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LITTLE ROCK -- Arkansas higher education institutions are meeting enrollment needs, providing community services and organizing fundraisers for displaced college students and Hurricane Katrina evacuees. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education has received to date the following efforts coordinated by colleges and universities to offer relief to victims of the hurricane:

• Arkansas Northeastern College – The practical nursing students coordinated six sites where Paragould residents donated water and worked with Reliable Transportation trucking company out of Jackson, Mo. to haul the water.
• Arkansas State University-Beebe - The Residence Hall Council is conducting a toys and clothing drive for the hurricane victims, and the Student Life office partnered with B-Mart, a garden center in Beebe, to send a sizeable donation of water, food and hygiene products to Louisiana.
• Arkansas State University-Jonesboro offered a special scholarship package to Arkansas students who were attending school in the affected area and would like to come to ASU-Jonesboro for a semester. Student Affairs and the advising center personnel established a “hurricane buddy” system to help Katrina-affected students get up to speed, both academically and personally. KASU, the public radio station for ASU, will host a "Blue Monday" concert to benefit those affected by Hurricane Katrina on Oct. 3 at The Forum theatre in Jonesboro. All proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
• Arkansas State University-Mountain Home set up donation collections at the three entrances on campus. This was organized by the Student Government Association and other student organizations.
• Arkansas State University-Newport collected contributions for the Red Cross. Faculty and staff volunteered with other community volunteers to fill up two tractor trailers of nonperishable goods. The College also assisted the Grubbs community to prepare 125 beds for an alternate shelter.
• Arkansas Tech University and Chartwell’s Catering provided more than 250 Katrina evacuees and local volunteers with a southern Louisiana-style meal featuring Cajun favorites at the Hughes Center Sept. 9. Tech fans on campus for Family Day and the Henderson State game Sept. 10 had the opportunity to contribute to Katrina fundraising while enjoying the free Survivor concert and the football game. The Student Athletic Advisory committee, Student Government Association, Residence Hall Association and Tech Fans participated in a variety of fundraisers over the Family Day weekend. Red Cross volunteers were also stationed at each entrance gate to accept monetary donations before the game. Over $3,000 was raised to benefit the American Red Cross. Emergency Administration and Management majors volunteered at the Hughes Center in various capacities. Some assisted with intake and check-in when evacuees arrived in Russellville. Others helped coordinate volunteers, cooked, served meals and other logistical tasks. Approximately six students worked to post families onto various Web sites for locating individuals and families. Some family members were found at other evacuation locations and were reunited with family members in Russellville. Tech students were also involved in database entry. This evacuee information was used by Pope County and various agencies for tracking the evacuees who registered. Various faculty members and administration volunteered at the Hughes Center in organizing a system for volunteer assignments and coordinating donations and other resources. The faculty is working on an After Action Report. Students will be involved in this research project by assisting in compiling data. The report will address cost analysis, lessons learned along with the best practices of emergency management. This report will be used by the city, county and state, as well as used as a resource tool for the emergency management department. Assistance is also being provided to help staff a resource warehouse that will serve as a depository for the donations of clothing, furniture and supplies that can be used by evacuees who are setting up housekeeping in the area.
• Black River Technical College’s nursing department collected nonperishable items (primarily personal hygiene items such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels and washcloths) and distributed them to evacuees who sought shelter in northeast Arkansas. Monetary donations also were collected for the American Red Cross.
• Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas is providing the use of the College’s semi-trailer truck to deliver donations of clothing and food. Kathy Barnes, an instructor in the truck driving program, made the delivery.
• East Arkansas Community College (EACC) offered the use of its Computer Education Center and Library with Internet-access for evacuees on its campus and at the EACC site in Wynne. The College is in the process of planning a dinner for the more than 1,000 evacuees staying in Forrest City.

