University reaches out to storm victims

After Hurricane Katrina engulfed New Orleans and ravaged much of the Gulf Coast last month, University administrators, faculty and students responded with wide-ranging initiatives to help those affected by the storm.

As the extent of the damage gradually became clear in the days after the hurricane came ashore, the University announced it would open its doors to displaced students. Flooding and infrastructure damage have forced several colleges, including Tulane, Xavier and Loyola, to close for the semester.

The public offer elicited hundreds of inquiries. After an impromptu admissions committee including President Tilghman and Dean of the College Nancy Weiss Malkiel reviewed the applications from displaced students, 30 undergraduates and graduates were invited to enroll for the duration of the semester, tuition-free.

The University has also extended help to displaced faculty from Gulf Coast schools.

"We're temporarily providing space for up to four visiting fellows, and space and salary for up to six visiting research scholars from affected institutions that agree to the arrangement," University spokesperson Cass Cliatt '96 said.

The fellows — whose travel and housing expenses will be covered by the University — will initially be offered positions only for the fall semester, but will be able to stay through the spring if their home institutions do not reopen on time.

Additionally, Princeton will partner with Brown University to help rebuild Dillard University in New Orleans, according to a statement released Tuesday.

The two Ivy League institutions plan to help Dillard with "physical planning, facilities, libraries, academic offerings, campus life, human resources, computing and development" to restore the hurricane-ravaged school, according to the release.

The assistance will come in the form of personnel and may also include equipment, academic resources and supplemental consulting.

Meanwhile, all 71 Princeton students who live in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina have arrived safely on campus. Administrators contacted them immediately after the storm to offer counseling and other support.

Student groups have begun to plan relief efforts, including volunteer trips, donation tables and at least four benefit concerts, the first of which was held Tuesday night. The USG has announced a fundraising goal of $24,000, which will be donated to rebuild schools and libraries in the hardest-hit Gulf Coast counties.

In a statement earlier this month, Tilghman extended sympathy to hurricane victims.

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"Tragic events like these touch us deeply and remind us of our responsibilities to care for each other," she said. "In the face of such enormous devastation it is heartening that so many want to do what they can to bring hope and support to those in need."

Tilghman was among those who fielded telephone inquiries from displaced students.

A new home

After the University stopped taking applications from displaced students on Sept. 7, it offered admission to 25 undergraduates and five graduate students. About 180 undergraduate and 25 graduate students had inquired about the slots.

Of the undergrads, 24 have already arrived on campus, Cliatt said. The University is awaiting a response from the last student.

Many universities, including all seven of Princeton's Ivy League peers, announced similar plans to host displaced students, though some are not providing on-campus housing.

Princeton's hosted students, who will be listed as "visiting students" rather than transfer students, will receive grades just as full-time Princeton students do.

At the end of the semester, however, their transcripts will be sent to their home institutions, which will be free to assign grades according to their own policies.

Since academic records at many schools on the Gulf Coast have been destroyed, interested students were interviewed by telephone and filled out a request form to demonstrate that they were qualified. Students from institutions located in FEMA-defined "devastated areas" were eligible to apply.

Current University faculty have been offered two weeks of paid leave to volunteer in the affected areas. Several have engaged in fundraising and volunteering efforts, including answering phones and working with counseling services, Cliatt said.

Providing relief

A classical music performance in Richardson Auditorium on Tuesday night kicked off a four-part concert series to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Another concert will be held Thursday night in the backyard of Quadrangle Club, featuring performances by student groups interspersed with speakers.

The Carl Fields Center will host "Hip Hop vs. Katrina" on Saturday night, featuring a performance by Wu-Tang Clan's Gza.

Jurassic 5 will come to campus Sunday for the final benefit concert.

Students have set up donation tables in Frist Campus Center, residential colleges and participating eating clubs. The U-Store is also collecting supplies for hurricane victims.

USG undergraduate life chair Tom Brown '07, who is in charge of hurricane relief activities, said the USG and SVC are organizing a fall break trip for students who want to volunteer in the affected areas.

Brown stressed that the USG will not be in charge of all volunteer efforts.

"A lot of people are doing a lot of different things, and the USG is not necessarily running everything," he said. "Our purpose is to organize so people interested in working on the same thing can work together rather than tripping over each other's feet."