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My Professional Writing Papers

Technical Writing ·  Exposition & Argumentation ·  Non-fiction Creative Essays ·  Grammar and Usage of Standard English ·  The Structure of English ·  Analysis of Shakespeare

Analysis of Literary Language ·  Advanced Professional Papers ·  The History of the English Language ·  First Internship: Tutoring in a Writing Workshop ·  Second Internship: Advanced Instruction: Tutoring Writing

Visual Literacy Seminar (A First Course in Methodology) ·  Theories of Communication & Technology (A Second Course in Methodology) ·  Language in Society (A Third Course in Methodology) ·  The Writer's Guild

Journalism

UMBC'S Conservative Newspaper: "The Retriever's Right Eye" ·  Introduction to Journalism ·  Feature Writing ·  Science Writing Papers

Articles Written for UMBC's University Newspaper: "The Retriever Weekly"

Local Article 1 ·  Local Article 2 ·  Local Article 3 ·  Local Article 4 ·  Local Article 5 ·  Local Article 6 ·  Local Article 7 ·  Local Article 8 ·  Local Article 9 ·  Local Article 10

Opinion Article 1 ·  Opinion Article 2 ·  Opinion Article 3 ·  Opinion Article 4 ·  Opinion Article 5 ·  Opinion Article 6 ·  Opinion Article 7 ·  Opinion Article 8 ·  Opinion Article 9 ·  Opinion Article 10 ·  Opinion Article 11 ·  Opinion Article 12 ·  Opinion Article 13

UMBC extends generous offer to students and faculty displaced by Hurricane Katrina

Christopher Paul, Retriever Staff Writer, Volume 40, Issue 5, published October 4, 2005

Over 20 students displaced by Hurricane Katrina accepted a gracious one time offer made by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to continue their studies here at UMBC. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions responded quickly to the students needs by providing some flexibility in the standard admissions process.

         Many of these students did not have access to the documents typically required for admissions such as official transcripts, test scores and other documents and were permitted admittance without them for the time being. UMBC waived the students' application fees, late registration and payment fees as well as the out-of-state tuition differential normally paid by non-Maryland residents.

         The purpose of these allowances was to reduce any unnecessary financial hardship for the students who may have incurred non-refundable or non-credited expenses at Louisiana universities the students were expecting to attend.

         Dale Bittinger, Acting Director of Admissions said, "Just days after Hurricane Katrina, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions fielded hundreds of inquires from displaced students, parents, and concerned community members."

         Students displaced by hurricane Katrina came from universities such as Tulane, Xavier, Dillard, Southeastern Louisiana, the University of New Orleans and University of Southern Mississippi. "Many of the affected students were Maryland residents attending universities in the affected areas while others were out-of-state students [seeking] refuge with local family members and friends," Bittinger said.

         The UMBC Graduate School made similar concessions allowing students displaced by Hurricane Katrina to enroll as visiting students based on available class space. Entering Graduate students were counseled on an individual basis to determine if they were eligible for a tuition waiver. The UMBC Online Information Systems program allowed students to enroll in up to two courses towards their Master's degree at no cost for the fall term. The English Language Center (ELC) waived tuition for International students displaced by Hurricane Katrina for the fall one semester and intends to provide a 50% discount for fall two tuition, in addition to providing housing assistance and making arrangements for school transfer.

         Displaced doctoral students and faculty were offered a select number of doctorial teaching assistantships in the fields of Physics, Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, and Mathematics. Qualified full-time doctoral students were provided with teaching opportunities that offered tuition support, health insurance, and a competitive stipend for the academic year.

         Undergraduate and Graduate students were not the only recipients of aid. Faculty members whose work was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina were also offered generous concessions in the aftermath of the catastrophe. The departments of Physics, Biology, Public Policy, Economics, English, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Mathematics, Statistics and Information Systems agreed to offer office space to displaced colleagues in order to allow them to continue their research for the academic year.

         According to Patty Perillo, Director of Student Life, the UMBC Emergency Preparedness Committee was a "group, compromised of many different staff on campus-student affairs, student life, resident life, off campus student services, police, admissions, to name a few [were] very thoughtful and intentional in their response."