ESU to Disburse Institutional Funding for Students Eligible for PHEAA Grant

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Posted by: admin on November 13, 2015, No Comments

Despite university efforts to mitigate the impact on East Stroudsburg University (ESU) students of a nearly five -month long state budget impasse, hundreds continue to face hardships.  ESU administrators announced yesterday that institutional funding will be disbursed for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) grants for all students eligible effective immediately.

“We have hundreds of students who depend on these grants to pay for off-campus housing, groceries, transportation — I don’t think people realize the direct impact the budget impasse is having on college students,” David Bousquet, vice president of enrollment management, said.  “We will do everything we can to support these students.”

Over 1,500 students at the university rely on the grants to fund their education. Without a budget, PHEAA cannot release state money to colleges and universities and students are directly impacted.  When the fall semester began, the university immediately suspended any balances due from students that would’ve been covered by the PHEAA grants and provided bookstore credit to allow students to purchase textbooks and other course materials.

Education is everything to Stephen Samaan. A first generation college student coming from a family of modest means, Samaan, a junior majoring in business management, relies heavily on financial aid, college loans and state grants. Entering the fall semester, Samaan struggled with focusing on his classes, spending more time worrying that he might not be able to pay his landlord or purchase groceries for the week.

“I got a part-time job, took out a second loan and still had to ask my parents to help me,” Samaan said.

“Advancing these funds without receiving immediate reimbursement from the state does have a significant financial hit to the university’s available funds,” said Ken Long, vice president for administration and finance. “But what’s more significant is the impact the lack of funding has on our students.”

ESU students are very appreciative of the university’s efforts.

“It means a lot that ESU is doing this,” Samaan said. “We really rely on support from the state for our education and I just hope something happens soon.”