Sep. 2, 2005
University of Michigan mobilizes to help Katrina recovery
ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The University of Michigan community is mobilizing to offer assistance to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina including establishing an online relocation system to match victims with available places to live and working with displaced university students.
The University, which was preparing for the start of fall term when the storm hit the Gulf Coast, has 82 students from the states directly impacted by the hurricane, as well as faculty and staff with families in the flood and wind-ravaged areas. The University administration, the U-M Health System and a host of schools, units and student groups within the University family have been scrambling to come up with ways to help in the recovery and relocation efforts.
"This is a natural calamity the likes of which our country has never known, and I ask you to extend support as our co-workers and students help their loved ones to rebuild their lives,’’ U-M President Mary Sue Coleman said in a message to the University community. "We also have an obligation to assist those in need."
As new information continues to develop, updates about University efforts to help, and ways to participate, will be posted to the University Gateway at www.umich.edu.
Here is a sampling of ways the University is responding to Katrina:
 Helping victims find housing: Students and faculty at the School of Information have created a website, www.katrinahousing.net , that consolidates offers for housing assistance to people displaced by Katrina, and sorts the information by state, region and municipality. Relief workers will be able to match groups of people displaced by the hurricane with communities that have enough spare room and the right services available. Individuals may use the website to seek out their own housing. Communities will also be able to learn who else is offering housing so that volunteers can coordinate efforts internally. The system will help facilitate contact between those who are homeless and the thousands of Americans offering housing, spare rooms and vacant apartments or houses. For more on these efforts, visit: http://www.katrinahousing.net
Helping students discuss Katrina: When a disaster of this magnitude strikes, how do you talk about it in the classroom? U-M’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching has set up guidelines for educators on how to help students and faculty talk about the national tragedy. They came up with similar guidelines after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. CRLT’s Katrina guidelines are available at: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/hurricaneguidelines.html
Taking in students from other universities: U-M is working with the Association of American Universities to assist students from other universities who have been displaced by the storm. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has received several inquiries from students hoping to continue their studies at Michigan until classes can resume at their own universities. U-M’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning already has agreed to take in 15 displaced architecture students from other universities. More information is available at the U-M Admissions web site: http://www.admissions.umich.edu/index.html
Assisting U-M students impacted by the disaster: U-M’s Office of Financial Aid is assisting students impacted by the storm by helping them apply for additional aid and grants that are likely to be available. More information is available at http://www.finaid.umich.edu/. In addition, counseling and psychological services also are being made available For more information, visit: http://www.umich.edu/~caps/clinical.html
U-M Health System aids the victims: U-M Survival Flight is making itself available to Children's Hospital in New Orleans, which needs fixed-wing service to transport patients to nearby facilities since it was forced to close. The U-M Health System (UMHS) is working with the Michigan Hospital Association to determine the most effective ways for state health care institutions to respond. A number of UMHS caregivers have offered their services. The health system is also donating medical supplies.
Aiding faculty and staff from other universities: The Doctoral Program in Anthropology and History has already arranged to bring in a displaced Tulane University history professor. He will be at U-M for an undetermined amount of time and there are plans to arrange a small forum on dealing with poverty amidst disaster.
Raising money: When U-M’s football team plays Northern Illinois tomorrow (Sept. 3), $2 of every $5 paid for game programs will be donated to the Red Cross. At the same time, volunteers including members of the U-M men’s and women’s swimming and dive teams, will collect donations inside Michigan Stadium from 1:30-3:30 p.m., and calls for donations will be posted on scoreboards during the game. The School of Social Work will hold a silent auction next week to raise relief funds. The Office of the Dean of Students, and units such as the Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning and the Office of Student Activities & Leadership, will work with student organizations and others in support of fund-raising and relief efforts.
Volunteering to help: The University is processing numerous requests from members of the community willing to help, and U-M’s numerous experts are also trying to lend a hand. For example, Allen Samuels, a professor and industrial designer in the School of Art and Design, has developed a series of designs especially for emergency situations like the one along the Gulf Coast. The designs can be used to create inexpensive disposable, paperboard shelters and related survival items. He is seeking manufacturers and marketers interested in developing these designs for use as soon as possible. The University also is working with numerous nonprofit organizations and charities to assist with their relief efforts.
Other volunteer efforts include: U-M's Amateur Radio Club is offering to transmit messages from anyone wishing to find out the condition of loved ones in the affected areas. Contact the club at w8um.info@umich.edu or www.umich.edu/~umarc.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity: (Epsilon Chapter) will be accepting donations of money and clothing during the week of Sept. 5 to be given to the local chapters of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Contact the fraternity at aphia@umich.edu or www.umich.edu/~alphas.
The Michigan Student Assembly is hosting a meeting to plan and organize relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. MSA will be planning fundraising efforts, as well as to trips to affected areas. The meeting is Sept. 7 from 6-7:30 p.m. at MSA Chambers, 3909 Michigan Union.
Contact: Joe Serwach
Phone: (734) 647-1844 |
