The University of Colorado at Boulder will offer streamlined admission to qualifying college students who have been displaced by the effects of Hurricane Katrina, which has temporarily closed several universities in the Gulf Coast region leaving college students stranded without a campus.
According to Kevin MacLennan, interim director of admissions for CU-Boulder, the university has been contacted by several students whose educations have been put on hold by the storm. The displaced students are asking to enroll late at CU-Boulder until their home campuses are able to reopen.
"We have had at least a dozen calls today from both in-state and out-of-state students who were going to school in New Orleans and who want to be in school but can't because their school is now closed," said MacLennan.
Students who are interested in attending CU-Boulder will be assisted through an accelerated admissions process.
"As a campus we will do our best to advise these students and help them enroll in appropriate courses so they can continue their education at CU-Boulder or transfer their credits back to their home school in the spring semester or later, depending on when the schools are able to restore their operations," said Phil DiStefano, interim chancellor at CU-Boulder.
However, any student interested in making the transfer should contact the CU-Boulder admissions office soon because the campus is now in its second week of classes.
For students who enter CU-Boulder from a storm-affected school, late admission fees will be waived, MacLennan said. Also, all of the campus deans' offices and the housing and bursar's offices have been notified to prepare for the possibility of late-arriving transfer students who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and may decide to enroll.
Students displaced by the storm who want to talk to an admissions officer about enrolling should contact the CU-Boulder Office of Admissions at (303) 492-6301.