Evacuees face tough choices

By Molly Leaverton

Students from Gulf Coast schools currently enrolled at Santa Clara are unsure whether or not they want return to their home universities when they reopen this January, amid tight -- and often conflicting -- admissions deadlines.

After hearing rumors about the poor condition that Gulf Coast schools are in, some transfer students are unsure if they will return and are beginning to look at different options for next quarter.

After signing a waiver last month stating that they plan on returning to their home institution after only one quarter at Santa Clara, some students worry that they will have to transfer to a third school if they chose not to return.

"It was always our intent to host the students just for the quarter and then have them return to their institutions. I think that we have expected that a few would ask, 'well, is it OK if I stay here?' and we are working with those students," said Vice Provost for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger.

Displaced students from the Gulf Coast have to inform their home universities by the end of the month whether or not they plan on returning. However, with deadlines already passed for Santa Clara winter transfer students, some are left with the decision of either returning home or transferring to a new school for a second time this year.

Some students from Loyola of New Orleans are confused and feel that neither Santa Clara nor Loyola has given them a definite answer on what the next step should be if they wish to stay.

"What we will announce is that we will extend the transfer application deadline to accommodate applications from the Gulf Coast students. Part of the challenge is there is other things than just applying...we have to figure out, is there any financial aid available and will there continue to be housing available," Rosenberger said.

Students that have expressed interest in staying at Santa Clara through the year will have to go through the regular admissions process in order to become full-time, integrated students, said Lester Deanes, organizer of activities for Gulf Coast students.

Yet some students remain uncertain, "I don't know that I am allowed to stay here, no one has told us one thing or another," said freshman Mariel Bongiovanni.

Even students originally from New Orleans that are excited to return to their home universities are worried about the conditions they will find when they return.

Senior Abdelis Santiago was evacuated from Loyola of New Orleans University just two days before she was set to begin living as a resident assistant on campus. After spending two nights in a Red Cross shelter and traveling all over the country Santiago found herself at Santa Clara, starting over again.

Even though Santiago believes that Santa Clara has gone "above and beyond by helping us out." It was still hard to adjust to a new school after being at Loyola for three years.

"I miss knowing where everything is, I miss familiarity, I miss familiar faces," she said.

Some students have found it hard to focus on school while so much uncertainty remains at home.

Freshman Sean Graham's family recently returned to New Orleans after having to evacuate for the Hurricane. "It has been nearly a month and a half and we just got power and water," he said.

Despite the confusion and uncertainty that some gulf coast students have expressed, overall they have had a positive experience at Santa Clara, said Santiago.

In addition to an all-expense-paid quarter, the displaced students received basic necessities and had numerous activities scheduled to help get them accustomed to life here, including a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and free San Francisco Giants tickets.

Contact Molly Leaverton at (408) 554-4546 or mleaverton@scu.edu.