Has the Government Abandoned New Orleans' Top Black Colleges?

More than 75,000 college students in the New Orleans area were forced to flee due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. About 6,000 of those students attended Xavier and Dillard University, two historically black colleges in the city. Like so much else in the wake of the devastation of Katrina, these black colleges received far worse damage from the storm than their white, wealthier counterparts such as Tulane and Loyola Universities- both of which sit on higher ground.

Xavier University is located near downtown New Orleans while Dillard University is near one of the city's canals. Both universities suffered major damage from the storm and subsequent flooding. But unlike other universities in the city, Dillard and Xavier have very small, restricted endowments and students who are almost completely dependent on financial aid. These schools also provide unique opportunities for its student body- Xavier University has produced a quarter of the black pharmacists in the country and produces more future black doctors than any other undergraduate institution. The Federal government has yet to offer the help the universities will need to operate again. ?

# Dr. Norman Francis, President of Xavier University
# Gene D'Amour, Senior Vice-President for Resource Development and Xavier University

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