Dear Friends,

As promised in yesterday's e-mail message to the community, I wanted to give you an update on Meredith's efforts to provide relief to Hurricane Katrina victims in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.

First, on behalf of President Hartford and the Senior Management Team, I am pleased to announce that the College plans to accept, tuition-free, female college students who have been displaced by the storm. Academic Affairs will work with professors and the registrar's office to place students affected by the storm into available classes as soon as possible. Student Development will work with the students to find housing. If you know of a displaced student who may need to enroll at Meredith, please contact the Office of Admissions (admissions@meredith.edu).

The College is also reaching out to current students, faculty, staff, and alumnae with families in the area. If you know of a member of the Meredith community who has been affected by the disaster, please contact Jean Jackson, Vice President for Student Development (jacksonj@meredith.edu).

I'd also like to share some decisions related to Meredith's relief efforts that were made as a result of this morning's meeting coordinated by the Service Council. Nearly 50 students, faculty, and staff attended the meeting and shared many ideas for fundraising and other forms of outreach to the disaster victims. The following plans have been identified:

- Meredith College immediately will raise funds for disaster victims through the American Red Cross. Faculty, staff, students, and alumnae wishing to contribute should make checks payable to the American Red Cross and include "Hurricane Katrina Relief" in the memo line. These donations are being collected by the Office of the Vice President for Student Development, which is located on the first floor of Johnson Hall.

- Service Council co-chairs Jennifer Hilton (hiltonj@meredith.edu) and Aquila Lawrence Harwood (lawrence@meredith.edu), Volunteer Services Coordinator Lynne Wheatley (wheatleyl@meredith.edu), and Meredith's Americorp VISTA volunteer Shannon Kelly (kellysha@meredith.edu) are the leadership group of the College's task force to coordinate our Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Members of the campus community who are interested in assisting the task force should e-mail one of the individuals listed above.

- Beginning next week, the College will also launch a special "Meredith Responds" web site. This web site will serve as a clearing house for news and information about Meredith's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. As campus groups being organizing relief efforts during the course of the semester, announcements of these efforts will be posted. Please send information for the web site to marketing@meredith.edu.

Judging by the response that I've already seen, I am sure that these examples will come to represent just a few of the efforts that the Meredith community will make to assist those who have had their lives torn apart by this disaster. Thank you for your interest in helping.

Sincerely,

Rosalind Reichard, on behalf of the Senior Management Team - September 2, 2005

---

September 1, 2005

Dear Friends,

As we continue to learn more about the devastation in the gulf coast
areas hit by Hurricane Katrina, our hearts go out to the people who have
lost loved ones and to those who are without homes, food, water and
other necessities.

The Meredith community, as evidenced by the College's 'Tide of Hope'
campaign and other relief efforts, is known for its extensive efforts to
provide support to those who are affected by disasters. On behalf of
President Hartford, the senior management team would like to make you
aware of several relief efforts that are currently underway.

Lynne Wheatley, volunteer services coordinator, has called an emergency
Service Council meeting for this Friday, September 2, at 10:00 a.m. in
Jones Chapel. Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend and to
bring their ideas for shaping the College's hurricane disaster relief
response.
President Hartford and the senior management team are also working on an
outreach plan for the College to be able to allow female college
students displaced by the storm to attend Meredith.

As the College continues to coordinate its relief effort, additional
information will be announced on e-news and through e-mail messages.

Thank you for your willingness to support these efforts.

Sincerely,

Rosalind Reichard, on behalf of the senior management team.