This article was downloaded by: [Universite Laval]On: 09 October 2014, At: 23:59Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH,UK

Community College Journal ofResearch and PracticePublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ucjc20

Guest Editors' Introductionto the Special Issue:Hurricane Katrina's Impactson Community & TechnicalColleges in Louisiana andMississippiJim Killacky∗ a & Kelley Rhoe-Collins a

a University of New Orleans , New Orleans,Louisiana, USAPublished online: 27 Feb 2008.

To cite this article: Jim Killacky∗ & Kelley Rhoe-Collins (2008) Guest Editors'Introduction to the Special Issue: Hurricane Katrina's Impacts on Community &Technical Colleges in Louisiana and Mississippi, Community College Journal ofResearch and Practice, 32:3, 163-166, DOI: 10.1080/10668920701875792

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10668920701875792

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all theinformation (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform.However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness,or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and viewsexpressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of theContent should not be relied upon and should be independently verified withprimary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any

losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages,and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly orindirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of theContent.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes.Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan,sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone isexpressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found athttp://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ite L

aval

] at

23:

59 0

9 O

ctob

er 2

014

GUEST EDITORS’ INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIALISSUE: HURRICANE KATRINA’S IMPACTSON COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGESIN LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI

Jim Killacky�

Kelley Rhoe-Collins

University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent levee breaks in New Orleans,Louisiana insured for most residents of the Louisiana–Mississippi(LA–MS) region that 8=29=05 will, like in the words of Franklin D.Roosevelt, live forever ‘‘in infamy.’’ In the spring of 2007, the firstguest editor was facilitating a doctoral-level seminar in which thecoguest editor was participating. A group of doctoral students wasintroducing the story of how some colleges had addressed the stormissue. To bring at least a modicum of reality to the situation, andprovide a context, the following information was given to the classmembers, who had been divided into three groups of four:

. The time is 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

. You, the president of the community college, are in a room withthe head of the faculty senate and two senior administrators.

. You have just received an official call that within 48 hours yourcampus will be in the direct path of what is now a Category 5hurricane.

. What do you plan to do?

For the two of us (along with the other members of the course) readingthat information made rivetingly clear the stark realities of what faced

�Dr. Jim Killacky is no longer on the education faculty at the University of New Orleans.

He can be contacted as shown below.

Address correspondence to Jim Killacky, 223 Judd Street, Fairfield, CT 06824. E-mail:

jim19k@gmail.com

Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 32: 163–166, 2008

Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

ISSN: 1066-8926 print/1521-0413 online

DOI: 10.1080/10668920701875792

163

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ite L

aval

] at

23:

59 0

9 O

ctob

er 2

014

senior leaders in colleges and universities throughout the Gulf Coastregion in the two days leading up to 08=29=05. The papers that followin this issue of Community College Journal of Research and Practiceoutline some of the stories that took place in Gulf Coast communityand technical colleges in the days and months following 8=29=05.

The course for which these papers were originally created aspresentations was EDAD 6681—Organization and Leadership inHigher Education. It was a doctoral seminar in the higher educationadministration degree concentration at the University of New Orleans.

The foundational reading for every member of the course wasBirnbaum (1988), How Colleges Work, and Diamond (2002), FieldGuide to Academic Leadership. In preparing for the course in the fallof 2006, the two authors (the instructor and graduate assistant) con-ducted a survey of community and technical college leaders (admin-istration, academic, and student affairs) in LA–MS community andtechnical colleges. Respondents were asked to identify five generalareas that posed critical institutional challenges in the post-Katrinaera. The following are the five issues identified through this process:

. Enrollment management.

. Academic and student affairs.

. Personnel=personal=human resource development issues.

. Budgets=financial impacts=future funding.

. Buildings=facilities=technological resources.

Teams of three to four course members were assigned to each issueto create a major presentation, and they were charged as follows:

. Research and analyze the issue providing a general introductionin the context of Community and Technical Colleges (CTCs).

. Identify particular elements=challenges=problems about theissue that were present for CTCs in the LA–MS region post-Katrina.

. Present a set of recommendations to address items above.

. Identify the forms of leadership and organizational behaviorneeding to expedite the recommendations.

The presentations took place over the several weekends the coursemet during spring 2007. The presenting group was then asked toprepare a paper based on their presentation and feedback itreceived from the class. These papers constitute this special issue of

164 J. Killacky and K. Rhoe-Collins

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ite L

aval

] at

23:

59 0

9 O

ctob

er 2

014

the journal. Jones, Das, Huggins, and McNeely, addressing enrollmentmanagement, begin with a brief and rich history and definition. Theyrecount many of the post-Katrina challenges for a major communitycollege in New Orleans, and they present three cases that shed lighton some of the challenges. In Jarrell, Dennis, Jackson, and Kenney,academic and student affairs issues are the focus and center around les-sons learned and suggestions for the future. Henry, Cho, and Dupuisexamine human resources and offer a pre- and post-Katrina snapshotthat illuminates resilience, persistence, and the overwhelming need formore effective planning. In the fourth paper, Watson, Melancon, andKinchen address financial issues. They underscore the challengesinherent in complying with funding regulations juxtaposed with theneed for flexibility in a postdisaster recovery environment. In the finalpaper, Rhoe-Collins, Savage, and Wainwright present three incisivecase studies in responding to unprecedented crises, destruction, andchallenges.

The major outcomes from this undertaking include the following:

1. The recognition of a need for much greater emphasis on plan-ning for the impacts of natural disasters, especially dealing withstudent records, financial data, and viable technological back-up. All of the papers include particular suggestions that maybe insightful for readers and their institutions.

2. The need for training key individuals and units for disasterpreparedness.

3. The need to expand disaster planning beyond personal or insti-tutional memory and experience.

As part of the individual issue presentations, course memberscreated very useful sets of materials (slides, PowerPoint presenta-tions, case examples, handouts, updated institutional disaster plans,and extensive bibliographies) that will be potentially useful. Inquiriesshould be sent to the individual authors.

At the final meeting of the course and in written comments, thecourse members reflected on this experience combining theory,research, and practice. Comments such as the following were made:

I was struck by the overwhelming need for more planning so that our

readiness around student and faculty safety will be enhanced.

I appreciated this opportunity to professionally reflect and project on

all of these huge issues.

Introduction to the Special Issue 165

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ite L

aval

] at

23:

59 0

9 O

ctob

er 2

014

This exercise helped me add to the trust I have for my colleagues, as

we were truly dependent on each other to get this large task

successfully accomplished.

This course provided a glowing opportunity to appreciate what real

on-the-ground leadership exists within this cohort, and that bodes

well for all of our futures.The chance to identify and promulgate concrete ideas for disaster pre-

paredness—especially disaster simulation efforts—has been powerful

for me as a campus leader.

We appreciate the opportunity afforded by Community CollegeJournal of Research and Practice to share this project on how someof the issues precipitated by Katrina and the New Orleans leveebreaks were addressed. All authors thank the many individuals inter-viewed during the project for their comments, insights, and reflec-tions. All authors welcome opportunities to collaborate with you touse these experiences for furthering the cause of disaster prepared-ness, health, and safety.

REFERENCES

Birnbaum, R. (1988). How colleges work: The cybernetics of academic organization and

leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Diamond, R. (2002). (Ed.). Field guide to academic leadership. San Francisco, CA:

Jossey-Bass.

166 J. Killacky and K. Rhoe-Collins

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ite L

aval

] at

23:

59 0

9 O

ctob

er 2

014