What to Expect When the Unexpected Happens Dr

What to Expect When the Unexpected Happens Dr. Kenneth Evans President

Hurricane Harvey August 29, 2017

Rainfall total of more than 50 inches in a 24 hour period – most in our nation ever recorded!

More than 900 students stuck on campus • Moved in early to avoid “heavy rains” • 20 decided to leave area and move to to Stephen F. Austin State University • Another 200 able to stay with extended family or friends • How to engage 500 remaining students - many rethinking attending school at all

The City of Beaumont lost its water supply and all drinking water • No running water • No flushing toilets • Restricted diets due to lack of water with which to cook • No showers • No water to clean dishes or pots and pans

Affected more than 10, 900 students, faculty and staff with water loss and hundreds lost homes or vehicles

Some students started volunteering with their church, community groups or even at LU’s Montagne Center, a designated Red Cross Shelter.

Harvey Heroes Creation of program based on need to: • Keep students on track to pursue their education Concerned about family, home they had just left, how to afford tuition, room and books • Help students focus on goals and not be too distracted by events around them • Provide students opportunities to develop marketable skills and a social conscious Become a more educated, compassionate person, stressing the value of contributing to others

Harvey Heroes • Internship in Political Science for the Recovery and Rehabilitation of a Community - 3 credit hours • Examples of assistance working with churches, Food Bank, Humane Society, HEB • More than 325 students Food Kitchen, working in homes received credit and more than for faculty, staff and community 500 students volunteered members

Harvey Heroes Requirements: • Attend or watch the orientation • Volunteer for at least 40 hours • Keep a log with signatures verifying their participation • Read a book and two short articles on the benefit of volunteering • Attend a debriefing session

More than 5, 000 hours of volunteer work completed by Lamar University students through Harvey Heroes. Hours Spent Volunteering by Cause N=5009 865; 17% 1387; 28% Food/Water Distribution Cleaning out Homes Humane Society-Rescue Animals 983; 20% Assisting in Shelters 1774; 35%

Enrollment and Retention Efforts • Engaged in telephone campaign of virtually every enrolled student for the fall semester Total headcount more than 90% of enrolled pre-Harvey • Repositioned key staff as reorganized strategic areas across campus • Implemented Student Success Collaborative Campus customer relationship management software that tracks every student’s progress towards graduation • Contracted with Ruffalo Noel Levitz in as an enrollment management consultant

Helping with the Unexpected • Total redesign of disaster protocol Completed last year in anticipation of forecasted hurricane season • Opportunity for alumni and friends to donate through the Cardinal Emergency Fund More than $1/2 million was donated to LU to assist our students, faculty and staff who were impacted by the flooding • Thinking outside the box All classes being online instead of on campus for first week (second week of semester, closed for first week of semester) Harvey Heroes Multiple start dates in fall semester with courses offered online

Other Unexpected Events This Year • Snow Storm First Day of Spring Semester • Cardinal View – April 11, 2018 Straight-line winds took down power all across campus Vehicles overturned, including LU shuttle buses LU Police Department and Post Office building destroyed, many buildings with windows shattered More than 1, 000 prospective students and family members coming to visit campus • Response Incident Response Command team activated – includes key personnel Move event to building with power – had power generator Move vehicles out of sight and sweep walkways for glass • First Lady of Lamar University, Nancy Evans, Passed Away

Questions?