Making news around the country, colleges have opened their doors for students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Bates College, for example, offered any Maine undergraduates enrolled in colleges in the hurricane affected region free courses during the fall semester. Both Bowdoin College and Colby College are offering various payment plans or donations to colleges in south who were damaged by Katrina. And, although not as widely broadcasted, USM is joining in the relief effort.
At the September 2nd Opening Breakfast, a traditional faculty/staff kick-off for the new year $3,000 was raised for Katrina victims. “Katrina is a terrible and compelling disaster,” said University President Richard Pattenaude. “We should do all we can.” And that began the University’s efforts. Since then several groups on campus have taken it on themselves to fundraise, including WMPG’s Mini-Madi Gras and a University of Maine System wide payroll deduction program – as of September 23 the payroll deduction had raised over $11,000. “Very quickly,” said Pattenaude, “tuition decisions were made, admissions decisions were made, funds were raised, and a program was put in place for donations.”
Unlike Bates College, however, state media has given the efforts at USM and the University of Maine System (UMS) very little play. It’s gotten less attention than we had hoped,” said Pattenaude. “I think it got less attention because we were one day behind Bates, and slightly less dramatic.” And, unlike any independent college, USM must work within guidelines set by UMS and its board of trustees. This means decisions to wave or reduce tuition cannot be made at the university level.
For more information on what USM and UMS are doing for Katrina Relief, go to http://www.usm.maine.edu/mcr/news/releases_0506/katrina.htm.