SUNY Global

Haiti Board Resolution

M E M O R A N D U M

January 19, 2010

To:                  Members of the Board of Trustees

From:              Carl Hayden, Chairman

Subject:          Haiti Earthquake Emergency Response

I recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolution:

Whereas on January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti and wreaked havoc, with enormous destruction and tens of thousands of casualties,

Whereas the entire State University of New York community is affected by this disaster and grieves with families who have lost loved ones and property,

Whereas individual campuses have developed or are developing ideas for ways in which the State University of New York can respond in an effective and constructive manner,

Resolved that the Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs be, and hereby is, authorized to develop and coordinate an appropriate State University of New York response to the disaster in Haiti, including as appropriate, scholarships in fields focused on basic human need, welcoming Haitian students on campuses and into appropriate programs, and other assistance, as appropriate.

Background

The January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic earthquake which devastated Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The International Red Cross has estimated that about three million people have been affected by the quake, with deaths variously estimated at up to 200,000. Most major landmarks and hospitals have been significantly damaged or destroyed. Because most organizational structures in Haiti have been destroyed, UN officials have called this the worst disaster that it has ever experienced.

The rebuilding of Haiti will be a multi-year project and must focus on basic human needs and sustainability. The State University of New York is in an unique position to assist through the training of technicians and practitioners in the areas of health care and delivery, building trades, education, sanitation, and related areas. Identification of qualified students for associate degree programs in these fields will ensure that graduates will be returned to the field in Haiti in the relatively near term.

The State University of New York has initiated discussions with the Organization of American States (OAS), which is currently contemplating the creation of an Emergency Scholarship Program for Haiti. The State University of New York will also be reaching out to the City University of New York and other institutions in the State as part of a coordinate response from higher education.