UPDATED: Texas to Aid Students Attending Schools in Katrina Damaged Areas/ Rice University helps Katrina victims/Texas A&M as well
Universities in New Orleans and surrounding areas are shut down for at least two to three months. What can be done? Expand enrollments in schools in neighboring states.
And that will be done.
The president of the University of Texas at Austin, Larry Faulkner, issued this press release late last night:
The University of Texas at Austin stands with the nation in expressing our sorrow in this time of terrible tragedy in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. We are committed to providing temporary help this fall to colleges and universities in the New Orleans area which are unable to operate while they are attempting to recover and rebuild. To assist university students and faculty who have been affected by the disaster of catastrophic proportions in our neighboring states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, The University of Texas at Austin is taking the following emergency steps, effective immediately.
The following policies apply to students who were enrolling or enrolled in colleges or universities in the area of greatest disaster impact and are likely to remain closed for an extended period.
• Undergraduate students who are Texas residents or graduates from Texas high schools will be eligible to take available undergraduate courses at the University for the fall 2005 semester.
• Graduate and professional students who are Texas residents or graduates of Texas colleges and universities will be eligible take available graduate courses at the University for the fall 2005 semester.
• Graduate students who have no need for coursework but who need to use libraries and research facilities will be eligible to use appropriate University facilities.
• Foreign exchange students will be eligible to take available courses at the University for the fall 2005 semester if the University has a formal exchange agreement with the students’ home institutions.
The details of these policies can be found at the Web sites of the Office of Admissions and the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies.
In addition, faculty members of colleges and universities in the affected disaster areas will be offered the opportunity to work on our campus, with access to office space, libraries, research facilities, and the Internet.
These temporary measures are intended to help students and faculty colleagues in a time of unprecedented disaster. The University of Texas at Austin is firmly committed to aiding the affected higher education institutions in any way possible as they seek to recover from the devastation brought by Hurricane Katrina.
We are also concerned about University of Texas at Austin students who have been affected by this disaster. Those students who need assistance with University matters or matters of a more personal nature are urged to contact LaToya Hill, Emergency Services Coordinator, Office of the Dean of Students, at lchill@mail.utexas.edu. They may also visit the Dean of Students Web site at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ and go to the “Spotlights and Events” link on that site.
Larry R. Faulkner
President
The University of Texas at Austin
Kudos. I am proud to say I teach at this school.
UPDATE: Rice University just sent out this press release:
In response to the tragedy in New Orleans and the gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Rice — along with many individuals and institutions in Houston — is doing what it can to help. In addition to contacting students and alumni in the affected areas with offers of help, the university community is responding in a number of ways. Students are volunteering at the Astrodome emergency shelter, the Facilities and Engineering Department is working to coordinate Houston-area contractors to stand ready should Tulane ask for assistance in recovery, and the Rice Athletics Department is donating free tickets to hurricane victims for the Sept. 24 football game against Navy.
Two initiatives already underway are:
RICE OFFERS HOUSTON-AREA TULANE STUDENTS FALL CLASSES
In support of a sister school stricken by Hurricane Katrina, Rice University will offer Houston-area undergraduates enrolled at Tulane University the opportunity to take fall semester classes at Rice on a space-available basis at no additional cost.
http://www.explore.rice.edu/explore/Tulane.aspHOOT’S PARTNERS WITH HOUSTON FOOD BANK ON FOOD DRIVE
In partnership with The Houston Food Bank, HOOT’s invites the Rice Community to participate in a food drive for the benefit of victims of Hurricane Katrina. Collection points will be available Thursday through Friday until noon at the entries of Allen Center, Sammy’s and the Rice Police Department.
http://www.staff.rice.edu/staff/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=7649To find a wide range of information on Rice — including news and events, alumni activities, sports and giving to Rice — go to
.
UPDATE 2: Commenter 14 notes Texas A&M is instituting a program similar to that of UT-Austin. I suspect the entire Univ of Texas system and the Texas A&M system will try to accomodate as many students and faculty as possible. The total Texas education assistance effort (public and private) may be very significant.
What to do for Katrina refugees? The University of Texas takes in academic refugees from Katrina — this is really substantive academic rescue work.• Undergraduate students who are Texas residents or graduates from Texas high schools will be eligible to take available undergraduate …
Trackback by The Cranky Professor — 9/1/2005 @ 9:21 am
Hmm. Not to be a spoiled sport, but I think we (UT) can do more. I think any students (not just Texans) that were at affected schools should be able to enroll in the same courses at UT. Hopefully some sort of record exists to show that they did enroll. This is inadequate compared to what HISD is doing.
