‘Wiping the slate clean’: Tennessee State University to pay off debt for returning students

Tennessee State students returning for the fall received good news program from the university on Wednesday. TSU announced it will pay off history balances for returners who were enrolled in spring 2020, fall 2020 and jump 2021. It will besides cover summer 2020 and 2021, according to the news free. educate officials say this will allow students to return to campus with their entire attention on academics and campus life since being off because of COVID-19.

Opinion: College students are struggling and that ‘s why doubling the Pell Grant will help “ We are keenly mindful that the No. 1 cause that students do not return to college is lack of funds, ” said TSU President Glenda Glover in the release. “ Paying off account balances for our students will relieve some of the fiscal stress that they have and allow them to focus on studying and completing their degrees. ” As both K-12 and college students in Tennessee prepare to return to school after a ambitious year of virtual memorize and other stressors linked to a cosmopolitan pandemic, education leaders are looking for ways to help students turn their focus to getting their education and bridge disruptions. On Wednesday, Middle Tennessee State University announced it was pioneering a new program that will allow employees at 20 local anesthetic McDonald ‘s locations to attend college tuition-free. Working to make higher education more accessible, under the design, employees at qualifying locations could earn up to six hours of college credit per semester. The management group besides said it will cover tuition costs at a reduce bodied rate. For forte and vocational schools in Tennessee — for example, barber and cosmetology schools in Memphis — groups are looking to help offer cheaper courses so students can avoid “ debt trap ” and defaulting on loans, which can plunge an draw a bead on professional into fiscal trouble. Education finance news: Education group seeks input for spending $ 4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds The funds to alleviate account balances for students at TSU will come from the union CARES Act, which was passed in March 2020, said Douglas R. Allen II, TSU ’ south vice president for business and finance.

nationally, the design issued over $ 14 billion to higher education institutions because of the coronavirus, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In May 2020, TSU used funds from the plan to assist students and support institutional needs due to COVID-19. “ At the end of the sidereal day, it ’ sulfur about the commitment to our students and the university, ” Allen said. “ This is one of several initiatives we are implementing to assist them. ” TSU said it will resume full operations for accrue 20201 and is besides expecting its largest freshman class in five years. Freshmen are scheduled to move in starting Aug. 10, with returning students doing then the latter depart of the week. According to the U.S. Department of Education, emergency relief for federal scholar loans will remain in effect at least until Sept. 30, unless extended. This includes the suspension of loanword payments, a 0 % interest rate and a moratorium on collecting on default loans. President’s plans: Biden, Congress and scholar loanword forgiveness : What is the federal government doing to address the publish ? National trends: ‘Free ‘ college is n’t adequate : Adults struggle to finish degrees, tied with fiscal care.

For extra fiscal care resources at TSU, students can find resources at tnstate.edu/financial_aid/. The submit besides offers programs, grants and resources for students of four-year and biennial schools looking to support their finances. Molly Weisner is a digital manufacturer for the USA Today net. Find her on Twitter @ molly_weisner .