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What's New
Recent Updates for Affected Campuses:
All campuses affected by Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita will be offering classes starting in January/February 2006. Refer to our Affected Campuses list and the institution's Web site for details about where the classes will be held.
Re-Opening January 2006:
- Delgado Community College
- Dillard University (at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans)
- Loyola University New Orleans
- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
- Nunez Community College
- Our Lady of Holy Cross College
- Southern University New Orleans (at the Sophie B. Wright Charter School)
- Tulane University (Tulane University School of Medicine will continue to operate out of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston)
- Upper Iowa University--Jackson Barracks Center (at Camp Beauregard)
- William Carey College--New Orleans Campus & Gulfport Campus (at 2 local alternative locations)
- Xavier University of Louisiana
For Campuses
Business Continuity:
Moody's Bond-Rating Reports
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Moody's Investors Service put the area on their Watch List. Moody's has been reviewing the conditions of the affected institutions, adjusting their status accordingly, and taking them off of the Watch List. Tulane University has been down-graded from A-1 to A-2; Loyola University New Orleans and Southern University System were removed without any adjustments; and the University of New Orleans had two separate bond issues downgraded from A3 to Baa1 and Baa2.
Facilities:
Before and After Disasters: Federal Funding for Cultural Institutions
This document was written by Heritage Preservation, with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as a service to the American cultural community. It is designed to provide archives, art centers, libraries, museums, historical societies, and historical sites with information on how to obtain the resources they will need to prepare for and recover from a disaster.
Government Relations:
Share and Share Alike (1/31/06)
The Dept. of Education was granted $10 million to allocate to colleges and universities that took in displaced students. 159 institutions applied by for grants to offset their costs, and 99 were deemed eligible. Schools needed to have at least 10 displaced students who had applied for student aid and not yet received it. Institutions were asked how much money would they like, how many students did they take in, and how many of those were eligible for financial aid. Those that requested only modest sums were given just that, while those that aimed high received much more. Some schools did not apply for the available funds or declined to accept any, hoping to help those who needed it most, but in fact the distribution was not based on need at all.
Additional Help for Colleges Affected by Katrina and Rita (1/19/06)
Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education, met with the presidents and student leaders of eight New Orleans colleges and universities. Following that meeting, she announced that an additional $30 million would be given to the affected campuses and the host instituions that took in the displaced students. The federal funds are coming from unspent student aid.
Painful Weekend in Congress (12/19/05)
Congress worked long into the weekend to finish up their session before adjourning for the year. This article summarizes the issues that were agreed upon that affect higher education and the Gulf Coast institutions, including a response to higher education associations' request for Katrina Relief.
Tax Incentives OKd for Katrina-Hit Businesses (12/17/05)
An $8 billion federal package that was aimed at helping businesses recover from Katrina also doubled the education tax credits students and/or their families are eligible to claim on their tax returns.
ACE Speaks Out to Congress for Katrina Relief (12/13/05)
David Ward, the President of the American Council on Education (ACE), with the support of many other higher education associations, requests that Congress takes immediate action to help the Gulf Coast institutions that still remain closed by allocating $500 million to aid in their recovery efforts.
Grants & Assistance:
Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund
Over $100 million has been donated to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, $30 million will be given to 32 campuses in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, with a maximum of $1.5 million for 4-year institutions and $750 thousand for community colleges. Additional funding will be going to Historically Black Colleges in the area with recommendations from the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Governors in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will also receive $40 million to help rebuid the affected areas.
The Teagle Foundation
The Teagle Foundation is committed to providing leadership for liberal education, marshalling the intellectual and financial resouces necessary to ensure that today's students have access to challenging, wide-ranging, and enriching college educations. The Foundation has awarded $600,000 to assist in hurricane recovery efforts; $500,000 has been given to Dillard University and $100,000 has been given to Tulane University.
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Emergency grants of at least $1 million will be awarded to colleges, universities, libraries, museums, and other cultural and historical institutions affected by Hurricane Katrina. As of Nov. 17, NEH had awarded grants to 19 art and historical museums, heritage centers, and libraries, including Louisiana State University system, Tougaloo College, Tulane University, the University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey College, and Xavier University of Louisiana totalling $565,000. Applications are still being accepted, review the guidelines to apply for up to $30,000.
Research:
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA has been following the patterns of the hurricanes and studying their impact to the environment. NOAA, in conjunction with other agencies, is in the process of conducting extensive research on the potential Environmental Impacts Caused by Hurricane Katrina
National Science Foundation (NSF)
NSF has created a Web page, After the Hurricanes, to address any issues that have arose due to the hurricanes. They have extended existing awards to institutions in the disaster area that were scheduled to expire before October 1, 2005. The Foundation also will make every effort to assist in the transfer of awards for faculty and students who temporarily change institutions, including movement of fellowship stipends, as appropriate, to new awardees. That being said, it is vital that each investigator contact his or her program officer as soon as feasible to discuss how each NSF-supported project has been impacted. Additionally, check the FAQs regarding Hurricane Relief on Federal Research Awards. Call the Hotline at (800) 381-1532 about any questions or concerns.
Student Aid & Services:
Scholarship America's Disaster Relief Fund for Postsecondary Education Students
Institutions may apply for funds to assist students that were affected by Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma:
- if the institution is within the Federally declared disaster areas, it is eligible for $25,000-35,000 depending on enrollment
or
- if the institution has accepted displaced students into their institution, it is eligible for $15,000-175,000 depending on enrollment
Applications are being accepted now, review the program guidelines for details--Deadline March 1, 2006.
Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE) Foundation
BWISE is searching for the location of African American students in science, engineering and medicine who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. We would like to know how many students fitting this description were relocated to your site and what their needs are. This will enable the BWISE Foundation to more realistically determine funding while assessing the financial and holistic needs of this particular population.
We would also like to obtain the name and position of persons in other offices who may work directly with the relocated African American students in science, engineering, and medicine. We would like them to identify names and locations of the students' original institutions before the natural disaster; and assess and quantify student needs in the following areas:
- Family locations after the disaster
- Needs due to the move to the host college, i.e. books, resources, materials, equipment, etc.
- Identification of other college students in this category who were not able to relocate to a college this semester because of pressing needs related to the natural disaster
- Other needs determined by students and host institutions
Please contact Sharon Harper, Founder and CEO, if you have any information on this population or if you have any questions.
For Faculty & Staff
NACUBO Career Headquarters
A job board for higher education faculty and staff that notifies employers if the applicant was affected by the hurricanes, and conversely allows employers to request hurricane victims; giving those applicants preferential treatment.
For Students
The Center For Global Education: Hurricane Relief for Students
A site offering ideas and guidance to students as the Fall terms end and the Spring terms begin; a new set of challenges is examined and addressed
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
Hurricane Katrina/Rita resource page on financial aid questions and concerns
Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE) Foundation
Scholarships are being offered to African American students who were enrolled in colleges in the New Orleans area for the Fall term majoring in Science, Engineering, or Medicine; for more information, contact Sharon Harper
Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS)
Provides 3 different university scholarship opportunities to Freshmen who are Louisiana residents attending any of Louisiana's public colleges; special provisions for 2005-06 Acedemic Year
If you would like to add information to this site, or have any questions and/or comments, please contact us. |
