West Virginia University at Parkersburg is using funding from the American Recovery Plan Act to give students a second change, far beyond putting extra dollars in their pocket.
The college notified 245 students Thursday morning that their tuition balances were covered, and they no longer owe the institution money. The benefit — $230,397.57 dispersed to student accounts — expunging the balance of students’ accounts who had balances from the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semesters.
“We are happy to announce our decision to utilize a portion of the proceeds from our ARPA funding to pay off the balances of student accounts for the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semesters. We are so pleased to have this funding available to provide our students with a second chance at pursuing their dream of completing their college education,” said Executive Vice President of Finance & Administration, Alice Harris.
“There is no distance we will not go to provide a path to college completion for our students, and this is just one more example of our commitment to student success,” said WVU Parkersburg President Dr. Chris Gilmer.
In Fall 2021, all students who are charged regular tuition fees, with the exception of Early College student, will be eligible for additional relief funds. The first of three fund disbursements, for students who did not have a balance, will begin being released as early as Sept. 10. Per the ARPA, funding will be dispersed to students with the greatest financial need first; those who qualify for the PELL Grant after filling out the FAFSA will be among the first to receive funding. No additional paperwork is needed to qualify for the funds, aside from the FAFSA.
“For many students, COVID is an obstacle that they were unable to overcome, which led many of them to stop pursuing a college degree. As a result of their withdrawal, many students had unpaid tuition and fee balances that jeopardized their ability to return to classes or obtain a college transcript. The administration of WVUP has great compassion for the struggle all of our students have encountered during the pandemic,” Harris said.
