Katrina affected students can accept assistance award online

Contact: Christina Chapple

5/8/06

Caption ...
SOUTHEASTERN STUDENTS HELPING PEERS AFFECTED BY KATRINA – Southeastern Louisiana University Student Government Association officers Paul Donaldson, president, second from right, and Aron Walker, vice-president, far right, present a $50,000 check to Vice President for University Advancement Joe Miller, far left, and Dean of Enrollment Management Stephen Soutullo, second from left. The donation is SGA's contribution to the university’s Disaster Relief Assistance Fund, designed to help Southeastern students affected by Hurricane Katrina re-enroll this summer or fall.

      HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University students affected by Hurricane Katrina can now go online to accept a one-time disaster relief assistance award to help them return to school this summer or fall.

      Students can accept awards of up to $250 by filling out and submitting information via the Disaster Relief Assistance acceptance form on the university’s Web site, www.selu.edu, said Stephen Soutullo, dean of enrollment management.

      Southeastern has determined that more than 1,400 students were forced to withdraw from the university last fall because of the hurricane. More than 700 of those students did not return for the spring 2006 semester. Others re-enrolled, but may still qualify on a first-come, first-serve basis for the disaster awards which are designed to help with non-tuition fees and expenses.

      The online form asks students to verify their eligibility for the award and to indicate the whether they wish to receive it during the summer or fall semesters.

      “We want to assist as many of our hurricane impacted students as possible,” Soutullo said. “All affected students – whether they plan to re-enroll or not -- can help us by responding quickly so that we have the information needed to disburse the funds in the most effective way.”

      Southeastern’s Disaster Relief Assistance Fund totals approximately $150,000 and is the result of donations and fund-raising efforts by the university’s Student Government Association, Development Foundation, Alumni Association, and the Spears Hurricane Relief Foundation. SGA President Paul Donaldson and Vice President Aron Walker recently presented the university with a check for $50,000.

      The award is designed to defray non-tuition costs of re-enrolling, such as rental textbooks, and course, lab and student I.D. fees. Individual awards will be based on the number of course hours in which a student enrolls: $100 for one-six hours; $150, seven-11 hours; $200, 12-15 hours; $250, 16 or more hours.

      Soutullo said that students impacted by the hurricane may also benefit from the recently-announced Rebuild Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance to eligible undergraduate students who enroll or re-enroll at a Louisiana college or university.  Institutions may award up to $1,000 to eligible students based upon financial need. Additional information about the program is available through the Southeastern Financial Aid Office, 1-800-222-SELU or (985) 549-2244 or at www.returntolearn.info.