• Henderson State University (HSU) opened its residence halls for 75 students and made 45 mattresses available to hurricane victims. Eight bedrooms were available for elderly or special needs persons in university housing apartments. Movies are shown nightly. The student hub is open at night and on weekends with bathrooms, showers, a fitness room, basketball and racquetball courts and is available to any of the evacuees. HSU held a meeting with all campus organizations and collected nonperishable food items, clothes, toys and toiletries. The International Student Association put health kits together. Students worked with Ouachita Baptist University to circulate flyers around the campuses and town to let people know what they could do to help. An account was set up at AllCare Pharmacy to help pay for medication costs for displaced persons staying in Arkadelphia. Alpha Eta Rho, a business fraternity of aviation students, collected donations. Rotaract is making a financial contribution to a relief fund, and Phi Delta Kappa is also making a donation to help children of hurricane victims enrolling in local schools. Senior nursing students are spending their support. The Matt Locke Ellis College of Arts and Sciences department chairs offered to donate some of their unused scholarship money. Career services took donations for animal shelters.  Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity volunteered at the Arkadelphia Recreation Center. The Phi Sigs distributed flyers at Caddo Valley motels, restaurants and businesses. The flyers were to introduce evacuees to Arkadelphia, providing information about restaurants, laundry services, recreation facilities and health care. They also helped distribute food and water to those at the city’s aquatic park. HSU also freed unobligated funds in its budget to employ six or seven displaced hurricane victims on a half-time basis for at least 12 weeks. A carpool service and resume workshop were coordinated. 
• Hendrix College - Faculty, staff and students joined volunteer efforts on a local and national basis. The college worked with the city of Conway and the Faulkner County Office of Emergency Management to provide assistance for displaced families that came to the area. Hendrix Dining Services provided meals to evacuees who have registered with the Family Intake Center. The Chaplain’s Office and the student Volunteer Action Committee organized groups to help at the intake center and the Don Owen Complex, which is providing shelter for evacuees. The Hendrix campus assembled health kits for distribution through the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and the Chaplain’s Office is organizing a mission trip during fall break to help hurricane victims. Fifty-seven Hendrix students are from storm-affected areas, as well as many Hendrix alumni. Faculty, staff, students and alumni have volunteered to provide assistance to include lodging for displaced families and pets.

• Lyon College - In an effort to assist college students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Lyon College offered to accept up to 30 students from the New Orleans and Gulf Coast area that have been affected by the disaster. The college will do everything it can to help the students adjust and recover from the disaster by offering counseling and other support services. The Lyon chaplain and counseling staff are actively helping current students as they cope with the impact of this disaster.

• Mid-South Community College (MSCC) provided administrative assistance with 60 volunteer hours to the Emergency Command Center (EOC) to help coordinate community wide efforts. MSCC AmeriCorps volunteers worked in the phone center at the Emergency Command Center and at the donation shelter. The College’s cable channel relayed around-the-clock information for evacuees Sept. 2-12. Its Information Technology department created usernames and passwords so that Katrina evacuees could access the Internet on campus. MSCC also hired three displaced workers.

• National Park Community College (NPCC) helped affected students with the purchase of books and supplies. The College volunteered at the Red Cross shelter set up at Summit Arena and collected food and supplies. NPCC partnered with area businesses and the Chamber of Commerce on a job fair. Almost every organization and department on campus has been involved in serving evacuees to include students from the Radiography Association and Medical Professions delivering items donated by NPCC staff, faculty and students to the Arena twice a week for several weeks.

• North Arkansas College - Student Government organized students and faculty to prepare meals; distribute clothes, canned goods and water; and provide transportation to families temporarily housed at a motel in Harrison in an effort to help them recover from the devastation of Katrina. Cornerstone Kitchen, with the help of the community and volunteers has provided three meals daily to 21-50 people with more evacuees expected to arrive.

