T h e D is ast e r i n H ait i • 20 1 0
11 Things Colleges Can Do to
Address the Situation in Haiti
As you well know, campuses are quick to
respond in caring, creative ways when a disaster like
the earthquake in Haiti occurs. Here are some ideas
to help campus community members put their passions into action while also sharing what some
schools are already doing.
1. Host a Teach-in
Teach-ins—where schools gather their resources
to create educational moments surrounding a
tragedy—have become a popular, effective campus
response to help people make sense of emergencies
and disasters.
I Tap into campus experts from campus ministry,
the faculty, student affairs and more
I Focus on topics such as:
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peacekeeping efforts
earthquake recovery
economic ramifications
the role of churches and faith
rebuilding infrastructure
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the culture, history and politics of Haiti
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poverty
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disaster relief
Teach-ins allow schools to use their strongest
assets—educated, caring, informed individuals—to
help students and other campus community members learn more about an issue beyond what CNN
provides.
2. Unify & Focus Campus Efforts
As campus community members strive to
respond to the disaster in Haiti, you want to be careful about duplication of efforts and groups working
on top of one another.
I Help student organizations to organize their
efforts
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I Create an outreach effort that’s easy to access
and understand
I Tie some relief efforts into existing programs
(i.e. sporting events, Valentine’s Day, service
efforts, etc.)
At the University of Georgia, they have created
a group called Dawgs for Haiti (in recognition of
their bulldog mascot) to raise money and are
branding the effort by using a royal blue ribbon –
to recognize the blue in the Haitian flag – as the
face of the campaign. They’ve created a specific
website dedicated to their efforts (http://dawgsforhaiti.uga.edu/) where people can go for updated
information and to donate money through an
online system, with proceeds going to the Red
Cross and Doctors without Borders. And Dawgs for
Haiti has a catchy pledge: $50,000 for 50,000 – referring to their fundraising goal in honor of the at
least 50,000 people presumed dead in Haiti.
And at NC State, the student government is
closely communicating with leaders of student
groups on campus so all funds raised can go into a
collective pot. They’ve called their movement Howl
for Haiti and will raise funds for Stop Hunger Now.
Their first large-scale effort will be to collect fund
and raise awareness at the upcoming NC State/
Duke basketball game.
3. Keep Folks in the Loop
It’s just a natural cause and effect that people
are more likely to get involved if they feel included.
So, address the campus community regularly to let
them know what’s happening.
I Communication is key!
I Address the entire campus community regarding what your institution is doing
I Provide updated information from the president, like the U. of Arizona did
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11 Things Colleges Can Do to Address the Situation in Haiti
I Since all students may not yet be back on campus, get them up to speed when they return so
they feel included and involved – provide some
sort of “Haiti: How We’re Helping” primer via
Facebook, Twitter, your homepage, RAs or other
student leaders
Nothing makes a campus feel more like a unified
community than sharing information and efforts to
help another community.
4. Provide Opportunities for the
Community to Come Together in
Supportive Ways
When something awful like the disaster in Haiti
occurs, people are often looking for emotional outlets
to help them feel less hopeless and more engaged.
By coordinating opportunities for your community
to come together, you’re helping to meet those needs.
I What will meet the needs of your community?
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Academic focus like a Teach-in
A vigil of some sort—religious or otherwise—
like they’ve done at USC and Princeton
Discussion forums
I Who will coordinate? A committee? A student
group?
I Are you okay with an event being less than perfect?
5. Focus on Water Issues
It can be overwhelming to know where to begin
with educational efforts, especially when it comes to
a situation as politically, economically, culturally and
human-centered as the disaster in Haiti. You and
your students may be able to start with one issue,
such as water. It plays such an important part in the
disaster relief spectrum, as getting potable water to
the earthquake victims is currently a major push.
I Raise awareness about one issue at a time, such
as water
I Distribute info like that in the box
I Host “Water Stands” as one way to spread
the word—they’re similar to lemonade stands.
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Hand out cups
of clean water
with an educational message
such as the one
boxed on this
page to raise
awareness.
Maybe consider
collecting
money for each
cup, as you
would at a
lemonade
stand, to raise
funds, too.
6. Prepare
for Future
Efforts
Pretty soon, the
people of Haiti and
the disaster relief
efforts won’t be making front-page news anymore.
Yet, Haiti has such a long way to go to recovery
and it’s important to stay aware.
I Think about what happens once Haiti is moved
out of the news cycle
I How can you keep this situation in your institution’s collective consciousness?
I Consider:
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Future service trips to Haiti in conjunction
with an appropriate receiving organization
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What this means over the long haul
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Ongoing awareness efforts about topics like
international aid, disaster relief, peacebuilding efforts, etc.
Many of us jump to attention in the throes of
crisis, yet follow-up and continued attention over
the long haul is often a mark of our institution’s
character and care.
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“Providing
access to clean
water and sanitation is essential
in the immediate
aftermath of disasters, to avoid a
second wave of
deaths caused by
diarrheal diseases
such as cholera
and dysentery.
Children are particularly susceptible to diarrheal
diseases.”
Source: UNICEF,
www.unicef.org
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11 Things Colleges Can Do to Address the Situation in Haiti
7. Attempt to Address the Needs of
Enrolled Haitian Students
As it is likely that Haitian students’ communication with home will be disrupted for some time,
institutions may want to consider the following:
I Provide additional time for the payment of bills
associated with education
I Work with your food service provider. Food
service scholarships may be available for the
duration of the crisis.
I Provide emotional/spiritual support in the form
of counseling
I Assist these students in contacting family in
Haiti
And also consider providing each Haitian student with one person on campus as his/her primary
university contact rather then referring him/her to
multiple campus offices.
8. Consider Partnering with
Reputable Relief Agencies
Develop university accounts so student organizations may deposit funds raised. This will also aid
the university in conducting an audit of funds raised
and dispensed. A listing of reputable relief organizations is available at www.charitywatch.org/hottopics/Haiti.html.
I Universities may also wish to utilize those organizations with which they have partnered in the
past.
9. Make Counseling Available to
All Members of the Campus
Community
Crises of this magnitude will likely affect members of the campus community other than those
directly impacted. Feelings of fear, depression, anxiety etc. can be common and counseling services will
likely be needed.
I Have counselors available in advertised locations
I Make arrangements for drop in counseling sessions
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I Consider developing opportunities for facilitated group discussion with counselors in attendance. Residence hall and student center
lounges are appropriate locations for this type
of program.
10. Reach Out to Community
Members & Alumni Who May be
Impacted by the Crisis or Want
to Help in Some Way
The strength of the institution is in its community. In times of crisis all members of the community may be looking for information and ways they
can help. Here are some suggested ways to reach
out:
I Emails or website updates for alumni and parents that keep them current on both the institution’s Haitian relief efforts and any additional
news may be both helpful and appreciated.
I Contact any Haitian alumni still living in the
country and offer counseling and other support
services.
11. Identify an Office to
Coordinate Your Campus
Response to the Disaster in
Haiti
Shenandoah U. (VA) has identified the Office of
Spiritual Life as the office in charge of its response
to the Haitian Crisis (www.su.edu/
2496451235004EA8990F9486E648BFC9.asp).
Benefits to this level of organization include the
following:
I Providing a central contact for all students and
student organizations, staff and alumni
I Providing one contact for all media inquiries
I By identifying a responsible office the institution is communicating its commitment to the
relief effort
Some information adapted from Tracy Fitzsimmons,
President of Shenandoah University’s “How We Can Help
Haiti” article, Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 15, 2010
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