Indiana State Opens Doors to Students Displaced by Hurricane

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State University will accept and process applications from students in New Orleans and other areas in the southern United States whose institutions are unable to open in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

A letter of admission or registration from any impacted college or university will be accepted for admission to Indiana State, C. Jack Maynard, ISU's provost and vice president for academic affairs, said.

Application fees and out-of-state tuition will be waived for both domestic and international students who had planned to attend institutions in Katrina's path. Students, whether graduate or undergraduate, will pay regular in-state tuition.

"Reaching out and welcoming students from universities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama that are unable to open their doors for the fall semester is really the least we can do to help that part of the country with such a rich higher education heritage as it struggles to recover from such an unprecedented natural disaster," Maynard said.

Students interesting in attending ISU should contact Richard Toomey or Dexter Jordan, Admissions, at 1-800-GO-TO-ISU.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

In an effort to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Center for Public Service and Community Engagement has created a webpage (www.indstate.edu/publicservice/students/katrina.htm) with pertinent information related to the disaster along with contact information for local relief organizations.

Specific items of interest:

Mile of Quarters - The Mile of Quarters fundraiser, sponsored by Old National Bank in partnership with Wabash Valley Red Cross, Downtown Terre Haute, and Indiana State University, will raise money for the American Red Cross' Hurricane Relief Efforts. The intention of the event is to collect enough quarters to fill a coil equivalent to a mile. The mile will be constructed during the Terre Haute Street Fair from September 23-25. In addition, donations will be collected in advance at several sites. Donation sites include several campus locations and Old National Bank centers.

Campus organizations and departments can register to participate through the Center for Public Service and Community Engagement. Registration packets, including collection canisters and promotional fliers, will be available in Erickson 124 starting at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 6. All monies raised by ISU will go solely toward Red Cross relief efforts.

For more information, contact Nancy Rogers or Jessica Bush or call (812) 237-2334.

Blood Drive - Clabber Girl/WTWO/WFXW will sponsor an all-day blood drive on Friday, Sept. 9, in the parking lot adjacent to 9th and Cherry Streets. Please consider donating blood at this critical time!

Volunteering - Students who are interested in volunteering in rebuilding efforts may consider participating in the Alternative Spring Break program in March. Rebuilding efforts will continue over a period of several months or, perhaps, years. For more information about the Alternative Spring Break, contact (812) 237-2334 or jbush3@mymail.indstate.edu.