For Immediate Release
Contact: Matt Cookson, 603-862-0904 or Matt.cookson@usnh.edu

USNH Institutions Work to Help Students Impacted by Hurricane Katrina

September 20, 2005—Lee, NH—University System of New Hampshire (USNH) institutions are continuing to work with students displaced by Hurricane Katrina and to coordinate fund raising efforts across all institutions and campuses. To date, five students who were planning to study in New Orleans this fall are signed up for courses and several others have been in contact with the admissions offices. Of those five students, four are attending the University of New Hampshire in Durham, and one is studying at Plymouth State University.

New Hampshire residents who were enrolled at any of the colleges and universities impacted by Hurricane Katrina this week are being granted non-degree admission at any University System of New Hampshire (USNH) institution this fall. Non-residents who have been impacted by the storm and are unable to study in the New Orleans area will be charged the in-state tuition rate. Application fees are being waived and all institutions are working with students on an individual basis to assist with counseling, course scheduling, financial aid, and other matters to help them prepare for the classroom.

“We have all seen the devastation caused by this storm and the higher education community is doing all that it can to reach out to tens of thousands of students attending college in this region. As a public university system, we have a responsibility to reach out and try to help in this time of need,” USNH Chancellor Reno said.

USNH Admissions Contacts for Katrina

Granite State College:	Maureen Zanoj – 1-603- 627-2010
Keene State College:	Admissions Office, 1-603-358-2276
Plymouth State University:	Matthew Burkhart, 1-603-535-2446
University of New Hampshire:	Barbara Wheatcraft, 1-603-862-1360
UNH-Manchester	Miho Bean, 1-603-641-4145

Campus Fundraising Efforts
Efforts are now in place at all USNH institutions to lead or support humanitarian projects to assist the victims of the hurricane. Some examples include:

University of New Hampshire

University-wide Forum on Hurricane Aftermath is Sept. 20
The campus community is invited to participate in a multidisciplinary forum on the causes and consequences of Hurricane Katrina. The purpose of this forum is to create a deeper understanding of the effects of the disaster, including the lessons that might be applied to future events of a similar nature. The forum is sponsored by the Office of the Provost.

The forum will be held Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Strafford Room, MUB. Six to eight faculty with expertise in the history of the Gulf Coast region; the economic, social, and political impact of the disaster; the environmental and climatological aspects of the storm; and the engineering questions regarding prevention and rebuilding will lead discussions. The forum will be organized around simultaneous small group discussions led by UNH faculty and staff, on the following topics:

• Why was Katrina so intense, and will there be more hurricanes like it?
  Professor David Brown, Department of GeographyThe environment, New Orleans, and Katrina
  Professor Kurk Dorsey, Department of History What have we learned about race and poverty along the Gulf Coast as a result of Katrina?
  Professor William Harris, Department of HistoryWhat have been the effects of Katrina on water supplies and wastewater management along the Gulf Coast?
  Professor Robin Collins, Department of Civil EngineeringHow do regions plan for and mitigate the effects of natural disasters?
  Brad Manning, Director, University Emergency GroupThe economic consequences of Katrina
  Professor James Wible, Department of EconomicsThe social and health consequences of Katrina
  Professor Sharyn Potter, Department of SociologyLessons in Leadership—What does this disaster tell us about the exercise of public leadership?
  Professor Carole Barnett, Department of Decision Sciences
• A survivor’s story—the impact of Katrina on Tulane University
  Bruno Lossi, Department of Monographs and Acquisitions, Howard Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University

Give a Dollar, Save a Life
Under the organizing theme of “Give a Dollar, Save a Life,” a loose coalition of UNH students, faculty, and staff have centralized support for the diverse campus efforts raising money to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. The coordinators of the campaign have set a fundraising goal of $15,000, representing approximately $1 donated by each member of the UNH community, that will go to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

Intended to support rather than replace the myriad fundraising efforts throughout the university, “Give a Dollar, Save a Life” will aggregate all dollars raised “so at the end of the effort we can as a community look back at what we’ve done,” said Kate Hanson, Thompson School of Applied Science associate professor and chair of the Community Service and Leadership Program.

Any campus group raising relief money for victims of Hurricane Katrina can use the “Give a Dollar, Save a Life” slogan, logo, and poster template. Bob Pettigrew in the Student Activities Fee Office will serve as a central collection point for dollars raised, depositing funds into a designated account and maintaining totals. For information, contact:

• Bob Pettigrew, Student Activities Fee Office, 862-1395,  rwp@maple.unh.edu Jill Dvorak, Student Body Vice President, unh.sbvp@unh.edu Marianne Fortescue, Office of Community Service & Learning, 862-2197, marianne.fortescue@unh.edu
• Kate Hanson, TSAS Community Service and Leadership Program, 862-1064, kate.hanson@unh.edu

The students can donate using their Cats Cache at the MUB Ticket Office. "There are so many college students down there who are not going to get their college education this year. This shows what we can do when everyone pulls together and gets involved," Pettigrew said.

Also, on Sunday, Sept. 25, Athletics will conduct a duplication of last spring's Dodge Ball Tournament to raise money for the Hurricane Relief. The event starts at noon on Memorial Field.

