By Betsy Rhame, '01

A panel of five Meredith professors spoke recently about Hurricane Katrina, its aftermath and the lessons the United States is learning as a result. Clyde Frazier, Janice Swab, Carrie Cokely, Dan Fountain and Henry Steele each spoke from their areas of expertise as they relate to Hurricane Katrina. Frazier, a professor of politics and a childhood resident of New Orleans facilitated the discussion.

Professor of biology Janice Swab spoke from a scientific viewpoint about, among other things, the relation of climate change to hurricanes and other natural disasters.

In the future, she said, "scientists are predicting…that there will not be a higher number of events but they will be more intense."

Carrie Cokely, assistant professors of sociology and social work, also spoke of the results of such a natural disaster.

"They uncover for us the flaws in society and make problems visible to us [concerning] social order, economics, race issues, etc.," she said.

Cokely based the disorder at the Superdome in New Orleans in the days after the storm on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which is the theory that secondary needs become apparent only after the satisfaction of basic human needs.

"The very basic needs were not being met," she said. "When those needs are met it is easier to keep social order. There are much higher levels of lawlessness as people try to survive."

Cokely explained that many of the people who waited out Hurricane Katrina in the Superdome were ones who did not have the financial means to evacuate New Orleans, and many of those are minorities.

According to Dan Fountain, assistant professor of history and political science, many of those who remained in New Orleans during the hurricane are likely to find jobs elsewhere and move out of the city permanently.

"One of the things we're going to see in the next few years is a change in demographics [in New Orleans]," he explained. "Many blacks will be moved north."

Henry Steele, an adjunct economics professor in the School of Business, discussed the economic impact Hurricane Katrina has had and will have in the Gulf region and the rest of the country.

"We immediately saw the effect on gasoline prices," he said. "That will eventually work its way back down…but I don't think it will come back down to what it was."