The College began distributing a portion of the money it received from the federal CARES Act to students and families disrupted by COVID-19.
A section of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund. Money was sent to schools to use for emergency financial aid grants to students impacted by the pandemic. This includes expenses related to moving, housing, food, technology and other costs.
Union received $1,159,940. Of that, 50 percent ($579,970) is required to be used for emergency financial aid grants to students. The remainder is intended to offset the College’s loss of revenue and increased expenses because of the pandemic.
Under Department of Education guidelines, students who meet basic eligibility criteria for federal financial aid and who have financial need can be considered for these funds.
The College has determined that 994 students are eligible for the grants. Each student will receive a grant of $575.
In addition to the CARES Act, a number of students have received help from the Union College Persistence Fund, an online giving campaign that has raised more than $100,000. The fund has helped students purchase plane tickets, obtain computers and secure adequate access to the internet, among other expenses.
“We recognize that many families are being financially impacted by this pandemic and that the Persistence Fund and CARES Act grants cannot completely address the full need of those affected,” said Linda Parker, director of Financial Aid and Family Financing. “But we do hope these funds can offer some relief in this difficult time.”