There are some neighbors on campus this semester.
Loyola is hosting students from Xavier – some because of Hurricane Katrina – and Tulane universities as part of a long-standing consortium agreement. According to the Office of Student Records, 11 visiting students from Xavier and five from Tulane are currently enrolled in classes at Loyola.
The agreement allows for students to enroll in universities under the consortium’s umbrella if the classes are not available at their home universities. According to Loyola’s Web site, the consortium provides for a “wide variety of course work,” although on a space-available basis.
Fallon Jackson, a communications senior from Xavier University, is currently enrolled in several communications classes in order to complete her degree program. “Katrina wiped out our mass communications department,” Jackson said. “Hurricane Katrina devastated the first floor of the university’s communications department, destroying much of the school’s equipment,” she said.
Although no academic programs were cut after Xavier lost much of its campus, the university found itself limited in faculty resources and teaching locations. “We only had three communications professors in January – one for print, one for public relations and one for broadcast,” Jackson said. “It’s getting better but it’s certainly not what it used to be.”
With the informal consortium agreement with Xavier, students like Jackson are able to enroll in classes that would have otherwise been unavailable at Xavier. But it’s not all smooth sailing to set up classes at Loyola
The enrollment process may take more than two months before a visiting student receives approval and begins classes.
“This process was supposed to be simple, but it’s not,” Jackson said. “I tried three times before I was officially enrolled, and some classes started as soon as I registered.”
Unlike the online registration familiar to most Loyola students, visiting students under the consortium agreement must follow a lengthy enrollment process depending on class availability. Visiting students must register through Student Records and then through the consortium registrar’s office before meeting the approval of departmental chairs.
Loyola students receive first priority in enrollment, followed by visiting students.
If the chosen class sections are closed, the enrollment process “starts all over again,” Jackson said.
“I’m not really sure at this point,” about the effectiveness of the consortium agreement plan post-Katrina, she said. “But I know that I’m taking as many mass communications courses as possible, or else I’ll have to find somewhere else to go.”
With the aftermaths of Hurricane Katrina and the “Pathways” plan, course offerings are more accessible for students through the consortium. “Normally, if the course is offered at the student’s home institution, they are not allowed to take the course at the other university unless it presents a hardship,” said Kathy Gros, director of student records and registration services.
Following “Pathways,” many Loyola students are using the consortium agreement to complete their degree requirements for recently discontinued or suspended programs, including computer science, education, physics and Japanese.
Student Records indicates that 27 Loyola students enrolled in similar courses within 13 departments at Tulane. Xavier is hosting an additional nine Loyola students under the consortium in courses within the education, math and biochemistry departments.
The arrangement with Tulane and Xavier has been an “informal standing agreement for years,” according to Gros.
Upon the faculty’s return after Hurricane Katrina, university provosts from Loyola, Tulane and Xavier met to discuss the nature of the consortium for students returning to New Orleans for the Spring 2006 semester.
Tulane President Scott Cowen offered a position within the consortium to Dillard University’s President Marvalene Hughes after the Gentilly-area campus saw considerable flooding and fire damage. “Dillard is new to the group,” Gros said. “We are extending our agreement (to Dillard), and we are opening all doors and welcoming all students.”
Although no Dillard students are enrolled at Loyola, the consortium continues because of its informality, said Gros. Many Dillard students have enrolled in classes at Tulane as part of the consortium agreement.
For students to participate, they must be enrolled at their home institution for a minimum of six hours. Final grades are submitted to the home institution and are reflected in the student’s transcript. Payment for all courses is remitted to the home institution, and transcripts do not reflect the consortium enrollment.
Alex Woodward can be reached at [email protected].
