NIU offers help to Illinois residents enrolled
at hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast colleges

by Melanie Magara

NIU today joined higher education institutions around the state in offering help to Illinois residents who have been attending Gulf Coast universities and who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

While the complexity of interstate college transfers and other such arrangements are particularly daunting two weeks into the semester, NIU President John Peters says his institution will do what it takes to help.

“When we speak of ‘the higher education community,' it's not just an expression,” Peters said. “We really are a community of learners, and we take care of each other. The administrative difficulties presented by last-minute, mid-semester, interstate transfers pale in comparison to the utter devastation from which these college students have just escaped.”

Peters said NIU has designated one, central office to coordinate services for affected students. Illinois residents who were attending Gulf Coast colleges and universities closed by Hurricane Katrina may call the Office of the Vice Provost at (815) 753-0494 to learn about available options. Those include possible transfer options, off-campus degree-completion programs and online course offerings.

9-2-05