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September 12, 2005 Volume 30, Issue 5 |
Mississippi State marshals resources to respond to Katrina
In response to the mounting losses now being realized from Hurricane Katrina, the university continues to respond in significant ways to the needs of its students, faculty and staff, as well as reaching out to others around the state.
“It is sobering to realize the enormous impact this disaster has had on the Mississippi State family and on our state,” said President Charles Lee. “From the first day after the disaster, individuals, departments and units of the university have mobilized to assist those in need.”
Lee said that Mississippi State has at least 1,200 students and numerous university employees from the areas most directly affected. “We know that many of them have suffered extensive losses.”
With reports of devastation mounting daily, Lee said that a top priority is the welfare of MSU students from the affected areas. Late last week, he announced formation of a task force chaired by first lady Pat Lee and drawing on key constituencies from around campus.
“One of the first efforts will be to make personal contact with as many students as possible from the most affected regions along the Coast,” Mrs. Lee explained. “We will be making telephone calls to students from those areas to help identify immediate individual needs, or just to let them know we’re here if a need arises.”
Called “Bulldogs in Response,” the task force will focus on humanitarian needs rather than on university policy matters. “Some adjustments to the academic calendar, as well as special assistance in financial aid, already have been put in place,” President Lee said.
Among initiatives the task force is launching is a database of volunteers who can be called on in the coming months as the university continues to coordinate with appropriate agencies.
Task force members are Jimmy Abraham of the Alumni Association; Thomas Bourgeois of Student Affairs; Dan Brook of the MSU Extension Service; Gemma Camp of the Starkville community; Jon David Cole of the MSU Student Association; Art Cosby of the Social Science Research Center; Joe Farris of the President’s Office; Rodney Foil of the Association of Retired Faculty; Bennet George of University Relations;
Jerry Gilbert of Academic Affairs; Melissa Mixon of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Lynn Pike of the School of Human Resources; Ruth Prescott and Melvin Ray, both of the President’s Office; Donna Reese of the Bagley College of Engineering; Beatrice Tatem of the Counseling Center; and John Tomlinson, state government relations.
The task force welcomes ideas and volunteers, said Pat Lee. “We encourage the university community to communicate directly with us by e-mail at president@msstate.edu or by calling 662-325-5825.”
An MSU Web site devoted to information and resources for those affected by Hurricane Katrina has been established at http://www.msstate.edu/web/katrina/ .