Tulane University professor Scott Bernhard lives on a street left vacant in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Many of his neighbors – doctors, lawyers and accountants – lost their jobs. And many haven’t returned to their homes. Inside Bernhard’s house, the power still goes out regularly.

“The national media loved to come here and show helicopters rescuing people from roofs,” he said. “Now they’re all gone, and we’re here with our completely devastated city.”

Bernhard and other Tulane faculty are visiting Kansas University this week to discuss ways KU and others can contribute to what President Bush said will be “one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen.”

They will speak at a symposium, titled “Rebuilding New Orleans: New Roles for Universities and Schools of Architecture,” at 10 a.m. today in KU’s Kansas Union.

Katrina left much of the historic city under water.

“It could be 50 percent of the housing stock will remain uninhabitable after all is said and done,” Bernhard said. “We hope the numbers don’t run that high.”

Tulane won’t begin classes again until January. Amid the devastation, many such as Bernhard are trying to plan for the future.

Bernhard said among the ideas is to use collegiate design and build programs in the redevelopment of the city.

KU’s Studio 804 class is one such program. Led by architecture professor Dan Rockhill, the class has designed and built numerous homes in Lawrence and elsewhere.

Rockhill, who met with Tulane faculty Thursday, said there is a possibility the class could create a prototype for replacement housing in New Orleans.

“I certainly wouldn’t turn down the opportunity,” he said. “I’d love to do it.”

Byron Mouton, a clinical professor at Tulane now working at a “studio in exile” at Arizona State University, said there is an opportunity for students to learn while contributing to the rebuilding effort.

John Gaunt, dean of KU’s School of Architecture, said today’s meeting will be a chance to ask the question, “What relationships, partnerships, understandings and funding sources can be determined that would enable us to play a long-term role in an area that badly needs that?”

Organized efforts are important, he said.

“It’s going to take a long, long time and very concerted effort involving a lot of people,” Gaunt said.