PROFNET EXPERTS ROUND-UP: Colleges Mobilize in Wake of Hurricane

PROFNET EXPERTS ROUND-UP: Colleges Mobilize in Wake of Hurricane

Around the country, colleges and universities are mobilizing to help Gulf Coast communities and colleges ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The following round-up of ProfNet members describes their efforts in enrolling evacuated students, raising funds to contribute to the relief effort, and offering housing, health care, and other forms of assistance.

ENROLLMENT OF EVACUATED STUDENTS

Rice University (Houston). 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. There will be no incremental cost for students accepted under the program. If they have already paid their fall semester tuition to Tulane, Rice will provide available space in classes at no out-of-pocket expense to the students and will work with the students to assure they remain eligible for federal financial aid. Contact: Terry Shepard Phone: +1-713-348-6280 E-mail: tshepard.rice.edu

Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.). ASU is accepting college students who've been shut out of Gulf Coast universities by Hurricane Katrina for the fall 2005 semester. Students will have access to individual courses, as well as full academic programs. ASU President Michael Crow has asked his staff to do everything possible to accommodate these students and "walk them through" the enrollment process, including admissions, advising and registration. Contact: Sharon Keeler Phone: +1-480-965-4012 E-mail: sharon.keeler@asu.edu

Rutgers University (New Brunswick, N.J.). Students from New Jersey who attend colleges and universities in the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina are welcome to enroll as visiting students at Rutgers. The students will be visiting students, not regular students, and would return to their Gulf Coast schools as soon as those institutions can be safely re-opened. The usual requirements for registration involving considerable documentation from one's home institution will be waived. Contact: Sandra Lanman, director, Office of Media Relations E-mail: slanman@ur.rutgers.edu

Maryville University (St. Louis). Maryville University of Saint Louis will accept any student who was enrolled at an institution in the Gulf Coast flood areas, even though the traditional enrollment period for accepting students has passed. In addition, through Maryville's disaster-relief program, these students are eligible for free tuition for the fall semester, which is two weeks old. Students who enroll will be required to pay fees, room and board (if applicable), and file the FAFSA forms. This would apply to undergraduate and graduate students, regardless if they are full- or part-time students, provided space is available in the program. Contact: Mark D. Weinstein, director of public relations Phone: +1-314-529-9341 E-mail: mweinstein@maryville.edu

Centenary College (Shreveport, La.). Some 200 students and staff from New Orleans-based Dillard College arrived at Centenary College at 5 a.m. Sunday, and are currently being housed in the Centenary Gold Dome and Centenary Fitness Center, with dining services available in Centenary's north and south dining halls. In order to make classes available to displaced students until they can return to their home institutions, Centenary will extend its fall enrollment period until noon Tuesday, September 6. Contact: Lynn Stewart, director of public relations E-mail: lstewart@centenary.edu

Southern Methodist University (Dallas). SMU will enroll Tulane University students from the Dallas-Fort Worth area in classes that have space available this semester. Students from beyond the Dallas-Fort Worth area will be enrolled on a case-by-case basis. "We will consult with Tulane's leadership to learn the university's plans and to work out other details of assistance, as soon as contact is possible," R. Gerald Turner, SMU president, said. Contact: Patti LaSalle, associate vice president for university affairs. Phone: +1-214-768-7570

University of Missouri-St. Louis. UMSL will waive its application and late registration fees for students who attend colleges that have been closed by Katrina. "We're doing what we can to bring some stability to the lives of area residents who have been adversely affected by the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina," UMSL Chancellor Thomas F. George said. Contact: Bob Samples Phone: +1-314-516-5665 E-mail: bob@umsl.edu

Texas Christian University (Fort Worth). TCU is offering admission until Tuesday, September 6, to undergraduate students previously admitted to a university severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. "I am asking that each member of the TCU community be flexible in accommodating these late-arriving students and help them feel welcome. Although we are at our maximum for this year's freshman class, we feel a great sense of duty to offer this gesture of good will to these college students," TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr., said. Contact: Sandra Hawk Record E-mail: S.Record@tcu.edu

Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas). Southwestern is admitting on a "visiting basis" for first-year students who were admitted to the university but opted to attend schools in Louisiana. If they wish to apply for permanent status at the end of the semester, they may do so. Southwestern is also offering admission on a similar basis to nine upper-class students from Texas who were attending schools in Louisiana. Contact: Ellen Davis, director of communications Phone: +1-512-863-1570 E-mail: davise@southwestern.edu

Fairfield University (Fairfield, Conn.). University College at Fairfield University is offering special advising and registration services to Connecticut students whose plans to attend school in the Gulf Coast region have been frustrated by Katrina. Students may choose to register for day or evening classes on Fairfield University's campus, or for online classes. Contact: Nancy Habetz, director of media relations Phone +1-203-254-4000, ext. 2647 E-mail: nhabetz@mail.fairfield.edu

