogether the funds add up to more than $7 million. While donations are continuing, the school officially closed the Hokie Fund in August. Payments to the families are expected to be completed in the fall.

September 1, 2007

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