Chancellor Convenes Taskforce to Coordinate Katrina Response
Michael Bishop
Bishop issued an email on Sept. 23 providing a campus update on actions taken in the aftermath of storm. Here is his full message.
"Hurricane Katrina Aftermath - Update" Dear Colleagues: I write to provide a brief update on the campus response in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Each of our four schools has been actively working to respond to the needs of displaced students from affected areas. In addition, UCSF offers of assistance to basic science graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty have been posted electronically with the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and other professional societies. We have also determined that housing can be made available at Mission Bay for displaced students, faculty, postdoctoral fellows or physicians in training; contact Justin Akers with questions about housing. Although over 120 medical and nursing staff in the UCSF community volunteered their time to the relief effort following Hurricane Katrina, most of the medical teams provided so far came from areas closer to the Gulf Coast. We remain in contact with the National Institutes of Health and are advised that they may yet call upon UCSF's offer of aid. Policies are under development regarding Administrative Leave with Pay under appropriate circumstances. Medical Center employees or supervisors may contact Judy Frates in the Medical Center or Julius Katz on campus with questions about the leave policy. There will be protracted problems and issues that will need to be addressed in the weeks to come and we do not yet know the extent of the impact of the impending storm. I have appointed a Task Force to identify further ways the campus might help and to disseminate campus and university wide policies, as appropriate. They will also examine "lessons learned" from this recent tragedy as well as ways we can build on our own emergency response readiness. Assistant Chancellor Susan Montrose will convene the Task Force and also serve as the campus point of contact for questions and suggestions. I know that all of us in the UCSF community are doing what we can, either to raise funds or contribute to non-profit agencies in support of relief efforts. With so many in need, it is the least we can do. Sincerely, J. Michael Bishop, M.D.
Chancellor