• NorthWest Arkansas Community College - The Adult Education program will offer adult basic education courses, GED classes and/or English As A Second Language classes to hurricane victims. Students are also in contact with the American Red Cross and making plans to hold benefit activities on campus. The Respiratory Therapy Student Organization collected new socks and underwear for victims.   
• Ouachita Technical College’s Student Government Association and Baptist Collegiate Ministries joined together to collect socks and undergarments for victims of Katrina who have landed in the college's five-county service area. The drive began on Sept. 2 and will continue through Oct. 7. Also, a collection of pet supplies, pet food, detergent, towels, etc. was donated to the Saline County Humane Society by the Student Government Association. Approximately 200 animals a week have arrived at the Humane Society since the storm hit. As the animals arrived, they were cleaned, fed, and medicated as they were prepared for delivery to a Chicago shelter where they have been boarded until they can be either fostered or reunited with their owner(s).

• Ozarka College's Student Council made a $200 donation to the Red Cross. The Drama Club donated $500, and other campus organizations are organizing other efforts. Collection jars are set up campus-wide.
• Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA) is tentatively planning a campus car wash in Helena with proceeds going for hurricane relief. On Sept. 7, the practical nursing students and two instructors from the PCCUA DeWitt campus helped Katrina evacuees at a hurricane shelter, housed at the old Patillo Center School, by assisting with FEMA paper work, making up beds and bringing clothing to the shelter and to the National Guard Armory.

• Pulaski Technical College - The Student Government Association and Student Ambassadors conducted a food, clothing and water drive and collected monetary donations for the Red Cross at the main campus in North Little Rock and at the Little Rock location at the corner of Kanis and John Barrow. Faculty and staff volunteered at shelters throughout central Arkansas. Pulaski Tech also participated in a program to provide online instruction to affected students. The Saline County Career Center at Bauxite offered free cosmetology services.

• Rich Mountain Community College gathered items to give to evacuees who have been brought to shelters in the Mena area. Three staff members used two school vans to take nine evacuees back to Baton Rouge. Three of the evacuees wanted to be reunited with their families and six wanted to be in a shelter close to home.
• South Arkansas Community College used its semi truck from its truck-driving program to deliver supplies the El Dorado community gathered to donate to victims. The East campus opened its computer lab. The library, where Internet access is available, as well as a quiet place to get away, or use for home schooling purposes, remained open until 8 p.m. for all evacuees.

• Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK) donated multiple loads of food, clothing, bedding items and various personal hygiene items; placed ads in newspapers offering free tuition and fees to students wishing to attend classes; arranged community service courses to be provided at the Convention Center to keep people occupied; provided free Internet access and computer services to all displaced individuals; allowed SEARK employees time off to volunteer to provide much needed relief and assistance to the United Way, Red Cross and other agencies who manned the Convention Center on an around-the-clock basis.

