A brief status report on the College in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina…

Tougaloo College was hit by the hurricane during the afternoon and evening of Monday, August 29th. Heavy winds and rain ravaged the campus, causing a total power outage and complete loss of all communications. More than a dozen trees were uprooted or damaged, and debris littered the campus. Part of the roof at Berkshire Cottage was destroyed and rain fell freely into some of the rooms. Glass windows were blown out of the Library, causing some damage to the first floor and its contents, including books and computers. Roofing was damaged on almost every building, and as a result, some damages were sustained to their interiors. And yet, we were mightily blessed because no one was injured. Every student was safe and protected.

I worked along with the Security and Facilities Management teams to get the students into one dormitory. Campus Chefs’ staff came back to the campus during the storm to prepare food for those students who remained on campus. Jackson’s Mayor Melton and his team came to the campus to offer assistance and stayed with us for several hours.

On Tuesday, August 30 th, we closed the College until Tuesday, September 6th. Those students who could return home were asked to do so. Parents began to arrive to pick up their children; however, about twenty-five (25) students remained in the dorm until Friday, September 2nd. At that time, we asked staff and alumni to assist us with their placement since the water supply had completely diminished and the cafeteria’s food supply was dwindling due to spoilage from the lack of electricity for the refrigerators.

The electrical power was restored on Saturday afternoon, September 3rd, and later that evening, phone service was restored. We organized a campus clean-up campaign for Sunday afternoon, September 4th and all day Labor Day, Monday, September 5th. Community volunteers, alumni, students and staff provided overwhelming support, and we were able to restore the campus to an operable condition in time for special registration to begin on Tuesday, September 6th.   Registration will continue through September 16th in order to accommodate those students affected by the hurricane, primarily from Dillard and Xavier Universities.

Our student leaders, faculty and staff are volunteering at the shelters. As soon as we complete registration and regroup, we plan to establish a distribution center on campus, most likely at Brownlee Hall, to assist the families in this area. The SGA organized a vigil in support of those students and families who were directly affected by the hurricane.

We are requesting support for the Tougaloo Student Aid Fund to help our students continue their education and restore their lives to some sense of normalcy. Many of our students were experiencing difficulty financing their education before the hurricane.  In the aftermath, many of their homes have been destroyed, their families are displaced and out of work, and in some cases, Tougaloo College is their only support system. We will be asking President Bush to allow for more support for Pell grants, SEOG and Work Study and even loan forgiveness in some instances. We have a moral obligation to help these students continue their education. Now is the time for all of us to share our blessings with others.

I sincerely believe that behind every cloud there is a silver lining. We will address the opportunities that exist for Tougaloo College amidst and beyond this devastation. We appreciate your calls and support during this challenging time. Tougaloo College, this special place, this community of learning and service, is resilient and I am so proud to be a part of this caring family.