The earthquake in Chile has not yet sparked the student-led relief efforts seen in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake.
UF spokesman Steve Orlando spoke with the Center for Student Activities and Involvement and said students have not planned a relief campaign.
“It’s a very different situation from Haiti,” Orlando said. “Chile is not a Third World developing nation like Haiti. Chile has the money and resources and the ability to deal with it.”
UF’s International Center will offer an information session to help Chilean students and give them an opportunity to address their concerns, said Debra Anderson, the coordinator of International Student Services.
The Chilean population at UF is comprised of 24 students and eight visiting faculty and/or H-1B visa holders, she said.
According to U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, some U.S. employers use the H-1B visa to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
Anderson wrote in an e-mail that the session will take place at the Counseling Center in Peabody Hall at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
