Tulane CANCELS Fall Semester

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by tmartca, Sep 3, 2005.

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  1. tmartca

    tmartca New Member

    Since my relocation to Houston, I have had more access to information about the situation in New Orleans. I was hopeful that recovery would soon progress. However, given the ongoing situation in the city, I am forced to make an extremely difficult decision – Tulane University cannot hold a fall semester on its campus.


    http://emergency.tulane.edu/
     
  2. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member

    Truly amazing. Necessary, but still truly amazing.



    Tom Nixon
     
  3. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Tragic.

    I was intrigued by Tulane's statement; Tulane University will accept credit for all courses with a passing grade from regionally accredited universities;

    Does this have to be a "university", or will they accept credit from RA community colleges and other small colleges?

    When I was in a summer session at Quincy College (the only municipally-owned 2-year college in the state of MA), I had a classmate, for 2 classes, that was a Harvard student. He told me that as long as the school was RA, Harvard would accept a certain amount of credits in transfer, I forget the exact number.

    He was in my classes for "Intro to Philosophy" and "Abnormal Psychology", so the minimum number of semester credits must be at least six. :D
     
  4. g-gollin

    g-gollin New Member

    proposed UIUC physics department aid to affected universities

    I spoke to an executive vice president of the American Association of Universities yesterday.

    He said there'll be a website (on the air by Tuesday) that will help route assistance from unaffected universities to students of schools shut down by the hurricane.

    At UIUC we have been discussing a plan to take on the entire set of undergraduate physics majors at Tulane. We'll refine our offer after we better undestand what is really needed, and by which universities. I expect we will want to extend assistance to other schools too, not just Tulane.

    George Gollin
    Professor of Physics
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
     
  5. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    George brought up an important point.

    Tulane is New Orleans' 'top tier' research university, so it has lots of resources and gets lots of attention. And most Tulane students come from homes outside the New Orleans area, so redirecting a student from California or Maryland to a different college on short notice is a hassle, but not an insurmountable one.

    Unfortunately, the impact is probably more grave as you progress down the academic food chain. Less toney universities in the New Orleans area probably attract a larger proportion of local kids from local homes. Kids that have become refugees and homes that may be totalled in many cases.

    Finally you end up at the community colleges and night schools, places where students who may not have been the best prepared in the first place, tried to fit their classes around their now non-existent jobs. I expect that in many of their cases, their family tragedies are so overwhelming that taking college classes has dropped right off the radar screen.
     
  6. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Here's the University of New Orleans' website:

    http://www.uno.edu/

    UNO used to be LSU's NO campus. It subsequently spun off and becamse a separate state university serving the metro area. It's one of nine state higher education institutions in SE LA, ranging from community colleges to LSU's medical center, that have canceled their Fall semester.

    UNO says that they have looked at their campus from the air and it's about 1/3 flooded.

    There's an elaborate faq. (What about financial aid? What about students who were going to be graduating this term? Do faculty and staff still have jobs?)

    http://www.uno.edu/faq.html

    Here's the statewide response of Louisiana's public university system. Interestingly, a major part of their plan is to offer courses by DL:

    If a student has enrolled at one of the public colleges or universities (listed below) not presently able to offer classes during the current semester due to damage from Hurricane Katrina, the student, at his or her option, will be able to:

    1. Take courses electronically for degree credit through his or her home campus. These courses should begin on or about October 10.

    2. Enroll as a visiting student at another Louisiana public college or university for which that student is otherwise eligible without paying additional tuition and mandatory attendance fees. Accommodation will be made for recipients of TOPS and other state financial aid.

    Additionally, affected campuses are exploring options or offering courses at off-campus locations. Students should contact their home institution or system office or more information on this possible option.

    Students eligible for these considerations must be currently enrolled at one of the following institutions:

    Southern University - New Orleans, UNO, Delgado Community College, Nunez Community College, LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, or the Sidney Collier, Slidell, West Jefferson, or Jefferson campuses of the Louisiana Technical College.
     
  7. uncle janko

    uncle janko member

    Southern at New Orleans

    Thanks for mentioning Southern @ N.O. HBCU's don't usually have much in spare cash floating around, and help for Southern is especially needed now. I haven't yet heard what Southern at Shreveport will be able to do. See also edowave's thread in the main forum about instructors wanted at LSU to help handle the situation. Thanks to all of you for the substance and style of posts on this thread.
     
  8. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Re: Southern at New Orleans

    I was just quoting the Louisiana regents regarding provisions for students at effected state universities. But your point regarding HBCU's is a good one.

    New Orleans is/was kind of a national treasure in that regard.

    Dillard University was founded in 1869 and is associated with both the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. USNews puts it at #20 in the Comprehensive-Bachelors (Southern) category, 'top tier'.

    http://www.dillard.edu/

    They say that their campus has suffered both flood and roof damage and trees are down. They are talking to their insurers.

    During the emergency their students were evacuated to Centenary College in Shreveport then sent home from there.

    Now they say that they are negotiating articulation agreements with other schools so that students taking courses there will get credit towards Dillard degrees. Apparently the United Methodist Church has promised financial aid for exiled Dillard students to help make this possible. (That's very cool in my opinion.) They are also setting up a registry so that people can stay in touch, and they are talking about offering something by DL using Blackboard.

    Xavier University of Lousiana was founded in 1915 and as its name suggests, it's Jesuit. USNews ranks it as University-Masters (Southern) #25, again 'top tier'.

    http://www.xula.edu

    When I tried to visit it a moment ago, the website wasn't working. The Catholic church and the Jesuits obviously have the resources to address this, so I really hope that they don't just let their students drift while Xavier dies. They need to get a web presence up and running to reassure their students and to inform them about what's happening. And they could offer places and emergency financial aid at the many other Catholic universities scattered around the country.
     
  9. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Xavier's website still isn't working.

    Yesterday I saw an interview with Xavier of Louisiana's president on one of the cable news networks (CNN?). He was appearing on TV to rebut news reports that Xavier students had been sitting for three days on a freeway overpass.

    The president said that some Xavier students did remain on campus during the hurricane due to transportation issues. The campus lost power and suffered some damage, but the students remained dry and secure. Apparently a group of nuns were even preparing meals for them.

    Finally some disaster officials advised them to leave. They did sit on a freeway for about 12 hours, the president reported, until some buses showed up to transport them out, but the three days were spent on campus in reasonably good conditions, considering.

    He said that he had been receiving messages from colleges all over the country, from too many schools to list, offering to take Xavier students. He specifically mentioned the members of the United Negro College Fund, but he advised Xavier students to contact any colleges near them about enrolling as a visiting student.

    Apparently Xavier is in the same situation as the schools above: damaged but hoping to reopen at some point. And like the other schools, they plan to grant Xavier degrees to students who complete their remaining requirements at other schools. The president also said that their website would be back up soon.
     
  10. Jake_A

    Jake_A New Member

    Thanks for looking out for HBCUs

    Thanks, Uncle J. and BillDayson, for reminding all of us of the important role and special needs of the HBCUs.

    The US Red Cross organization and volunteers are doing a fantastic job.

    The UNCF is also stepping up to the plate to aid schools, colleges and students (and their families).

    Everyone's monetary donations, no matter how not-so-small or small, is deeply appreciated, I am sure, by our heroes and heroines, the charities, the relief workers and staff, even our beleaguered FEMA, military and National Guard.

    Thanks.
     

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