Comment by Rob — 9/1/2005 @ 9:33 am
Makes me proud to have just graduated from UT. I know a friend of a friend that is from houston and going to school at LSU and something like this effort will be of great use. I can only hope that more universities in Texas will follow suit. Like aTm, Tech, UH, and such. on a side note, I never realized you were a professor at UT. I just now looked you up on the directory, do you teach any other classes besides Aerospace and such?
Comment by Chris — 9/1/2005 @ 10:13 am
I don’t teach at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, which is taking students displaced by Katrina. Nor do I teach at IU Bloomington, which is as well.
Comment by Jon — 9/1/2005 @ 10:15 am
That’s great! Now someone or some school needs to jump in and help out the students who are from somewhere other thant Texas.
Comment by Bob Buchanan — 9/1/2005 @ 10:25 am
[…] to go! I am proud to be a Volunteer. UPDATE: The other UT—Texas, that is—will also be admitting students. Leave a Reply Name (required) Email (will not be published) (requi […]
Pingback by UT to Admit Displaced Students | Abstract Musings — 9/1/2005 @ 12:41 pm
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/090105dnmettulane.131b1411.html At SMU, officials turned the basement of the student union into a temporary home for the Tulane evacuees. They also set up a television, phones and computers with Internet access in the union. They cleared off part of the union’s ballroom for students to crash. They handed out meal cards and helped students arrange flights and rides back home.
Comment by Clark — 9/1/2005 @ 12:55 pm
At SMU, officials turned the basement of the student union into a temporary home for the Tulane evacuees. They also set up a television, phones and computers with Internet access in the union. They cleared off part of the union’s ballroom for students to crash. They handed out meal cards and helped students arrange flights and rides back home. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/090105dnmettulane.131b1411.html
Comment by Clark — 9/1/2005 @ 12:56 pm
Good on Texas!
Comment by Andrew — 9/1/2005 @ 1:16 pm
Seems to me that’s more of a PR move than real help. It’s just for Texas residents. Is Larry Faulkner handing out burnt orange t-shirts too?
Comment by Xixi — 9/1/2005 @ 2:16 pm
[…] 1:39 pm Well when you have almost 50,000 students, who’s going to notice the new guys. A wonderful thing for UT to do, taking in academic refugees from schools in the Katrina disaster area […]
Pingback by Banzai Blog » Hook Em — 9/1/2005 @ 2:39 pm
Bravo Zulu, Univeristy of Texas!
Comment by HaroldHutchison — 9/1/2005 @ 3:02 pm
[…] hese articles were written before the levee broke. Hurricane humor from Different River. Austin Bay notes that Texas (and several other states adjacent to the affected areas) are opening their schools […]
Pingback by The Glittering Eye » Blog Archive » Eye on Katrina — 9/1/2005 @ 3:04 pm
The nine universities and health science center in The Texas A&M University System are offering something similar.
Comment by Aggie fan — 9/1/2005 @ 3:57 pm
[…] O BE A TEXAS EX! Thursday September 01st 2005, 2:59 pm Filed under: Raving UT is making offers to academic refugees from Katrina. Hook’em Horns!! No C […]
Pingback by Productio Ad Absurdam — 9/1/2005 @ 5:00 pm
This message was sent out today, Sept. 1, by the President of Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne Florida. We were hit last year repeatedly by hurricanes, with Jeanne and Francis doing major damage. We feel for those folks. MELBOURNE, FLA. – Florida Institute of Technology President Anthony J. Catanese announced a sweeping program today designed to provide aid and comfort to those most affected by Hurricane Katrina. Catanese, who serves as co-chair of the Florida Campus Compact, said the seven-part program the university is implementing is the result of several days of consultation and planning. “After Hurricane Katrina had passed, I spoke with a colleague, Dr. Gregory O’Brien, the former chancellor of the University of New Orleans. He knew conditions in the city were going to get worse, and asked at that time for us to consider ways to help,†said Catanese. “Later, in consultation with Congressman Dave Weldon, we began work on the program that we’re pleased to announce today.†The plan is as follows: 1) Florida Tech will extend its enrollment period to allow students from Brevard County that attend universities in the affected area, including, but not limited to, Tulane, Loyola, Xavier, Southern, Dillard and UNO, to attend classes at the Melbourne campus. Florida Tech will waive tuition for these students for the fall semester. Students interested in taking advantage of this enrollment option should contact the university’s registrar’s office at 674-7400. Further, members of faculty and staff will open their homes to students who need a place to stay. Those interested may contact Dr. Terry Oswalt, Vice Provost for Research, at 674-7325. Florida Tech students from the affected areas will be helped on a case-by-case basis. 