September 1, 2017

Dear UT Community,

During the past week, Hurricane Harvey has brought a new reality to our state. People from all walks of life have come together from every region to assist those in distress. Many Longhorns have joined in to help and to give.

UT students receive financial aid packages based on family need, but for many Harvey victims, the original amounts they were offered now won’t be enough. This is an urgent issue for these students.

Today, I am announcing that The University of Texas at Austin will dedicate $500,000, including funds from our Athletics sponsorship with Nike, to serve as additional financial aid for UT students who have been impacted by the storm and flooding.

Furthermore, I encourage members of the UT community to donate funds to match the $500,000. Our goal is to raise a total of $1 million for our students, and even the smallest contribution will make a difference.

You can donate here.

During the past few days, I have been repeatedly asked one question by our alumni, students, faculty members and staff members: “How can I help?” And though there are many ways to contribute, I have two additional suggestions for members of our community:

Please visit the Help for Harvey page that our Office of the Dean of Students, in partnership with Student Government, has posted to find opportunities to volunteer and donate to benefit the victims. Participate in the campus-wide donation drive that Student Government and many of our campus units will be sponsoring from Sept. 5 through Sept. 29. You may bring food and supplies to one of the many donation boxes throughout our campus.

As students, faculty members, staff members and alumni, we are all Longhorns. We are all Texans. And our friends, neighbors and family members are struggling right now. Please pitch in to help them.

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves

President