Tulane University freshman Thomas Krouse has only studied at Penn for one semester, but he knows he wants to spend the rest of his college years in Philadelphia. The trouble is, Penn administrators won't let him.
Krouse is one of almost 100 Tulane students taken in by Penn after Hurricane Katrina forced the New Orleans university to close for the semester. Unlike many of his peers, however, Krouse does not want to go back to his home school.
Penn officials have said that no visiting students will be allowed to remain for the spring semester, citing the need for Tulane to have a full student body in order to fully recover.
"I would love to stay at Penn. I'm originally from New Orleans, and I really like the Northeast a lot more," Krouse said.
Krouse, who is gay, said he feels Philadelphia is more tolerant than his former home.
"I didn't like the South. I was tormented there, and [the Northeast] is much more accepting," Krouse said. "Penn has a great system, and they do a lot of great work with the Carriage House" which houses the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center.
Krouse said he looked into transferring to Penn permanently, but University officials said every student from Tulane would be forced to leave at the end of the semester.
"We did not treat these students like transfer students," Associate Provost Janice Bellace said. "We treated them like students who come to Penn for one semester on a study-abroad arrangement."
She noted that students were made aware that the setup was temporary when they were accepted in September.
"At the time the students were admitted for the fall term, we clearly stated that they were not matriculating at Penn," Bellace said. "We believe that it is important that they return to their home institution."
Bellace added that while students can apply to transfer to Penn, the school does not admit students mid-year and any applicants would have to apply for admission for the fall 2006 term.
While Krouse has tried to extend his time at Penn, other Tulane students are eager to return to New Orleans.
"I'm just really excited to see my friends and finish out my senior year," said Tulane senior Brandon Cohen, who was elected student body president last spring.
Cohen, who is currently at Penn, has been communicating with student-government members to ensure a smooth transition in the spring for all students.
"We have already put together some service projects and social events," Cohen said. "I am just ready to help the school get back on their feet."
Tulane sophomore Jessica Chane said she was never planning to stay at Penn for more than one semester.
"I was always planning on going back, and I was under the impression that we were accepted on a visiting-student basis," Chane said.
She added that while she has enjoyed her time at Penn, her loyalties lie with New Orleans.
"I love it here, and I had a great experience, but I miss my friends," Chane said.
Tulane Provost Lester Lefton said it is likely that most students share Chane's sentiments.
"There aren't many students who are not going back to Tulane," Lefton said in a speech at Penn in October. "We may lose some students -- we don't know, maybe 140 out of 13,000 students."
Lefton added he is glad that schools like Penn are not taking transfer students from Tulane, a belief echoed by most Penn administrators.
"Tulane University itself is under severe strain," Bellace said."Great universities are not created overnight ... and both faculty and students are essential to the success of a university."
As for Krouse, he will return to Tulane for classes in the spring semester, but he has not given up on Penn yet. This spring, he plans to apply to transfer to several universities in the Northeast.
"Hopefully I can wind up back at Penn," Krouse said.