• Southern Arkansas University (SAU) arranged to house 240 of the 600+ evacuees who are staying in Magnolia. SAU coordinated donations of all kinds through its new Residential College and Mule.org programs for resident evacuees as well as those in the community. The University worked out a schedule for open swimming, skating, movies, three free meals per day at its cafeteria, free long distance telephone access, computer use, cookouts on weekends with activities for the children, etc. And campus organizations planned activities for sustaining the needs of those affected. 
• Southern Arkansas University-Tech made space available in one of the dorms to house hurricane victims. SAU-Tech also has had some students deployed with the National Guard and is working with them so that they will be able to complete their coursework. Forty-three evacuees moved into the Fire Academy Student Housing. Meals have been provided for them, and they were issued SAU-Tech guest ID badges. Most of them are families with pre-school through teenage children. The gym was opened for the youth. A list of needed clothing, toiletries and other items evacuees needed was given to Tech employees. Children used the learning lab.
• The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (UA) teamed up with the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the American Red Cross to raise funds in support of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama residents affected by the storm. Patrons of UA athletic events were asked to provide monetary donations that will go toward relief efforts. A series of collection stations were posted at the Razorback's Sept. 3 football game against Missouri State University and at the fan entrance of Barnhill Arena, site of the Arkansas Lady'Backs' 2005 C&C Services Invitational volleyball tournament. Another series of collection stations were posted outside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium prior to the Sept. 10 football game against Vanderbilt University. The Facilities Management Department also posted collection stations throughout its offices to assist the American Red Cross fund drive and its relief efforts. After three days, the department collected $1,380 in donations that will go toward support for evacuees. Overall, more than $36,000 was raised during a two-week period. Additionally, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and the Associated Student Government are currently organizing events to assist those affected by Hurricane Katrina. The UA also offered affected students who enrolled at the University free school supplies and textbooks through a special loan program. The Counseling and Psychological Services team was also available for such services on campus.
• The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith issued “The $2 Challenge” asking students and staff to give money for victims. Many students volunteered at the collection site and chose to collect money, rather than other items, at the request of the American Red Cross, donating approximately $2,500. Students and staff also gave more than $500 toward toiletries and other supplies to ease the cost burden for one UA Fort Smith staff member who had taken 11 evacuees into her home.
• The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Student Government Association conducted a fundraising campaign. Project – HERO – Hurricane Effort Relief Outreach – was designed to help those in need. The SGA provided “fund envelopes” that allowed individuals to contribute. The UALR Bowen School of Law also joined the waiver agreement for students from Tulane and Loyola Universities. 

• The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville’s (UACCB) Phi Theta Kappa, a two-year honor society, raised $1,000 for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Money raised was sent to the American Red Cross and to the Baptist campground in Bethesda, located about 10 miles from the UACCB campus. At one point, the campground had taken in about 150 Gulf Coast residents who were displaced.
• The University of Arkansas Community College at Hope (UACCH) hosted a “Family Fun Day” on Labor Day to entertain all of the evacuee families who have temporarily relocated to the Hope area. Along with free pizza, Hope watermelon and drinks, the College showed movies, and area musicians provided an outdoor concert on campus. There was also plenty of kid-friendly fun available to include “Hillbilly Horseshoes,” stick-horse races and a wide variety of games and activities. UACCH also joined surrounding communities to aid evacuees with a can food drive sponsored by the Student Government Association, a toy drive sponsored by the practical nursing students, a collection of gasoline cards sponsored by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at UACCH, a clothing and personal-hygiene collection sponsored by the UACCH Bookstore, a campus-wide Red Cross fundraising drive and a campus-wide bottled water collection.

• The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton planned a Red Cross cash donation drive with collection stations in each building on campus for students, faculty and staff, as well as the community, to make donations.

