Tenn. to help college students displaced by Katrina

Tenn. to help college students displaced by Katrina

September 1, 2005

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Wednesday state colleges and universities will open their doors to college students displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Students enrolled in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana schools shut down by storm damage can enroll in Tennessee colleges at in-state rates, or if they already paid tuition in their home state they can enroll for free.

“This is one of what I hope are many neighborly things that Tennessee will do to help the nation cope with this enormous disaster,” Bredesen said through a release issued Wednesday.

Bredesen's order applies to admission to University of Tennessee campuses and schools in the Board of Regents system.

"We're pretty good at responding to various kinds of emergencies and certainly we want to help our colleagues the best we can and our students, and their students," UT Chancellor Dr. Loren Crabtree told 6 News.

At UT-Knoxville, all graduate students and up to 500 undergrad students will be accepted.