Las Positas College has received $2.87 million in funding with $1.44 million is earmarked to aid students, President Dyrell Foster told a group of LPC student veterans
The funds are part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act approved by Congress, the Senate and signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act provides almost $14 billion that will go directly to higher education institutions to support the costs of shifting classes online and for grants to students for food, housing, technology and other purposes.
LPC will receive a total of $2,875,491 as its share of the funds, including $1,437,746 specifically to provide grants to students for their expenses related to disruption on-campus operations. This may include food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.
“No decision has been made yet about how students will apply,” Vice President of Student Services William Garcia said in an e-mail to The Express, “the eligibility criteria to be used or how the aid will be disbursed to students. Additional information is forthcoming. Information will be made available through the Financial Aid Office and will be communicated with students via email and social media.”
LPC is working on the guidelines for how the funds will be disbursed to the students.
“It is highly likely that first priority for funds and the first and fastest release of funds will be to students who have applied for financial aid by filing the 2019-2020 FAFSA or DREAM Application,” Andi Schreibman, LPC’s Financial Aid officer, said in an email to The Express. “This doesn’t mean students must be eligible for some kind of aid, but they must have applied. That way we know they will receive any other funds available to them (fee waiver, Promise Scholarship, and even Pell grant).
“It is in everyone’s best interest to file their 2019-2020 FAFSA as immediately as possible if they haven’t done so already The 2019-20 FAFSA is for the CURRENT school year. The deadline to file is June 30, 2020. This ensures that students receive first priority for funding.”
The funds are not yet in the college’s bank account, per the federal government. The funds will be available in the upcoming weeks.
The CARES Act determined funds distribution for higher education by a formula. Funding would go out to colleges based on a formula consisting of 75% number of Pell Full-Time Equivalent Student and 25% FTES. PELL grants are a federal subsidy for students who need it to pay for college and are limited to students with financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s degree.
The CARES Act aims to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will soon be able to reap the benefits that are provided from the $1.44 million grant. To fill out a FAFSA application, visit Fafsa.ed.gov. Those who are interested in filing for DREAM can apply on https://dream.csac.ca.gov/
Alan Lewis is the photo editor of The Express. Follow him @alolewis1.
