CU-Boulder Hurricane Relief Information

Summary Of CU-Boulder Hurricane Relief Efforts
As Of Oct. 7, 2005

We continue to learn of new relief efforts and hurricane-related activities on campus; therefore, this listing is not complete but will be updated as information becomes available.

ADMITTED STUDENTS.  As of Sept. 6, CU-Boulder had admitted 138 new students from universities damaged by Hurricane Katrina since last week.  This number includes 136 undergraduates and two Law School students.  We expect more in the next couple of days, including graduate students.

TUITION PAYMENT POSTPONEMENT.  CU-Boulder will postpone collection of tuition and fees to allow time for displaced students to determine the situation at their home institutions.

FINANCIAL AID.  Displaced students are encouraged to contact the CU-Boulder Office of Financial Aid to determine their eligibility for aid.  The campus will make financial aid available for eligible displaced students under the same procedures used for existing students.

FOOTBALL FUND DRIVE.  The Athletics Department conducted a relief drive on Saturday, Sept. 3, at the CU-CSU game, raising more than $43,000 for the American Red Cross relief efforts. 

UCSU INITIATIVE.  The University of Colorado Student Union is leading "CU Hurricane Relief," a large collaboration of groups and individuals from CU-Boulder and the Boulder community.  The group aims to raise monetary donations on behalf of the American Red Cross, the United Way and the Salvation Army, as well as to raise awareness of the impending public health crisis in the Gulf Coast region.  Those interested in making a donation or helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina can e-mail UCSU's Stephen Fenberg at Stephen.fenberg@colorado.edu.

HELP FOR PARTNER INSTITUTION.  A news release will be issued Wednesday, Sept. 7, on CU-Boulder's multifaceted effort to provide support to its partner institution, New Orleans-based Dillard University.  Support will include a fund-raising drive, information technology and Web site support, and correspondence course support, among other outreach initiatives.

LAW LIBRARY MATERIALS.  Officials at the CU-Boulder School of Law are preparing to donate large sets of legal volumes to academic and government offices that were damaged or destroyed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. A large amount of the CU law library's excess print materials had been slated for recycling in advance of the opening of the new Wolf Law Building, but officials will hang onto the material and hope to donate it as needs become known.  Barbara Bintliff, director of the CU-Boulder Law Library, said several university law libraries in the region escaped major damage but other offices may not fare as well.  "Libraries tend to be on the lower floor of buildings, making them susceptible to extensive damage even from minor flooding.  Some federal and state courts and numerous legal organizations have lost all their library collections this week," Bintliff said.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS.  More than 5,200 children’s books were collected in a CU-Boulder book drive organized by the School of Education to benefit children displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  Brian Sevier, an assistant professor in CU-Boulder's School of Education, and graduate student Michelle Reidel spearheaded the effort to provide books to children staying in the Houston Astrodome.  Forty-eight boxes of books were shipped Sept. 16 to the Houston Independent School District, which will then distribute them to children in the Astrodome.  In addition, the School of Education collaborated with Barnes and Noble bookstore to collect $7,000 at a book fair held the weekend of Sept. 10.  The funds will be sent to the Houston Independent School district so that books and supplies may be purchased for the displaced students.

IMPACTED CU-BOULDER STUDENTS.  CU-Boulder also is concerned about providing support for existing students whose families in the Gulf Coast area are directly affected by the hurricane.  For example, we urge these students to contact the Financial Aid Office to help determine whether the disaster has changed their family income levels and eligibility for financial aid.

RELIEF COMMUNICATION.  The University Communications Department is helping coordinate campuswide communication on matters related to hurricane relief efforts.  Updated information on news, events and resources is provided on an official web site established last week at http://www.colorado.edu/news/reports/katrina/.  A central listing of events and resources will be created and maintained by the Community Relations office of University Communications.

