Katrina's impact on Black N.O. College Students

Parents Forum
1

<p>From the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education</p>

<p>"According to JBHE's count, there are at least 20,000 black students enrolled in college in New Orleans who have been displaced and will not be attending classes this semester. </p>

<p>Colleges around the country, in many cases, have tried to find room for displaced students from New Orleans. But in most cases they are skimming off the academically talented white students from Tulane and other predominantly white institutions whose families are prepared to pay or have paid full tuition. Most African-American college students in New Orleans go to community colleges. Tens of thousands of them will have no place to go. </p>

<p>So far, JBHE has no data on the total number of displaced black students who have been admitted to other colleges. Hampton University, the historically black institution in Virginia, reports that about 25 black students who were enrolled at colleges in New Orleans are planning to transfer and enroll at Hampton...."
<a href="http://www.jbhe.com/latest/090805_blackcolleges_neworleans.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.jbhe.com/latest/090805_blackcolleges_neworleans.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

2

<p>To be fair, Xavier has made a gamble. Rather than simply reopen in January, they have pushed back their academic year to begin in January, and then to finish the academic year in August, with graduation. The gamble is based on the assumption that so many of the students had families who lost everything, that they would be needed to help their own families. Many of the colleges and universities in the country who opened up places (even when they were willing to accept Xavier students) did so only for those whose families live locally, and will not provide housing. In addition, class openings are there on an "as available" basis - which doesn't work for premeds or pharmacy students, who make up approximately half the Xavier class.</p>

<p>So they are gambling on a January opening, and then relying on med schools and pharmacy schools, etc. to be understanding. (Xavier students are still encouraged to take classes this fall if they can, but it won't replace the full academic year they are planning.) Could turn out to be disastrous, though, if they can't reopen in Janaury.</p>

3

<p>FWIW Brown U is offeing admittance to Dillard & Xavier students.</p>

4

<p>Even if Xavier is up and running by January, will N.O. be? </p>

<p>The hurricane season lasts until Nov. 30 and then come regular winter rains. What if the support systems (electricity, water, sewage removal, communications lines, etc.) are not fully functional by January? And what is the teaching staff at Xavier, Dillard and Tulane doing during the recovery period? Are they sticking it out in N.O. with no job and possibly no paycheck? If they have left, will they come back? And will students automatically come back?</p>

<p>There are so many questions, some which have not even been thought of yet.</p>

<p>We know that New Orleans will recover, because it is simply too important to the national economy. But there is no guarantee that Dillard, Xavier or that students those schools serve will recover fully.</p>

5

<p>Amherst and Williams are working together in a program specifically earmarked for pre-med students at Xavier</p>

<p><a href="http://www.amherst.edu/katrina/marx_letter_9sep05.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.amherst.edu/katrina/marx_letter_9sep05.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Letter from Amherst College President Tony Marx and Williams College President Morton Schapiro, September 9, 2005 </p>

<p>To All Members of the Amherst and Williams Community:</p>

<p>Uncommon times call for uncommon efforts. When the extent of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina became clear, Williams and Amherst, along with many other colleges, sought ways to help. We soon realized we might be able to do more together than separately. To maximize the impact of our efforts the two schools decided to try to help keep intact an important and successful program at one of the campuses that had been hardest hit. </p>

<p>In particular we had in mind the legendary pre-medical program at Xavier University of Louisiana. This historically black institution has a phenomenal record at placing students in medical school, and it was painful to think that such an important pipeline might be broken for a while. </p>

<p>We believed that, with the cooperation of many on our two campuses, we had the capacity to support some of Xavier’s pre-med students and faculty. We also recognized quickly that the presence on our campus of such exceptional students and distinguished colleagues would be of benefit to both schools.</p>

<p>People at Amherst and Williams have been working hard for the past week to organize things on this end. We’ve been pleased, though not surprised, at the many offers of support from individuals on both campuses. </p>

<p>The situation in New Orleans, of course, makes organization difficult on that end. Students had to scatter when the storm came. Faculty and staff were dispersed as well and cut off from their offices and usual forms of communication. Some days ago the university announced that it will try to open in January and encouraged students to make any educational arrangements that seemed best for them for the fall. </p>

<p>We have now gotten to the stage in which communication with individual Xavier pre-meds has begun. The situation is fluid, and we won’t know exact numbers for a while. </p>

<p>Many logistical challenges remain. But both Amherst and Williams are dedicated to doing all that we can to help as many of these students and faculty as possible. </p>

<p>Coordinating these efforts at Williams is Bill Lenhart, Professor of Computer Science and former Acting Dean of the Faculty. He can be reached at 413/597-2371. At Amherst it is Dean of Students Ben Lieber, 413/542-2337. Feel free to contact them with your suggestions and questions. </p>

<p>Thank you to all who have already helped with this planning and to the many more who will help welcome these very special visitors. </p>

<p>Regards, </p>

<p>Anthony W. Marx
President, Amherst College </p>

<p>Morton Owen Schapiro
President, Williams College</p>

6

<p>From The Cornell Chronicle Online <a href="http://www.news.cornell.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.news.cornell.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Cornell continues to reach out</p>

