Update from CT State College System; Federal Student Aid Assistance Information

In response to the Coronavirus and subsequent closure of colleges statewide, Connecticut State College and Universities (CSCU) system President Ojakian announced measures they are taking to assist families financially and to support relief efforts and medical staff responding to the crisis.

He announced:

• Room and board refunds. The universities will credit student accounts for unused room and board by next week. Thereafter, any credit balance will be refunded to students. Each institution is currently in the process of reaching out to students to outline the timeline and procedures. We are taking this action under the CSCU system’s existing administrative authority. Our institutions will not refund tuition and fees because we are converting to an online instruction model for the remainder of the term in order to complete the coursework that our students have begun this semester.
• University housing. We have been working closely with the state’s emergency response team and have received specific requests to use residence halls at Southern and Western to temporarily house homeless individuals. The institutions are currently in the process of clearing those spaces and expect them to be available by the end of the week. Central and Eastern are also preparing for similar requests in coming days and will make residence halls available to meet the state’s emergency needs.
• Paying employees. We have made the determination that while the campuses and system office remain shuttered, employees are directed to telework and will receive their pay as normal. Student workers will continue to be paid through the end of the semester.
• Hosting blood drives. The COVID-19 crisis has led to a critical shortage of the nation’s blood supply because of a lack of donations. CSCU is working with the Red Cross to organize blood drives on our community college campuses during the outbreak. We will share additional details as they become available.

Help with Federal Student Aid

With the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak and suspension of classes at many schools, colleges and universities nationwide, Federal Student Aid (an office of the U.S. Department of Education) updated their website with information specifically for people with questions regarding student loans.

According to their site, “If you’re concerned about your studies or loan repayment, we can help you understand what to do in certain circumstances. We’ll be adding information for students, borrowers, and parents to this page on a regular basis, so please check back frequently.”

If you have questions about student aid, please go to: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus

Please share this information with anyone you think it might benefit.