OISS Hurricane Ida – Additional Info and Programs - September 9, 2021
Dear International Students,
On Tuesday, the bulk of our Houston-based students were moved to the two remaining hotel sites, the Hyatt Regency Downtown and the Hyatt Regency west. We hope that those who have moved have comfortably settled into their new accommodations while we work to be able to return you to campus as soon as it is safe.
Power has been restored to much of New Orleans but campus, including all residence halls, has not yet opened and the city’s infrastructure remains fragile. We ask that students who live on campus remain where they are. Students who live off campus should exercise caution in deciding when it is safe to return and be sure to first confirm that power has returned to their homes. Additionally, President Fitts and University leadership will offer an Update and Q&A session for students and parents on Friday, September 10, at 6pm Central Time.
Reaching OISS, virtually and in-person
If you have any questions for OISS staff, or you need to make an appointment with one of our team, the fastest way to reach us continues to be by email to oiss@tulane.edu. OISS continues to have team members on the ground to support you at both the Hyatt Downtown and the Hyatt West sites. We will hold limited walk-in office hours in Conference Room 9 at the Hyatt Downtown site through at least Friday, September 17. For specific times and other important updates, please continue to check our OISS Hurricane Ida Updates page. We also encourage to you access our entire OISS team via remote advising.
Upcoming Programs in Houston
Today, we’ve transported students to visit the NASA Space Center.
Please keep an eye out for communications related to:
- a pizza party hosted by Rice University or international graduate students on Friday September 10 (register here today) and one for international undergraduate students on Friday, September 17 (stay tuned for registration information.). Transportation will be provided.
- and a Houston Astros baseball game on Saturday, September 10.
Displaced Students/ Landlord Issues
We recognize that some students may have suffered damage to their homes as a result of the storm, or may have difficulty contacting their landlord. If you are unsure of your plans once it’s time to leave Houston, we ask that you be sure to complete the Qualtrics survey recently sent via email so that we can accurately assess your needs and support your through your return to New Orleans.
FEMA Assistance
In general, F-1, J-1 and other non-immigrant visa holders are not “qualified aliens” for purposes of receiving most cash-based FEMA benefits. Non-immigrants in the US are, however, eligible for non-cash, in-kind emergency disaster relief such as food and shelter, search and rescue and emergency medical care.
Evacuation Assistance
If you are still in the process of evacuating to Houston, please email srss@tulane.edu so that they know that you are coming and can give you instructions.
At this time, our priority remains finding a safe evacuation spot for everyone so we are not yet able to accommodate requests related to hotel choice or single rooms.
Emergency Financial Assistance
If you have incurred expenses related to evacuation, you may qualify for financial assistance. If you are a student, you may start your request by completing the application found here and awaiting further instructions. Please be sure to seek advice before accepting any government funded assistance. If you are an employee you may access the Hurricane Ida Employee Relief Assistance Program.
SEVIS Registration
If you are a new student and have not already done so, please complete your online iGlobal Check-in ASAP, so that we can record that you have arrived in the US. You will need to do this to maintain your immigration status.
Travel Considerations
While we continue to caution against international travel, we understand that for some students this may be a necessary solution. Before traveling abroad, please consider carefully all the risks before doing so. In- person instruction is expected to resume on October 11 and students are expected to be back on campus by that time. There is no plan to continue remote instruction beyond October 11.
COVID-19 Safety
While we understand that requirements related to COVID-19 in Houston may be more relaxed than those in New Orleans, we ask that you continue to follow the on-campus COVID-19 protocols. Please where your mask in all indoor public spaces and maintain physical distancing where possible.
If you know of anyone who may not have access to this email, please feel free to share this message across another communications channel. Please continue to check our OISS Hurricane Ida update page and our Instagram at @oiss_tulane for important communications and updates. You should also the Forward Together page for campus-wide information and list of local resources. Houston-specific updates may be found here.
Thank you for your patience and we hope to see you safely back in New Orleans as soon as we are all able. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you might have.
Stay Safe.
The OISS Team
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