USD Magazine Fall 2005

DEAR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS,

The exuberance that usually accompanies the beginning of school is muted as we witness the devastation and suffering of our neighbors in the Gulf Coast. While we can keep the victims of Hurricane Katrina in our thoughts and prayers, we can also do our part to help alleviate the anxiety experienced by so many students who have been displaced by the destruction of their campuses. Many colleges and universities throughout the nation are engaged in efforts to help; USD is no exception. Our own crisis response team has convened to ensure that our enrolled students, faculty and staff who have family from the Gulf Coast are being provided with assistance. The information I share with you below is timely, but the situation remains dynamic. Thus, I encourage you to access our Web site (www.sandiego.edu/news/katrina.php) for updated information about USD’s efforts to help victims and survivors. The university has established two collection sites for those of you wishing to contribute cash or checks to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. Donations to Catholic Charities U.S.A. are being accepted at the offices of Public Relations (Hughes Center, Room 218) and Community Service-Learning (Maher Hall, Room 218); donations also can be made online at http://catholic- charities.org. To assist members of the USD community and their families who have been directly affected by this horrific tragedy, a special fund has been established. Donations to the Employee Hurricane Relief Fund should be sent to the University of San Diego, Human Resources, Maher Hall, Room 101, 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA 92110-2492. USD will allow a limited number of Loyola University, Xavier University and Tulane University students from either San Diego or Imperial counties to enroll at USD this semester. These students must be in good standing for enrollment in the fall semester, and they are expected to transfer back to their home university when the schools reopen. We know that there are far more urgent needs for those who have been devastated by this natural disaster. One reason we can respond so quickly to this emergency is that for many decades, the men and women of this university have created a culture and tradition of service;

a culture that is apparent to anyone who encounters our community. God bless you all and thank you for making USD a university of which we can all be grateful and proud.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Lyons, Ph.D. President

UNIVERSITY OF WONDER COMPASSION DISCOVERY PROMISE FAITH TRADITION HONOR JUSTICE SUCCESS DREAMS IDEAS PASSION PEACE HOPE SAN DIEGO