Straight Talk from the President - September 3, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
As previously announced, classes will resume and university offices will reopen tomorrow, Sept. 4. However, if your residence suffered water damage, please first ensure the safety of your home and your family, and contact your supervisor regarding your situation.
Although Gustav did not mirror the mass destruction of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, our state continues to face challenges in the wake of the recent storm. Yesterday, Louisiana was declared a “disaster area,” making federal aid available to those heavily affected by the hurricane.
The majority of our campus buildings suffered little or no damage. However, the Nursing Building suffered major water damage Monday and Tuesday evening. A large portion of the roof was compromised resulting in significant water damage to several offices, classrooms, and labs on the second and third floors. Dr. Richters, Dr. Ryman, and Dr. Gibson are working around-the-clock to re-locate nursing faculty and students. Our Physical Plant and University Police Department are vigilantly ensuring the safety of our campus. Our Emergency Response Team adhered to the university’s emergency plan, and our entire leadership continues to work though this crisis.
This is another challenging time for our state and I am confident that we will prevail. While touring the local shelters, I am overwhelmed by the vast number of our faculty, students, and staff who are volunteering to help those in need. Your humanitarian efforts—combined with your professional expertise—are truly inspiring.
Of particular note are those faculty and students from the College of Health Sciences who are volunteering at the Fant-Ewing Special Needs Shelter, the shelter in the former State Farming Building and the shelter in the Monroe Civic Center. On Sunday, School of Nursing faculty and students began working morning and evening shifts, providing acute care to hurricane evacuees who suffer from serious medical conditions. ULM’s College of Pharmacy faculty and students continue to fill vital prescriptions for the evacuees in the Special Needs Shelter, in addition to working at shelters in Bastrop and Monroe. Our faculty, staff, and students continue to donate essential provisions to the Special Needs Shelter. Volunteers from Delta Sigma Theta, Omega Psi Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma, and other organizations are assisting at shelters in Monroe and Shreveport. Marriage and Family Therapy faculty and students, along with Education faculty and students, continue to provide support to evacuees. Many of our student-athletes are also volunteering in the shelters and helping the physical plant on campus.
All of this speaks volumes about you, our faculty and staff, and the kind of compassion you are instilling in our students.
Thank you for your efforts.
Sincerely,
James E. Cofer
President