'Shocking' survey reveals Hurricane Katrina's impact on collegians

New Orleans CityBusiness, Aug 29, 2006 by CityBusiness Staff Report

Most New Orleans area college students evacuated prior to Hurricane Katrina without help from their colleges and universities.

Many had a family member, significant other or friend forced to take shelter in the New Orleans Superdome or the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center prior to the hurricane.

Those are two of the findings five professors from New Orleans and Mississippi discovered in surveying more than 7,000 displaced students from the University of New Orleans, Xavier University and Loyola University New Orleans on their storm experiences.

The survey also discovered how the students overcame obstacles caused by Hurricane Katrina, how they used university programs and services and the impact the storm had on educational performances.

John Marszalek, assistant professor of counseling for Xavier, said professors from Loyola University, UNO and Mississippi State University began compiling data in September and completed the survey in December.

"The one thing that was really, really shocking was that almost 41 percent of the students said their place of residence was no longer livable," said Marszalek. "Almost one-third of the students had family, friends or significant other who took refuge in the Superdome. That was also really shocking to me. You wouldn't think you'd have so many students who knew someone there- The myth is that college students are able to get out and take care of themselves, but that's not always the case."

The study is at http://www.ssrc.msstate.edu/katrina/publications/ katrinastudentsummary.pdf.