Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2005

Contact: Eric Gerber
713.743.8189 (office)
713.617.7130(pager)
egerber@uh.edu

HOUSTON, Sept. 7, 2005 – Approximately 850 undergraduate and graduate students displaced by Hurricane Katrina have been enrolled at the four University of Houston System (UHS) institutions, and that total will likely swell to 1,000 when the emergency enrollment period concludes this week.

The vast majority of these will attend the University of Houston.

Additionally, the UH Law Center has agreed to host the Loyola Law School’s fall semester, with Loyola faculty teaching more than 100 of their students at the UH campus. (See related news release at http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/nr/2005/09sept/090605lawctrhosts.html.)

“No one can predict how long our visitors will be with us. Some of them may be here for this semester, while others may be here longer,” said Jay Gogue, UHS chancellor and UH president. “Regardless, I know we will continue to show the kind of caring and hospitality that is the hallmark of this great university.”

The Texas Coordinating Board of Higher Education has approved making these displaced students eligible for in-state tuition rates. UH is waiving the application fee and hopes to waive other internal fees. To help defray other expenses – such as the cost of books, school supplies, computer equipment, clothing – UHS has established the Katrina Student Assistance Fund which allows members of the UHS community and the general public to make donations online. This fund also will provide financial assistance to current UHS students from affected areas whose families have suffered from the hurricane.

Additionally, the UH Career Services department has set up a clearinghouse page where corporate, business and governmental agencies can post temporary and/or part-time jobs for displaced workers. Initial response has been extremely positive. A total of 1400 job postings have been received and are being uploaded onto the site. Some of these jobs are in the Greater Houston Area, some are in other host cities, and some are in the New Orleans area itself. No password is necessary to use the site.

This is one of several outreach and relief efforts that UH is undertaking. In particular, UH has offered assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by making various services available, often in conjunction with community partners. These include:

• The UH Law Center, through a special section of the People's Law School, providing assistance with legal questions, and help with FEMA paperwork by utilizing law student volunteers.
  
  
• The College of Optometry providing services related to pre-existing visual impairment and for assistance in finding replacement sets of glasses, contact lenses, and other vision-related items.
  
  
• The College of Pharmacy, working through local hospitals and pharmacies, providing services including medication counseling to individuals at the Astrodome.
  
  
• The Graduate School of Social Work offering assistance with childcare and with mental health crisis intervention.
  
  
• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) providing Hurricane Katrina survivors and friends a support group focusing on personal experiences and immediate reactions. Participants will explore practical strategies for managing stress. Intake appointments and information about services can be found by calling (713) 743-5454.

About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.