Photo courtesy of J.R. Hevron
Never the same again. The streets around Tulane University are covered with water and downed tree branches after Hurricane Katrina hit the area Monday. The water level in New Orleans worsened after two of the levees broke, causing the city to fill like a bowl.
Katrina uproots students
University officials have not yet decided whether to admit displaced college students.
By JOANNA WU
Staff Writer
Universities across the country have opened their doors to the college students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. At least 175 students from universities in New Orleans, mostly from Tulane University, have been trying to enroll in classes at USC but officials are waiting for directions from Tulane's administration before making any admission acceptances.
“Since the number is so large, we haven't made any decisions as to whether or not well allow people to enroll," said Michael L Jackson, vice president of student affairs.
Vanderbilt University, Iona College, Syracuse University and many other universities are accepting Tulane students, in some cases for free, according to The New York Times.
On Wednesday, the American Association of Universities, of which USC is a member, urged its members to help displaced students, according td The Times.
The USC admissions office is currently running a census on the students who have contacted the university. The school is considering the student s year, major, grade point average and what courses they are interested in taking, he said
Jackson said he talked with Cynthia Cheney, the vice president of student affairs at Tulane, oO Thursday. Cherrey.
formerly the associate vice president of student affairs at USC. is scheduled to
meet with the Tulane administration today in Houston to discuss transfer policies.
Jackson said he is also concerned about whether the school can accommodate these students or whether they
are academically qualified and prepared to be at USC.
"We also don’t want to steal students away from Tulane, or appear to be poaching students from Tulane,” Jackson said. “That’s a great school and a great city, and we want them to be able to get back as many of their
students as possible. We want to be sensitive to the needs of the individual students and their families, as well as to the institution.”
Brett Hyman, from Calabasas, Calif., is a senior at Tulane majoring in business. He contacted USC Wednesday, and was told he could possibly be a visiting student
Hyman has been managing a blog at http://tulanestudentinfo.blogspot. com, providing students and the public with commentary, pictures and news I see Hurricane, page 3 I
At least 175 students from Tulane University have been trying to enroll in USC classes.
"Right now I am homeless. The city I grew up in, called home, all my memories, everything I ever did, it is /ust kind
of washing away.”
♦
ROSE SHF.R senior print journalism
For USC students from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, hurricanes are something that they have grown up with. But Hurricane Katrina’s wrath has left them, as well as countless others, with no home.
“The sad part is that it is not really a natural disaster," said Rose Sher, a senior majoring in print journalism, who is from New Orleans. “Natural stuff happened, but it could have been stopped.
The damage is much worse."
The real damage to New Orleans came when the levees broke, causing the city to fill up with water like a bowl — what people from New Orleans call the “fishbowl.” Levees are small hills or mountains plated with steel that protect the city from storm surges and shefrers the city from rain or wind, Sher said.
“New Orleans is one of the most unique cultural and geographical places in the world," Sher said. “It has so much history. There are so many old buildings.
The country should have devoted one afternoon to dropping sandbags. Now we have just been seeing the city filling up with water.”
Like many others, Sher’s house is completely gone.
“Right now I am homeless. The city I grew up in, called home, all my memories, everything I ever did it is just kind of washing away. When I flew to school this year I packed light and left ail my scrapbooks and stuff at home," Sher said.
Jeremy Jackson, a junior majoring in biology, has lived in New Orleans for his entire life and said that every year there are several hurricanes in the Gulf.
'They always come close to New Orleans, but we never get direct hits.” Jackson said.
And while Hurricane Katrina did not directly hit New Orleans this time, the effects were nonetheless devastating.
Jackson recalled a phone call he had with his father in the early morning hours the day the hurricane struck New Orleans.
“My dad decided to stay on the eighth floor of a hotel in New Orleans, despite the evacuation." he said. “He told me that his window was being sucked out. He was in the
i see Reaction page 11
INDEX
Grad students in an interactive media program develop a virtual reality video game. 5
Fraternities seem to be the stepchildren of USC. 4
News Digest------------2	Sport*---------
Upcoming_______________X	Classifieds
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Photo courtesy of J.R Mewon
Making it through. Two New Orleans residents who live near Tulane University walk through the destroyed area Since the levees broke. 90 percent of New Orleans homes are underwater
WEATHER
Today: Sunny. High of S3, low of62. Tomorrow: Sunny. High cf81, low of 61.
Labor Day: The Daily Trojan resumes publication Wednesday, Sept 8
HURRICANE
KATRINA
.dailytrojan.com
September 2, 2005
Katrina's force hits home for USC students
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
INSIDE
Vol. CXLVll, No. 10
The real damage to New Orleans happened when the levees broke, filling the fishbowl.
By STEPHANIE HAWKINS
Staff Writer
Matt Leinart and the Trojans start their season in Hawaii on Saturday.
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