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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                        Robyn Morrow             Chris Elliott                        Mark Suarez
                                               John Arterbury       Caitlin Cuppernull

FEMA's give and take unacceptable 

Students from New Orleans' Dillard University who received financial aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Hurricane Katrina may find some surprising letters in their mailboxes. FEMA wants its money back.

Hundreds of residents of Dillard dorms who claimed their dorms as their primary residence are being asked to repay FEMA because officials said these students were ineligible for aid, Black College Wire reported.

These students, many of whom lost everything in Katrina, should not be required to pay FEMA back because of the agency's lack of clarification in its decision to offer aid. Dillard students were not aware that upon accepting this contribution they would be expected to repay FEMA.

Because of an extensive amount of fraudulent claims, FEMA began mailing letters in July 2006 -- more than a year after the disaster -- asking students for repayment. 

Sorry, FEMA, but after a year, you're probably not going to get the money back.

Students who lived in dorms owned or managed by the university don't qualify for assistance because dorms aren't considered a primary residence, Rachel Rodi, a spokeswoman for FEMA, told Black College Wire. Students should have contacted Dillard's insurance company, National Student Services, to receive compensation after the disaster, she said.

Many of these students, who may have experienced financial burdens before the hurricane, would have had no way to replace crucial items such as computers or other educational equipment had they not received assistance from FEMA.

FEMA is even asking for repayment from individuals it deemed eligible for assistance.

We all have to learn from our mistakes at some point. Looks like it's your turn, FEMA. Concentrate on helping those who truly need your assistance rather than trying to reclaim money from those who probably aren't in the position to repay it.