April 16, 2020
Central Mass. colleges receiving $33M in federal aid
Photo | Grant Welker
Clark University
By Grant Welker
Colleges in Central Massachusetts are receiving nearly $33 million in federal aid to help make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic.
Students have been sent home from dorms, classes have been moved online, commencement ceremonies delayed, and fall enrollment planning upended. That's left colleges with a financial hole, either from refunding room, board and other costs or planning for potential enrollment drops in the fall.
Among Central Massachusetts colleges, Quinsigamond Community College was the biggest recipient at more than $4.8 million. Worcester State University got more than $4.2 million.
Colleges nationally have received $12.5 billion from the federal CARES Act's Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Half the funds, or more than $6.2 billion, are meant to be used for emergency aid to students.
Colleges received aid depending on a formula weighing 75% on each school's share of full-time equivalent enrollment of Pell Grant financial need recipients and 25% on non-Pell Grant recipients.
Among colleges offering students partial refunds are Clark University in Worcester and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, which said it is giving back room charges and unused meal plans on a prorated basis as of March 11. College of the Holy Cross in Worcester is refunding students going back to March 14, when students were required to move out of their dorms. Assumption College in Worcester is refunding students starting March 15 and Becker College in Worcester is refunding students dating back to March 16. Worcester State University is crediting resident student accounts for a prorated portion of room and board charges as of March 30.
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Anonymous
April 17, 2020
Yeah, let's give money to colleges who have been overcharging for years & not help small businesses. This is ridiculous, not to mention the money they are refunding is what students paid them & at top of list is Quinsigamond Community College, which doesn't even haven housing for students!!
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