“Quote....Endquote”

“We've all pulled together to meet this challenge. Mother Nature, I think, has thrown everything she could at us. And we fought back heroically.”

Sally Mason, University president, on efforts to protect campus buildings from flooding (WHO TV, June 17, 2008).

"Our losses will be huge, but what we have saved will be even greater."

Donald Guckert, associate vice president and director of facilities management, on the millions of dollars worth of paintings, sculptures, rare books, and instruments moved to higher ground before the floods (Chronicle of Higher Education, June 27, 2008).

"It's just horrendous to get out of the building. The loading dock and the painting just don't mesh."

Pam White, interim director of the University of Iowa Museum of Art, speaking about the process of moving Jackson Pollack’s Mural, which measures 8 feet tall by 20 feet wide (Des Moines Register, June 22, 2008).

"It was just tremendous and heartwarming to witness all of the efforts they made, even though ultimately they couldn't fight off the river."

William LaRue Jones, professor or music in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, on volunteers’ efforts to build sandbag barriers around his home (Chronicle of Higher Education, June 27, 2008).

"We have a whole floor—the third floor of our library—that looks like a bunker…We moved as much material as we could possibly save."

Nancy Baker, director of libraries, on rescuing books and manuscripts from the Main Library basement (NPR, June 14, 2008).

“People have more important things to worry about, like getting their business and home taken care of."

Tim Hagle, associate professor of political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, on the impact the floods were having on presidential campaigning in the state (Washington Post, June 19, 2008).