CU EXPERTS.  Eleven CU-Boulder faculty members with expertise in areas related to Hurricane Katrina agreed to be listed as part of a “Tip Sheet” for media calls.  Areas of public interest the professors can address include dealing with natural hazards, impacts on oil and gas supplies, economic impacts, engineering issues related to levees and how pets and farm animals are protected during natural disasters and other emergencies.

FREE FOOTBALL TICKETS.  The CU Athletics Department offered free tickets to the Sept. 10 CU football game for new transfer students from the impacted Gulf Coast institutions.  CU athletics T-shirts also were provided to the new students.  At the game, members of the Student Athletics Advisory Council welcomed the displaced students.

MARDI GRAS BEAD SALE.  A student group called the National Society of Collegiate Scholars sold Mardi Gras beads at the Sept. 10 football game to raise funds for relief efforts.

CAMPUS TOURS WITH ATHLETES.  Student-athletes provided campus tours for newly admitted students from Gulf Coast institutions.

COUNSELING SERVICES.  The campus’s Counseling and Psychological Services arranged for drop-in discussion groups to impacted transfer students, to allow them the opportunity to talk about their experiences.  In addition, outreach has been made to current CU students whose families live in the affected areas, to offer them the services of the Office of Victim Assistance and psychological counseling.  Also, staff at the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, CU Counseling & Psychological Services and the Office of Victim Assistance are available for community members wishing to discuss the impact of the hurricane.

COLLECTION OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES.  CU-Boulder’s Volunteer Clearing House and The Herd, a student arm of the Alumni Association, arranged for collection boxes at the University Memorial Center for donations of relief items such as school supplies, children’s books, toiletries, toys, games and clothes.  Five large boxes of collected items were sent to New Orleans on Sept. 14.

SUIT YOURSELF PROGRAM.  Gently worn suits and other interview attire were sold at reduced costs to CU-Boulder students through Career Services, with proceeds designated for hurricane relief.

SYMPHONY BENEFIT.  The University Symphony will present a concert Sept. 21 with guest violinist Edward Dusinberre at Macky Auditorium, as a benefit for the American Red Cross disaster relief.  A $5 minimum suggested donation will be collected at the door by volunteering students, staff, and faculty from the College of Music.

DILLARD PROFESSOR TO SPEAK ON RECOVERY COSTS.  Robert Collins, chair of the urban studies and public policy department at Dillard University in New Orleans, will speak Sept. 26 at CU-Boulder on the costs of preventing and recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by CU-Boulder’s Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement and the Alliance for Technology, Learning and Society.  CU-Boulder has had a partnership with Dillard, a historically black liberal arts college, since 2002.

CANDlELIGHT VIGIL. CU-Boulder’s Black Student Alliance is holding a candlelight vigil and relief fund drive to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Relief fund tables are being set up through Sept. 23 in the University Memorial Center foyer to collect monetary donations, clothes and canned goods.  The tables are open for collections from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Donations will be contributed to the American Red Cross.  The candlelight vigil, scheduled for Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. on the UMC Terrace, will include music and opportunities for audience participation.

CU-BOULDER VOLUNTEERS, CYCLISTS FIX BIKES FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS. CU-Boulder students, faculty and staff will help finish the tuning of approximately 350 donated and salvaged bicycles Saturday before the bikes are shipped to Baton Rouge, La., and distributed to Hurricane Katrina evacuees. 

Though the tuning efforts will continue from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., most volunteers and participants are expected to be on hand around noon at the parking lot on the corner of 11th and Pine Street.

"The roads in Baton Rouge are gridlocked with the new population of evacuees - several hundred thousand - and people there need transportation to go to school and work," said Penny Bennett, a CU-Boulder pre-professional advising staff member and bike project organizer.

Some of the bikes were donated by CU-Boulder Parking and Transportation Services.  Members of the CU Cycling Club have assisted in tuning efforts.  The CU-Boulder volunteers will be joined by others including employees of Full Cycle Bike shop, which sponsored the relief effort.  Media can contact Penny Bennett at (303) 818-5402 for more information.