A panel discussion Wednesday night criticized the aid given to victims after Hurricane Katrina, saying poorly-made decisions have left few options for the areas effected by Katrina.

About 20 people attended the lecture, held in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union.

One panelist, Peter Orazem, university professor of economics and director of the industrial relations program at Iowa State, said the $170 billion given by the government was dispensed inefficiently.

“Does the money go to those in power, or those in need?” he said.

Orazem said aid currently given out to rebuild homes required that homes be rebuilt within New Orleans. This is not the best plan of action, he said, because geologists who have studied New Orleans have said it will gradually sink in 50 to 100 years. Instead, Orazem said he recommends people use the aid to build where they choose.

“Why would we put people in areas where they are going to be flooded out?” he said.

Valerie Grim, African-American studies professor at Indiana University and an Iowa State alumna, said she thought the aid efforts toward rural people were lacking.

“After Katrina, the rural population became poorer,” she said.

Grim said the emergency loans given after the disaster went only to applicants who met certain requirements, such as being credible and having a good credit history.

“This is really a question of class,” she said.

Steven Garasky, associate professor of human development and family studies, said there is a historical problem when dealing with poor areas of the country. He said there have always been efforts to track where the poor are spending their money.

“We have put a lot of energy into deeming the worthy poor,” Garasky said.

The panel also discussed cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Orazem said after Sept. 11, there was a 75 percent cut to the program and the money went to fund the war on terror. He said the public erroneously blamed FEMA for its poor handling of Katrina.

“Disaster relief is obviously not a main concern when 75 percent of the budget is cut,” he said.

Gary Tartakov, professor of art and design, attended the lecture and said the lack of funding for relief efforts in Katrina and for the future is a concern of his.

“No planning, no investment and we know this is going to happen again,” he said.