We have followed the search for Harsha Maddula — a member of the Class of 2015 — with unease, worry, and confusion. Since we learned he was missing, we’ve been unsure of what we should do, of what could be effective or helpful.

The path, now, is more clear. The police, University officials and Harsha’s family have made it clear how students can help immediately:

1. If you were at one of the two parties involved, or saw Harsha Friday night, we beg you to speak up and share. The University and authorities have made themselves available in so many ways: You can contact them anonymously: at Ethics Point, or by picking up a blue-light phone around campus. You can call also them directly, at 847-491-3254. We implore you to tell the police any and all information you may have, however seemingly unimportant. Northwestern is and should be an open, safe space, and you should feel both comfortable and responsible in sharing.

2. Join a volunteer search party. The best would be to gather at Seabury — 600 Haven St. — on Friday, at 9 am and 4pm. Harsha’s family, and correspondence from Assistant Vice President Howard, have requested we fill this role.

It may be one we’re unused to. As Northwestern students, we’re trained to focus our energy on what we excel at. We study and work at what we love, at what we believe improves the world. But sometimes the work Northwestern requires doesn’t need experts: It just needs people. No one specializes in searching; no one majors in looking around; no one believes their recollection of a random moment at a party could be of larger importance. Yet that moment is worth sharing, that look worth having, that search worth volunteering for — for they are among our duties not only to the entire Northwestern community, but to Harsha’s family, and to Harsha.

As Harsha is a part of Northwestern, Northwestern is a part of Harsha. Please help in finding him, whether by sharing or searching. Though class restarts today, let us keep this at the forefront of our thoughts. For we should not study the true and noble without aspiring to it ourselves, and while it is a privilege to be here and to learn here, it is a far greater privilege to serve one another, to support a distressed family, and to search for a missing friend.

Signed,

Logan Koepke | Chairman, A&O Productions
Victor Shao | President, Associated Student Government
Brad Stewart | Executive Vice President, Associated Student Government
Girish Pendse | Financial Vice President, Associated Student Government
Lauren Masterson | Student Groups Vice President, Associated Student Government
Carlos Martinez | Co-President, Alianza
Lucia Leon | Co-President, Alianza
Matt Larsen | Executive Co-Chair, Dance Marathon
Katie Amys | Executive Co-Chair, Dance Marathon
Brian Lange | Co-President, Engineers for a Sustainable World
Justin Clarke | Coordinator, For Members Only
Maryam Adamu | Co-Director, Global Engagement Summit
Jill Shah | GlobeMed National Office
Nora Cohen | President, Hillel
Emily Lane | Co-Chair, Homecoming 2012
Pat Schnettler | President, Interfraternity Council
Jeremy Shpizner | Co-Chair, Mayfest
Wil Heintz | Co-Chair, Mayfest
Ala Salameh | Co-President, Muslim-cultural Student Association
Yousuf Ahmad | Co-President, Muslim-cultural Student Association
Amalia Namath | Co-Chair, Northwestern Community Development Corps
Edward Demaria | News Director, Northwestern News Network
Robinson Meyer | Northwestern University, Class of 2013
Bryan Munoz | News Director, Noticiero Northwestern
Rayyan Najeeb | NU Engagement Coalition
Linda Calles | President, NU Chapter, National Association of Hispanic Journalists
Katie Hilburn | Sigma Alpha Iota
Nikhil Bhagwat | Co-President, South Asian Student Alliance
Zachary Wichter | Co-President, Rainbow Alliance
Danielle Littman | Community Outreach Coordinator, WAVE Productions

This letter has been updated to reflect newly scheduled search parties Friday morning and afternoon.