FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2005
Contact: Michael Corby
904.632.3310

Registration opens for 1,000 free online courses for students with studies halted by Hurricane Katrina; classes begin Oct. 24
Leading consortium of universities posts course catalog online

Florida Community College at Jacksonville joins the Sloan Consortium, an international association of colleges and universities committed to quality online education, in offering students whose studies have been interrupted by Hurricane Katrina an opportunity to continue their education tuition-free.

More than 1,000 students have already requested courses by signing up at www.SloanSemester.org. "Most of the students are from institutions based in New Orleans who are hoping to bridge from this difficult time and to return to their home institutions," said Dave Spence, president of the Southern Regional Education Board. "We are also accepting students who are in the National Guard and will miss their regular fall term as a result of being called to active duty in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina."

In collaboration with the SREB and with a $1.1 million grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the special eight-week accelerated semester provides a wide range of courses to serve the learning needs of students at the community college, university and graduate level, regardless of academic discipline. All courses carry degree credit from regionally accredited colleges and universities.

"Florida Community College warmly welcomes these students. We will extend to them all possible accommodations to continue their education during this extraordinarily difficult time," said Dr. Steven Wallace, president of Florida Community College.

Student registration began on September 19. The eight-week-long special semester at Florida Community College begins October 24.