News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Summer  2005 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Rene Abadie Date: 9/15/05   Click on image for publication quality photo  Kevin Ello of Metairie, right, and his roommate Greg Lampard of St. Rose, both Loyola University seniors now attending Southeastern Louisiana University, talk about how they plan to personalize their dorm room. The university opened one of its older dormitories to accommodate the influx of displaced students. SOUTHEASTERN ENROLLMENT INCREASES WITH GUEST STUDENTS        HAMMOND -- With an influx of more than 1,000 guest students from the New Orleans and gulf coast areas, Southeastern Louisiana University’s enrollment is expected to surpass the 16,000 mark.        The unofficial enrollment figure reached 16,311 Tuesday (Sept. 13). Southeastern had processed 1,360 applications for visiting students, with over 1,000 of the applicants having registered for classes. Applicants include more than 520 from the University of New Orleans, 450 from Delgado Community College, and the remainder from other universities and colleges.         Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Southeastern had an unofficial enrollment of 15,526, which exceeded the university’s enrollment goals for fall 2005, the first semester of full implementation of the Board of Regents’ master plan. To date, 240 of those students have resigned from the university due to the hurricane. Registration will continue through Friday (Sept. 16).        Southeastern’s previously high enrollment was in fall 2003 when the university had a total of 15,662 students. President Randy Moffett welcomed the visiting students to the Southeastern family at sessions on Saturday and Monday.  He said that university officials are trying to accommodate the students’ course needs as much as possible. In addition, Southeastern will offer a compressed, eight-week semester beginning Oct. 20.        “This is a very difficult process for these students, many of whom were just starting their college careers, others who are close to graduating,” Moffett said. “We’re glad to be able to provide them with a home – even if only on a temporary basis – and enable them to continue toward their educational goals.”        As he began checking into his dorm room, visiting freshman Israel Mondy of Waggaman – previously a pre-pharmacy major at Xavier University – said he was able to get most of the classes that he would have been taking at Xavier, where he had been enrolled for only his first week before Katrina hit.        “Everyone has been helpful and we’ve been treated great,” he remarked.        UNO biology junior Monica Hingle of Chalmette said the move to a new university is a big change for her. “The science faculty has been very helpful in making the switch,” she said. “And we’ll get through this just like we’ve gotten through everything else to this point.”        To accommodate the additional students, Southeastern opened a previously closed dormitory. Dubbed “Old Taylor” to distinguish it from the new Taylor Hall, the dormitory will be able to house more than  400 students.  With this influx of visiting students, Southeastern is currently housing more than 2,300 students on campus.        Cardinal Newman dormitory, which had been closed for renovation, is serving as home for Southeastern faculty and staff and their families who are temporarily displaced due to the hurricane.