Regents Adopt Resolution to Alleviate Tuition Hardships Of Qualified Students Affected by Hurricane Katrina

ADELPHI, Md. (September 9, 2005) -The University System of Maryland Board of Regents today unanimously approved a resolution to ensure that no qualified student whose education has been disrupted by Hurricane Katrina will be financially disadvantaged in paying for their education at a USM institution. This applies to those students who have paid tuition at one of the institutions closed by the hurricane and qualify for transfer to any of USM's 11 degree-granting universities.

The resolution commits the university system to "make every effort to accommodate the academic program needs of students whose higher education has been disrupted by Hurricane Katrina's devastating destruction." To date, USM institutions have admitted nearly 200 students from Gulf Coast-area universities.

"As the state's public higher education system, we want to help alleviate, in whatever way we can, the destructive impact that this terrible storm is having on students and their families," said David Nevins, chair of the USM board. "All of our institutions stepped up immediately to open our doors and I am very pleased that we have adopted this resolution."

Specifically, the resolution calls for the presidents of USM institutions to implement the following measures:

  • Ensure that no affected students are financially disadvantaged in paying for the cost of their education;
  • Provide financial assistance and scholarship support as available and as appropriate to the students' needs;
  • Provide flexibility in bill payment for those university students; and
  • Provide counseling and emotional support to students affected by the hurricane.
In passing the resolution, the board said that a student who has paid tuition for the current fall semester at a Gulf Coast-area university closed by the hurricane, and who qualifies to transfer to a USM institution for the semester, would not be charged again for tuition. In addition, the board urged institutions to be flexible and to consider each student's situation on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about how some USM institutions are helping the victims of the hurricane, please visit the following sites: Bowie State University
Coppin State University
Frostburg State University
Salisbury University
Towson University
University of Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
University of Maryland University College
University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Also contact the news offices at USM institutions: /newsroom/NewsDirectors/

Contact: Anne Moultrie

301.445.2722
E-mail: amoultrie@usmd.edu