Earlier this week Rensselaer News and Communications announced that RPI will open its doors to students affected by Hurricane Katrina. According to the article, two groups will be specifically supported:

• "up to 100 students who had enrolled at Tulane Univerity or Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans and aren't able, at this juncture to be accomodated by those institutions."
• "students who are from the New York state Capital Region, who were enrolled at another affected college or university, and who have been temporarily displaced from their studies."

These students will be able to take part in the Gulf Coast Visiting Scholars Program and they will not have to pay tuition or fees for the Fall 2005 semester. The 100 students from out of the area will also not have to pay for room and board. The offer to host students from Tulane and Xavier from out of the area is presumably limited to 100 students because of dormitory space constraints.

Rensselaer has established a toll-free number, +1-866-436-6210 and a website http://www.rpi.edu/katrina for information about the Gulf Coast Visiting Scholars Program. According to this website, 62 students have already enrolled under this program and more are somewhere in the process of applying.

In addition, RPI is donating $25,000 to the American Red Cross and $5,000 each to the Salvation Army and America's Second Harvest to benefit hurricane victims. Members of the Rensselaer coummunity are invited to consider donating to these organizations or to the charities of their choice.