NHMCCD (which became Lonestar in 2007) is waiving late fees and offering in-state tuition to students from the Katrina-devastated area.
The North Harris Montgomery Community College District will offer in-district tuition rates with late fee waivers to students from areas devastated by hurricane Katrina. These students may present ID proving residence within the devastated areas or other information to establish they were to attend a college that is closed due to the hurricane.
Fall semester at North Harris, Kingwood, Montgomery, Tomball and Cy-Fair colleges began August 29th but the colleges will make every effort to enroll evacuees into appropriate classes. The district’s excellent online courses may be of special interest for those who have access to computers because of scheduling flexibility and ease of completion should the evacuated students leave the area before the end of the term.
State and national efforts to adjust policies and procedures for student aid, transfer and enrollment are in the early stages. However, the NHMCCD Board of Trustees acted swiftly to approve the tuition policy, based on preliminary reports that many community colleges and universities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will be closed for months and some are so severely damaged that closures may last for a year or more.
NHMCCD Chancellor John Pickelman praised the trustees’ responsiveness saying, “We know that thousands of students have been displaced for the foreseeable future. Our board understands the importance of offering direction and hope to those who are going through the extreme difficulties this storm has created. I know that our faculty, staff and students will join in extending helping hands to our neighbors as they are welcomed to our colleges.â€