New York University today announced that it would start a process for accepting - on a space-available basis - students from the New York region who are unable to attend their Gulf states college or university because of the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Katrina. Information on the special application process is now posted on NYU’s undergraduate admissions office Web site (admissions.nyu.edu/katrina). The expectation is that the University will be able to notify accepted candidates no later than Thursday, September 8th whether or not NYU can accommodate them in classes, and that those who are admitted will be enrolled and starting classes within a few days after that.
NYU’s president John Sexton said, “We at NYU have a particularly keen understanding of the impact a catastrophic event can have on a university community. It was just four years ago that this university community looked south from Washington Square Park and watched the tragic events of 9/11 unfold.
“We were buttressed in those dark hours by the spirit of support that emanated from sister institutions throughout the world. In this difficult time, we would like to reciprocate by assisting the students from our area who attend colleges and universities throughout the Gulf states area whose educational progress has been put in peril by Katrina.
“NYU is, to put it mildly, fully enrolled. We may not have room, but we are going to make room.”
Students from affected colleges wishing to attend NYU must have family homes within commuting distance. The students will be accepted as special visiting students, not as transfers or degree-seeking students. The University will not seek tuition from the students and their families; NYU will issue bills to the families, but will, in fact, work out any resulting financial arrangements with the students’ home institutions once they are again operating.
Undergraduate students who wish to apply or who have questions should go to admissions.nyu.edu/katrina on the Web where they can download an application; the application should be faxed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 212-995-4902. Graduate students should contact the appropriate individual department or school.
NYU students will also be undertaking community-wide efforts to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. These efforts will be coordinated by the Office of Community Service and Office of Student Affairs. Members of the NYU community who wish to donate, help, or become involved should go to http://www.nyu.edu/about/katrina.html.