Harvey puts college on hold for students who can’t get to their schools

Some Texas college students have struggled to make it back to school because of flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

But top college leaders, at least locally, say they understand and are working with students who live in, or have to pass through, the hardest hit areas — Houston and the Coastal Bend.

At Texas Christian University, officials are working with nearly 900 students who come from counties that were in the path of the torrential storm that devastated some small beachside communities in the Coastal Bend before dumping more than 50 inches of rain on Houston in just a few days.

“Our efforts include everything from exploring academic and financial effects to increasing Campus Life and mental health services to meet the needs of our students during an extremely stressful time,” according to a statement by Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr.

He encouraged students to donate to the Red Cross or make gifts online to students impacted by the storm through the “Frog Family Crisis Fund.”

“In coming days, and perhaps weeks, new challenges related to the storm and its aftermath are almost certain to arise,” he said. “We will continue to monitor needs and assist agencies providing shelter, food and recovery resources, wherever we can.”

And at the University of North Texas, which has several area campuses including the Health Science Center in Fort Worth, “students who are unable to make it to campus to start the fall semester, please take care of yourselves and know that we will work with you,” according to a statement on the UNT website.

UNT even extended the fall registration period until Sept. 5, and the payment deadline to Sept. 6.

Meanwhile, some colleges caught up in the storm — including the University of Houston, Rice University and Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi — found themselves facing flooding or damage and delayed classes for days.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Harvey puts college on hold for students who can’t get to their schools."