"Last spring's tourney was a huge success, and with your help and participation, will be bigger and better. The likely benefactor of our efforts will be the Salvation Army or the Red Cross.  Our hopes are to mobilize as many students and staff as possible. If you can help us in meeting this goal or have thoughts on ways you can contribute, please call me. Together, no matter the capacity you are able to participate, your contribution will be significant. We hope that you will help us in every way to make this a total campus wide effort," said Matt Drayton, director of life skills. Drayton can be reached at 603-862-4051.

Students Serving in National Guard
Nine UNH students who are members of the NH National Guard have been sent to the Louisiana/Gulf Coast region to provide support and to restore order following Hurricane Katrina. 

At this time, most have orders indicating this to be a two-week rotation. Some have expressed an interest in remaining enrolled and returning to classes in two weeks, and UNH is working with deans and faculty to try to ensure that the students can return to classes when they return from their military duties. 

At this time, all of these students are being "retained" in their courses in order to facilitate their return, but any of these students who determines that s/he is unable to return to class will be held harmless financially.

UNH Ready To Assist Students On Space-Available Basis
UNH will grant non-degree admission to students who were enrolled in colleges and universities closed because of Hurricane Katrina. Courses are available on a space-available basis and students will work with an advisor in the University Advising and Career Center or one of our schools and colleges prior to registration to ensure that courses are appropriate based on both prior coursework and readiness for those courses.

In addition, UNH advising staff will try to counsel students about the likelihood that their home institutions will be returning to normal in the future and will work with them to try to integrate their coursework at UNH with their long-term plans and with the curricula of their home institutions.

The university will work with students to accommodate the financial dislocation that has resulted from the storms. Although the university is not in a position to waive tuition, it will modify deadlines for students affected by the hurricane to allow sufficient time to sort out the various financial issues associated with enrollment.

Because of housing pressures, the university is not able to provide housing on campus so students who are unable to obtain rental housing in the area and for whom commuting to UNH will be a problem, will be made aware of opportunities at UNHM, Keene State College, Plymouth State University, Granite State College and the New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges, as well as private options that would work better for them based on location.

“The images provided by the media and the stories that are becoming available through personal contacts paint a horrific picture of the suffering, loss and confusion that have accompanied this natural disaster,” said UNH President Ann Weaver Hart. “In the aftermath, we will do everything we can to accommodate any New Hampshire students who wish to enroll at the University until the worst is over and campuses are again open. We can grant special admission to students for courses that are still open for enrollment, and our University Advising and Career Center will assist in advising these students. Naturally, we also will make them aware of other options at our Manchester campus and other USNH schools. The most important thing right now is people’s safety and as community initiatives increase to help those in need, I urge everyone to give whatever they can in the way of aid for those affected by Katrina.”

Keene State College

Keene State College held the first of what are likely to be weekly meetings to plan ways to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. There were about 30 ideas generated from this first meeting, and attendees were told about what's available now for opportunities, such as a Red Cross blood drive (also hoping to get one on campus), disaster training, and the campus online fundraising web efforts.   Preliminary plans include benefit concerts by popular bands (including a Mardi Gras benefit), a benefit yard sale on Parent/Family Weekend this fall, and sending trained student (and staff) volunteers to the area over Winter Break.

Among efforts underway:

• The College has offered assistance to several local high school students who were attending college in Louisiana.

  A Keene State relief team comprising students and staff will travel south over the winter break to assist in relief efforts. The Red Cross will visit KSC shortly to provide the team with disaster relief training.

  The Circle K and Newman student organizations are planning a book drive that will supply children affected by the disaster with reading materials.

• A number of fund raising events, such as a tag sale, concerts, and a walkathon, will also be organized by student organizations and College offices.

An information board for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts is located in the Student Center atrium and will be updated as new information becomes available.

Community members can now make donations toward Red Cross relief efforts in the Gulf Coast through a special web page.

Plymouth State University

The student chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) at Plymouth State University is developing a fund raising effort to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Tentative plans have been made for all dollars raised to go to the American Red Cross.

According to chapter co-presidents Chris Winters and Chris Gloninger, donations will be solicited from members of the campus community and at donation sites being established in the downtown area.

Granite State College

Granite State College will welcome college students displaced due to Hurricane Katrina from New Hampshire and beyond into our online and center based courses on a space available basis.

Granite State College is also accepting monetary donations for the American Red Cross at its nine College Centers located throughout New Hampshire through Friday, September 23rd. People are invited to stop by the nearest Center during regular business hours and drop off a contribution (checks only) made out to the American Red Cross. Granite State College Centers are located in the following places:

Concord Center, 8 Old Suncook Road, Tel. 228-3000
Conway Center, 73 Main Street, Tel. 447-3970
Gorham Center, 66 Main Street, Tel. 466-3802
Lebanon Center, 325 Mt. Support Road, Suite 2, Tel. 448-6797
Littleton Center, 646 Union Street, Suite 200, Tel. 444-3439
Manchester Center, 175 Ammon Drive, Suite 210. Tel. 627-2010
Rochester Center, Merchant’s Plaza, 1 Old Dover Road, Tel. 332-8335 Portsmouth Center, Pease International Tradeport, 51 International Drive, Tel. 334-6060

Visit www.granite.edu to find directions for the location nearest you.

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