<p>Thomas Bruce, vice president for university communications, issued the following statement Sept. 6: "As a member of The Leadership Alliance, Cornell University has sought information about students at historically black colleges in the affected area. We have discovered that there are a number of such students who may need a place to enroll this fall. Cornell is reaching out directly to those students. More information will be forthcoming in the days ahead." For those who would like to contribute to relief efforts through the United Negro College Fund or other national organizations, visit Cornell's Katrina Disaster Response site.</p>

<p>The link for The Leadership Alliance is:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.theleadershipalliance.org/matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_63_A_PageName_E_AnnouncementsOpps%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.theleadershipalliance.org/matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_63_A_PageName_E_AnnouncementsOpps&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>I think that's a terribly unfair and unfortunate accusation. Most colleges are taking in students -- and it only makes sense that they would look first to the students who are at a comparable academic level, regardless of race. Many started by taking in students who had already been accepted at their university - and chose to go to Tulane instead. They started with these students, in most cases, because the students called them. Most elite institutions are fighting over qualified minority students who would be more than welcome at the top schools. The other side of this coin is that it's not just the top universities that are taking in students. Louisiana State University has taken in hundreds of students -- I think I read that LSU has accomodated over a thousand students. Schools like LSU - which don't get a lot of play on CC - deserve recognition for their efforts. I can tell you that at the major university I work at, people are tripping over themselves trying to help -- not just taking in students, but housing the families of students, staff and alumni. We've taken in students who would never have been admitted under ordinary circumstances. There are so many fundraising events, vigils, volunteer coordination efforts, etc. that the university has a daily meeting to sort through them all. Policies regarding paid leaves of absence are being rewritten. Buses, equipment, medivac heliocopters -- you name it -- all of these resources are being used or volunteered.</p>

8

<p>I also think the original article is somewhat unfair and misleading. Many of those community college students are facing tremendous challenges right now, and returning to school is only a minor one. From all appearances the outpouring of support from all types of colleges has been great - I know that some community colleges in my area, which would be a much more realistic option for these kids than Cornell, have been trying to develop ways to help.
It would have been more helpful to remind everyone that there are large numbers of students, many African-American, who may need help getting back to school in January, when their personal situations are more settled, and they are ready to return to school.</p>

9

<p>While I am sympathetic to the situation described in the article, I also feel the need to point out that my own son, who is a white Tulane student, is able to be a Tulane student ONLY because he has a large scholarship plus need-based aid, and Cornell still took him in with open arms. I have no doubt that his being white had nothing to do with it. In fact, they asked for nothing but his name when we called, and they told him to "just show up, and [they] would take care of everything." Let's be fair to these institutions that are doing so much for so many.</p>

10

<p>Many (I really believe most, but cannot document it) of the "host" schools have opened their doors to <em>all</em> Gulf Coast students. Bates, a top LAC where my S is, behaved just as ctymom~ describes with Cornell, seeking only proof that S lives in this state and had enrolled or been accepted to ANY Gulf Coast school. There are Tulane, Loyola and perhaps other students at Bates at this moment. Bates Deans sat one-on-one with these students to tailor their course selection to their interests and (I presume) academic level. </p>

<p>There are also many schools at the non-elite level who have offered to host Gulf Coast students. The challenge for so many less-affluent Gulf Coast kids is that they did not have a non-Gulf Coast home state to drive or fly home to. Thus the interruption of their college semester may be only a secondary problem for them, while for our kids from other areas of the US, we could temporarily leave the devastation behind. But I certainly don't feel it appropriate to diss the host colleges for cherry-picking from among the strandeds. I do understand that some did, but many, many did not.</p>

11

<p>princeton and brown are combining their efforts to help dillard rebuild its campus</p>

<p><a href="http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S12/66/45M50/index.xml?section=topstories%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S12/66/45M50/index.xml?section=topstories&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

12

<p>Skimming off the full-pays? This is the charge I find most objectionable.</p>

<p>My university is waiving tuition for Katrina students. That's true whether they were paying full-freight at their home campus, or on full scholarship. As I understand it, that's pretty much par for the course.</p>

<p>Now, it's also the case that many elite and rigorous schools are still upholding admissions standards as they are extending compassion. I think that's wholly appropriate. A hurricane victim isn't done any favors if she is thrust into an environment that her previous education hadn't prepared her for.</p>

<p>There is a real issue here being raised by JBHE--the lowest-income students, and those more likely to be attending community colleges, are less mobile than higher-income students. They are also at much greater risk of being permanently displaced from college (that is, not ever enrolling after this term or year). </p>

<p>That worries me, as I am sure it does many people in higher education (as well as out). However, this isn't a problem of colleges "skimming" the best, whitest, richest Katrina victims.</p>

13

<p>One of the many articles I read after Katrina quoted someone associated with a community college. I am definitely not quoting directly here because parts are fuzzy, but this person was saying that a major concern among community college administrators and profs was that many of the lower income students would be sidetracked by going back to work to help their families recover and would in effect be "stopouts". I'm hoping that with all of the financial aid that will head to that area, these students won't be forgotten and that their situation will be eased, allowing them to continue their education.</p>

14

<p>I am writing an article on this matter for my college paper. If anyone else has anything (any articles or figures) to add, I would appreciate it very much. </p>

<p>I have done research on my own, but I'm trying (in vain) to find a statistic for how many of the total # of displaced students have found an alternate school. I also can't find any updated figures -- they're all from the first week of Sept. </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>