2) Florida Tech will offer its research facilities to faculty from affected universities in areas who have critical needs. Interested faculty may contact Oswalt to learn more. 3) The Florida Tech Student Government Association, working with Florida Campus Compact, will undertake a major fundraising effort for the Red Cross and Salvation Army. 4) The Florida Tech Alumni Association will undertake a fundraising effort to match, dollar for dollar, the funds raised by the Student Government Association. 5) Under the direction of Athletics Director Bill Jurgens, Florida Tech student athletes will assist in emergency relief when local, state and federal government officials deem such relief appropriate and timely. 6) During fall break and between semesters, if appropriate, our students will organize several relief efforts for the affected regions in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. 7) Florida Tech’s radio station, WFIT, will provide a public service by broadcasting information on when, how and where to give donations for hurricane relief efforts. “Florida Tech’s faculty, staff and students know first-hand the devastating effects wrought by hurricanes,†said Catanese. “We hope, in this way, to let our gulf state neighbors and colleagues know that they do not stand alone.â€
Comment by Ramon Lopez — 9/1/2005 @ 11:32 pm
[…] .php?id=31539″>Baylor is also accepting students from the hurricane devastated areas. UT will help those students who are Texans or who previously attended Texas colleges. The president of the Univ […]
Pingback by My Own Thoughts » Universities Offer Hurricane Help — 9/1/2005 @ 11:39 pm
It is happening at lower levels too. I was told by an elementary teacher here in the Conroe Independent School District that they just enrolled six students (just in our school) from New Oreans who were living with relatives here. Kudos to CISD and other districts for stepping up to the challenge of keeping these kids in school.
Comment by ScottJ — 9/2/2005 @ 9:37 am
Here’s a link to the A&M System site: http://tamus.edu/katrina/
Comment by Aggie fan — 9/2/2005 @ 1:39 pm
The Catholic schools are helping out, too. The Bishop of Austin issued this statement “Catholic school students affected by Hurricane Katrina may be accepted immediately into any Catholic school in the Austin Diocese”. Given the number of LA students educated in the Catholic school system, it is pretty significant. I know my Catholic school kids told me there were some children who would be enrolling today.
Comment by Nancy — 9/2/2005 @ 1:51 pm
Catholic schools are helping out, too. The Bishop of Austin announced that “Catholic school students affected by Hurricane Katrina may be accepted immediately into any Catholic school in the Austin Diocese”. Given the number of students in LA educated in Catholic schools, that is significant. My kids told me that a number of new students would be coming to their Catholic school on Tuesday.
Comment by Nancy — 9/2/2005 @ 1:54 pm
Trinity University in San Antonio is helping out as well (probably not on the same scale as the student population is about 2,500), but it may be worth checking out for New Orleans students from south Texas who want to be close to home. Here’s the link to the university’s website: http://www.trinity.edu/departments/public_relations/news_releases/050902hurricane.htm
Comment by Adam Finch — 9/2/2005 @ 9:23 pm
UTD is helping too; see http://www.utd.edu/katrina/students.html.
Comment by Stephanie — 9/3/2005 @ 7:47 am
Helping hurricane refugees in Austin TX I used to live in Austin TX and I just got emails from both my former synagogue and a large online community there. Houston is overloaded and many refugees are proceeding to Austin. If you live in the Austin area…
Trackback by Kesher Talk — 9/3/2005 @ 6:04 pm
How to help Katrina refugees in Austin TX I used to live in Austin TX and I just got emails from both my former synagogue and a large online community there, listing resources for Katrina refugees who are proceeding to Austin as Houston…
Trackback by Winds of Change.NET — 9/3/2005 @ 7:19 pm
Helping hurricane refugees in Austin TX I used to live in Austin TX and I just got emails from both my former synagogue and a large online community there. Many evacuated from New Orleans are being sent to Austin. If you live in the Austin area…
Trackback by Kesher Talk — 9/4/2005 @ 5:17 pm