Pima Community College has begun distributing federal funds to students facing financial hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic that it received last month through the U.S. Department of Education, but not all Arizona colleges have received their share of those funds.
Pima Community College received about $10 million from the federal coronavirus relief package known as the CARES Act. At least half of the money must go directly to students.
The college’s director of financial aid and scholarships, Norma Navarro-Castellanos, said hundreds of students have reached out to the college for assistance. As of last week, the college sent about 4,000 students emergency funds of $400 to $1,000 depending on how many credits the students are taking.
“Some students suffered reduction of work hours," she said. "Others had to make a decision to take on more work hours in order to make ends meet because other family members were being impacted with that.”
The college has separate funds to help students who aren’t eligible for the federal money, including undocumented students, Navarro-Castellanos said. It plans to use the second half of the $10 million to help students and buy laptops to lend them.
The University of Arizona says it received its share of the CARES Act funds, and plans to distribute money to students next week.
Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University said they still have not received the money.