• The University of Arkansas at Monticello’s Missionary Baptist Student Fellowship collected linen and bath materials, personal hygiene items, clothing and non-perishable foods, as well as personal amusement items for children.
• The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) has made 20 dorm rooms available for elderly and family groups. Student organizations including the newspaper staff and mass communications club organized a drive to collect nonperishable items and $1 donations at the Sept. 17 football game. Facilities were opened at the Health Physical Education and Recreation building to those displaced by Hurricane Katrina to use the swimming pool, tennis and racquetball courts, weightlifting room, etc. The School of Education is offering a tutorial service for K-12, and library has opened up its building with computers to evacuees.
• The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) - When workers at a shelter for hurricane evacuees in DeWitt needed supplies for a prematurely-born infant, they turned to the UAMS Disaster Relief Fund established Sept. 2. The fund is being administered by UAMS’ Social Work Department and used to buy prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, food, diapers, baby formula, transportation to and from shelters and other essentials needed by families displaced by the hurricane. Donations from UAMS employees have also allowed shipments of medications for diabetes and other conditions as well as household supplies and personal hygiene items to go to shelters in Mississippi. Evacuees with medical needs are being cared for in shelters and other facilities across the state and UAMS physicians, nurses and other health care professionals are volunteering their time to provide care. More than 70 people from the hurricane-impacted region have been treated at UAMS. Patient needs have ranged from prescription medications to cancer treatments and kidney dialysis to high-risk pregnancies. The UAMS Reynolds Institute on Aging reported that many evacuees are being treated on an outpatient basis while Department of Geriatrics physicians have begun making medical rounds to visit evacuees now staying in several nursing homes in the area. UAMS physicians also have assisted the staff at the VA Hospital in treating patients taken there. At the same time, teams of UAMS physicians have made regular visits to some of the evacuee shelters in central Arkansas. UAMS doctors provided care for about 500 evacuees staying at the St. Mark’s Baptist Church shelter in Little Rock. UAMS mobilized its seven Area Health Education Centers across the state to provide aid to Katrina evacuees pouring into Arkansas and UAMS. All of the AHECs have seen evacuees in their clinics or during visits to shelters. The Texarkana and Fort Smith AHECs in particular saw huge numbers of evacuees. In addition to the Disaster Fund, faculty, staff and students in the College of Nursing collected $2,218 for the American Red Cross. The college also collected four truckloads of food, bottled water, toiletries, clothes and toys for local agencies. Training was conducted over two weekends for 147 local nurses and physicians who are staffing the evacuee shelters. Teams of UAMS physicians – including pediatricians, psychiatrists and internal or family medicine specialists – traveled to evacuee shelters in Hot Springs, Heber Springs and Redfield during the weekend of Sept. 3. There were also UAMS physicians at Little Rock National Airport to greet and assist with the triage of arriving evacuees – including a group of 600 that arrived at one time on Sept. 4. The Department of Psychiatry operated a clinic the weekend of Sept. 3 for any affected by the hurricane and were making its staff available as needed for any who may be distressed, depressed or in need of help following the storm. UAMS College of Nursing faculty and staff have signed up to deliver meals to a UAMS faculty member who has 11 family members in her home from the damaged area. Several students who were attending schools in the hurricane-affected region that are now closed have enrolled at UAMS. This includes eight students in the College of Pharmacy. Five orthopedics medical residents from Tulane University are at UAMS for two months after their program was shut down along with the New Orleans university’s campus. A student who was enrolled in a sonography program in Mobile, Ala., is now enrolled in the diagnostic medical sonography program in the UAMS College of Health Related Professions to conduct her clinical rotations, which were originally scheduled for clinics in the hurricane-damaged area of Mississippi. Several children who were displaced by the hurricane have been enrolled in the UAMS Head Start pre-school program at locations in central Arkansas. Also, the hospital currently has nine patients including a New Orleans police officer and a woman who delivered twins.
• The University of Central Arkansas donated $500 to the American Red Cross. The Staff Senate’s theme is "Creating Community Together,” and involved staff and faculty in local efforts to help families from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who have sought shelter in the Conway community. They teamed up with the Faulkner County United Way to aid in efforts to provide assistance to evacuee families in Conway. Students of Sophomore Year Experience, in cooperation with the President's Office, coordinated a campus-wide collection of items needed for relief efforts located at the Don Owens Center. In coordination with the UCA Police Department, donations were collected for families of police officers in Louisiana. The Counseling Center took appointments for members of the UCA community who might want individual counseling, as well as set up a support group for students, faculty and staff who have been affected by Katrina. The students of the UCA Humane Society gave $100 to the Humane Society of the United States for pet recovery and rescue. Students visited the Conway Center and Cold Spring Camp to invite Katrina victims to the Sept. 10 football game. Transportation was arranged for them. Katrina guests were invited to attend a barbecue sponsored by The Bear Den. Hamburgers and hotdogs and other items were served. They were also given refreshments and UCA promotional items at the game. The UCA Bear Den, Minority Mentorship Program and other groups greeted and sat with the Katrina guests during the tailgate and game. The special guests were asked to sit on the home side - out of the sun and to feel a part of the Conway/UCA community. An announcement was also made at the game welcoming the guests from the Gulf Coast.

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