I would like to take a moment to express my sincere thanks to all of you for your unwavering dedication to LSU before, during and after Hurricane Isaac. I am fully aware of the hard work and sacrifices that many of you made in order to keep the university functioning and able to effectively serve our students, our community, and our state during this crisis.  It was truly inspirational to see our employees working around the clock, giving up time with their own families, to ensure that our students and our campus were in good hands.

I would also like to thank our student body for helping in so many ways. From those who volunteered to assist in the Medical Special Needs Shelter and the Federal Medical Station that were set up on campus, to those whose families were tragically impacted by the storm, to those who have simply handled this interruption in the semester with grace and cooperation, I have been impressed with you all, and the manner in which you have handled this adversity.

A very special thanks goes to our Emergency Operations Center team, who worked long hours under stressful conditions to prepare the campus for this storm.  They rode out the hurricane on-site and worked to keep LSU operating effectively and to keep our students safe. They all went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that our university was able to protect its students, serve the state and keep the public informed of all the appropriate developments.

To all those who have been adversely affected by this hurricane, I extend to you my deepest sympathies. I am aware that many of you have family and friends who have suffered damage and flooding from Hurricane Isaac. Please be aware that the LSU Student Health Center is staffed with counselors who are available to talk with students who feel they need counseling to assist them through this difficult time.  You should also know that LSU has set up a special relief fund to assist students who have been severely impacted by Hurricane Isaac.  To learn more about donating to the relief fund, please visit www.lsufoundation.org/srf. To learn about receiving assistance from the fund, please visit www.lsu.edu/financialaid.

This crisis has impacted our state and our university in many ways, and I want to again express my gratitude to you for all your efforts.

Sincerely,
William L. Jenkins
Interim LSU Chancellor