Campus continues to give to hurricane relief efforts

Sacramento State has responded with an outpouring of support for campus relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Support has included the opening of class sections by faculty for displaced students, the offer of computers to help students with their classwork and generous monetary donations from across campus.

And the University, as of the end of last week, had admitted 31 students from universities in Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Twenty-three of the students have enrolled, one of the largest groups of Katrina-affected students transferring to CSU campuses. After the hurricane struck, the system offered displaced college students admittance to campuses to continue their studies.

The University has established a special scholarship fund to assist displaced students on campus. The funds provide help with tuition, housing, books and other expenses. Five-thousand dollars has already been pledged.

Junior Danielle Major was one student displaced by Hurricane Katrina but is continuing her studies at Sacramento State this fall and is receiving assistance from the University through the Sac State Katrina scholarship fund.

The chemistry pre-med major at Xavier University in New Orleans was so grateful that she contacted President Gonzalez to thank him. “I wanted to give the president my thanks. For the University to open its doors like this is a blessing,” said the 19-year-old. “I wanted to say thanks not just for me but for all the displaced students who have been welcomed here. I really feel like I have adopted a new family in my new home at Sacramento State.”

Donations to the fund may be made online or by check. For online donations, visit www.csus.edu/giving and click “make a gift” on the left navigation bar. Checks made payable to the “CSUS Trust Foundation” can be mailed to the Sac State Katrina Fund, University Advancement Development Office, Mail Stop 6030. For details on how to give, contact the Sacramento State Development Office at 278-6989.

Faculty also have responded to the crisis. About 150 faculty members have answered a call from Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ric Brown to open class sections to displaced students, although classes had been in session for three weeks.

Computers for the displaced students to use by in their classwork are on the way thanks to Intel Corporation, said Lou Camera, director of student activities. Camera said the Intel offer is the result of an initial contact with the company by a student in the Golden Key Honor Society.

The University also has fielded a number of calls from the community for offers of aid for displaced students, said Lupe Lopez in the Office of Student Activities. “We have offers of apartments, rooms in homes and one person called to offer a guest house,” said Lopez.

The campus California Faculty Association chapter, which began accepting donations for relief organizations shortly after the hurricane struck, has received more than $700 in checks, according to professor Bob Metcalf, CFA treasurer. Professor Cecil Canton, CFA president, estimates that 20 to 30 faculty members have dropped off checks made out to the American Red Cross or the Union Community Fund at the CFA office Room 106. For more information, contact the CFA office at 278-6196.

And Sacramento State students have collected nearly $5,000 in contributions during an ongoing student fund-raising drive.

The “Five for Life” drive, which encourages contributions in quantities of five—five cents, 50 cents, five dollars, $50, etc.—has been successful in raising funds throughout campus, said Karlos Santos-Coy, who coordinates special projects for Student Activities. “Students and student groups have been going out with collection cans from the American Red Cross and the campus has really answered the call for help. Other student groups have held their own fundraisers and helped the relief effort in a big way.”

For example, contributions collected during Sunday services at the Newman Center have amounted to more than $1,400. The fraternities Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma combined to raise $600 at a car wash.

In keeping with the “Five for Life” campaign theme, Associated Students has pledged a matching gift of $5,500 and University Enterprises has also pledged a $5,500 matching gift. The University Union joined the effort last week by pledging another $5,500 matching grant to the drive. ASI has also contributed $1,000 for a publicity grant.

Volunteers for the “Five for Life” campaign will continue to seek donations during the Homecoming football game and through the end of the semester, said Santos-Coy, who added that junior Michelle Sawa has been instrumental in collecting contributions for the drive.

Contributions, made out to the American Red Cross, can be dropped off at the Student Activities office on the third floor of the University Union or by calling 278-6595.

Sacramento State’s student-athletes have pitched in as well. Hornets in the track and field program put together care packages to aid members of the University of New Orleans track and field team. The coaching staff helped out by purchasing a $300 gift certificate to Wal-Mart to help the coaching staff get settled.

And Sacramento State men’s and women’s soccer programs have been accepting donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina at their respective soccer matches. The teams have been encouraging Hornet fans to contribute donations of any kind, including monetary, clothing, hygiene products, etc. All donations are given to the American Red Cross.