Dillard Students at Centenary

Update (9/3/2005) Dillard University Issues News Release About Its Status

"DILLARD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT DR. MARVALENE HUGHES
ESTABLISHES RECOVERY PLAN

"Dr. Marvalene Hughes, President of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, today announced that administrators of the liberal arts institution are working diligently to decide when and how Dillard will reopen. She said in an interview today that administrators expect to return to campus as soon as possible to assess the restoration needs of buildings.

"Hurricane Katrina damaged several buildings on campus and many trees are down. Due to the breech in the 17th Street Canal levee the campus was severely damaged when devastating floodwaters resulted in five to eight feet of water.

"Dr. Hughes said, “We face tremendous challenges; however, I want to personally reassure the Dillard community and the public that we will continue to offer education for our students. Our spirits are strong and our will unbroken. Dillard will be back and better than ever.”

"The following action plan is being executed immediately:
*As of September 1, 2005, the students who evacuated to Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, have been safely returned to their parents or guardians.
*We have committed to all registered students that they will not lose academic credit for this academic year. The Provost is currently developing a plan to provide the required weeks of instruction. Once developed, the plan will be available on the web site http://www.salliemae.com/katrina/.
*Instruction will resume as quickly as possible following clearance to return to New Orleans. We are currently exploring options for alternative classroom space, sites, and teaching and learning modalities.
*A locator registry will be established on http://www.dillard.edu to allow faculty, staff, alumni and friends to identify their locations.
*We will need significant support from alumni, friends, corporations, foundations and government agencies to rebuild Dillard’s physical infrastructure.

"As part of our plan, Dillard needs significant cash investments from alumni, government, foundations, corporations, and friends to restore the physical infrastructure, equipment and academic instructional materials.

"More than 68 prominent universities around the nation are offering their campuses and their services to aid Dillard students during the fall semester. Many are generous enough to offer a free education to students, including room, board and tuition. We are grateful and reassured by our generous colleagues and by offers from numerous community agencies, leading national organizations and affiliate churches.

"We recommit to our students and the entire Dillard community that we will leave no stone unturned to preserve Dillard’s legacy and ideals."

As of 9/2/2005

We have found local housing, adoptive "families" or assisted with the return home of almost all of the initial 230 Dillard University students who escaped Hurricane Katrina on Saturday evening and who were housed in the Gold Dome this week. The college sent a chartered bus north to Chicago, with numerous drop-off points along the way, to assist Dillard students in returning to their homes. Lake Bethlehme Baptist Church with help from Ms. Tabitha Taylor, has sent buses to Atlanta, Dallas and Houston and purchased tickets. Others were helped with various arrangements to allow them to return to family or friends. We continue to work with the Dillard Alumni Association to place students from the New Orleans area in more permanent and comfortable local housing. Special thanks are due to the many Centenary staff, faculty, students and friends who have worked with the Dillard evacuees.

We hope to have a link to a new Dillard web site available soon, as well as an 800 number that students can call for information.