Georgia State University (Atlanta). Georgia State is accepting students who can show proof of enrollment at an accredited university or college in the New Orleans area as transient students for the fall semester. Contact: John Allen Phone: +1-404-651-3576 E-mail: jwallen@gsu.edu

University of Maryland, Baltimore. UMB is reaching out to help the higher- education institutions in the storm-ravaged area, including the Tulane School of Medicine, to offer to take in their students for the next semester, and would particularly like to help students who might be from Maryland, but are enrolled in the hurricane area. Contact: Ed Fishel, news bureau director. Phone: +1-410-706-3801, Cell: +1-410-292-3925

University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.). The University of North Florida is exploring ways to meet the needs of students devastated by Hurricane Katrina. "We are working with students to see if we can admit them on a temporary basis for this term. We are working as closely as possible with these students and are waiving late fees and any deadlines that we can," John Yancey, director of admissions, said. Yancey: +1-904-620-1610

FUND-RAISING

The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio). The Ohio State University has announced a campaign to support victims of Hurricane Katrina, with funds to be generated through sales of football programs and donations that will be collected at four home games in September and at additional events when students return to school. The university is calling the effort "September to Remember." Money will be raised in two ways -- through program sales and cash donations at the stadium. Athletics will donate $2 from every program sold at four September home games to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The games are Saturday against Miami University, September 10 vs. Texas, September 17 vs. San Diego State and September 24 vs. Iowa. The programs will cost $7, and a total of 76,000 programs will be available for those four games. Contact: Elizabeth Conlis Phone: +1-614-292-3040

William Woods University (Fulton, Mo.). The men of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at William Woods are selling $4 disaster-relief wristbands to raise money for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Contact: Mary Ann Beahon, director of university relations Phone: +1-573-592-1127 E-mail: mbeahon@williamwoods.edu

West Virginia University (Morgantown, W. Va.). WVU's Student Health Advisory Board is planning in the days ahead to launch a campus-wide relief effort similar to a campaign last January that raised more than $10,000 for tsunami victims in Thailand. Contact: News and Information Services Phone: +1- 304-293-6997

Delaware Valley College (Doylestown, Pa.). DVC will hold a 50/50 raffle to support the American Red Cross's relief efforts. Contact: Sean Dallas, director of communications & public relations Phone: +1-215-489-2457 E-mail: DallasS@devalcol.edu

HOUSING, HEALTH CARE & OTHER ASSISTANCE

University of the South (Sewanee, Tenn.). To help families who need to temporarily relocate, the Office of Alumni Relations is compiling a list of Sewanee alumni who are willing to make vacation homes available. Contact: Joe Romano, Sewanee executive director of communications Phone: +1-931-598-1586 E-mail: jromano@sewanee.edu

University of Maryland, Baltimore. University officials have announced plans to send one or more of the university's "Wellmobiles" (mobile clinics) to the Gulf Coast region. Contact: Ed Fishel, news bureau director Phone: +1- 410-706-3801, Cell: +1-410-292-3925

Wellesley College (Wellesley, Mass.). In cooperation with the Student Government Association at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La, Wellesley's Center for Work and Service is collecting items for hurricane victims who have taken temporary shelter at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Contact: Arlie Corday, Office for Public Information Phone: +1-781-283-3321 E-mail: acorday@wellesley.edu

Minnesota State University, Mankato. The university's Student Leadership Development & Service-Learning Office is assembling more than 1,200 care packages for children living in shelters in Louisiana and Mississippi. Each package contains a book, crayons, a coloring book, a pre-packaged granola or snack bar, and fruit snacks or a piece of candy. Contact: Michael Cooper E- mail: michael.cooper@mnsu.edu

Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas). TCU nursing students and a nursing instructor are helping the Red Cross in Fort Worth in the search for missing loved ones and handling other grief-related calls. Contact: Shawn Shook Kornegay, assistant director of communications Phone: +1-817-257-5061

Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Texas). Fans attending the university's season opener against Henderson State University tonight (Thursday) will receive free admission to the football game with the donation of a case of bottled water for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The SFA Lumberjacks and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee have teamed up with Animal Science Products of Nacogdoches, and the company will provide a truck to deliver the water to the affected areas. Evacuees taking refuge in the East Texas area will receive free admission to the game. Contact: Shirley Luna Phone: +1-936-560-5415 E-mail: sluna@sfasu.edu

Salisbury University (Salisbury, Md). As it did in 1999 in connection with Hurricane Floyd, this month SU will host a dance for students and the surrounding community at which the price of admission will be canned goods to contribute to relief efforts. Contact: Jason Rhodes Phone: +1-410-543-6031 E- mail: jfrhodes@salisbury.edu

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PRNewswire -- Sept. 2

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