Special Message from President V. Lane Rawlins on Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

The magnitude of the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama is almost unimaginable.  The suffering of those who have lost their homes, their possessions and, in some cases, their loved ones is both heartbreaking and hard to comprehend.  This tragedy has sparked in all of us the desire to help, and I am writing to share with you ways in which I think we can contribute meaningfully to those in desperate need.

We have been told by governmental and private agencies that the most urgent need is for resources to help them provide the basic needs of stranded victims – food, clothing, shelter and medical supplies.  I urge you to contribute what you can to relief efforts to help those who have lost everything and whose lives are in increasing danger every day this disaster continues.  Many agencies are collecting funds for this purpose.

I would like you to know that the State of Washington Combined Fund Drive is available to University staff and faculty to make contributions to numerous non-profit agencies.  Many of you already participate in the Combined Fund Drive.  For those of you unfamiliar with CFD, you should know that you may direct your contribution to any of a vast number of organizations, including the Red Cross, the United Way and the Salvation Army, through this organization.  To learn more about how you may participate, please call Theresa MacNaughton, the Combined Fund Drive leader for Washington State University, at (509) 335-2704.  Watch for information about giving through Combined Fund Drive on WSU Announcements or visit the Web site:  https://www.wsu.edu/wsucfd.

There are additional ways that we as a caring academic community may help individuals impacted by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.  As you know, many students who were enrolled at institutions hit by the hurricane are now displaced and will not be able to resume their studies for some prolonged period of time until those institutions are able to reopen.  We are already working with several such students whose permanent homes are in the state of Washington in order to admit them to WSU and get them enrolled for classes this semester.  While our classes have already started, we may still be able to help some students for this semester, and certainly can help many students next semester as needed.

Our Office of Student Affairs will be working closely with the faculty through the Faculty Senate, the Provost’s Office and the college deans to extend every available sort of assistance to help these students continue their studies.  Because each student’s academic and personal needs vary, we are asking students to work directly with our Office of Admissions on a one-to-one basis for help with their needs.  The contact person in admissions is Karen Brimhall, and she may be reached through our toll-free number at (888) 468-6978 or on campus at (509) 335-3280.  If any of you have questions or have been contacted by students or their families seeking information, please contact admissions for assistance.

We may also have students whose studies may be interrupted by a call to service in the National Guard or participation in other relief efforts.  We will work with those students to enable their departure and return to be effected in as smooth and least disruptive manner as possible.  I would ask all of you to help in this process by extending your compassion and understanding to make it possible for all our students impacted by this tragedy in one way or another to continue their studies with minimal disruption.

Others in our community may be impacted by having family members, friends or other loved ones in the area of devastation.  And there are many of us who, even though not directly impacted by the hurricane, are nevertheless profoundly affected by what is happening in this disaster.  Let us all support each other during this very difficult time. 

This would be an appropriate period to devote classroom time to discussion of the hurricane disaster, its continuous coverage by the media, and the wide-ranging implications of what is happening in New Orleans particularly, and in the other areas devastated by Katrina.  There are very significant public issues unfolding, and I believe it is an important part of our mission as a teaching and learning community to try to understand these issues and to help our students to understand and deal with them. 

There may be those among us who would benefit from the help of professional counseling which is always available to all members of our community through the Counseling Services.  For assistance, you may call (509) 335-4511.

Sadly, we know that this tragedy is far from its end, and there will undoubtedly be additional things that we may be able to do in the future to help the victims.  Let us all remain vigilant and sensitive to what is happening and look for ways that we might offer assistance.  I will stay in communication with all of you and would welcome comments or ideas you might care to share on this topic.