Grand Canyon University announced today that the entire $22.3 million it is receiving from the federal government as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (or CARES Act), will go directly to students in the form of emergency cash grants.
Stipulations in the CARES Act require that half of the money allocated – in GCU’s case $11.175 million – must be allocated to students, with the other half available to the universities themselves to cover costs associated with COVID-19. But GCU President Brian Mueller said the University is committed to providing the full amount to students.
“This was an easy decision to make,” Mueller said. “It is incumbent on us to take care of our students and families who are trying to navigate the challenges caused by this coronavirus pandemic.”
Because of GCU’s experience and expertise in online education, the transition to moving on-campus classes to an online learning environment due to the coronavirus has been seamless, Mueller added.
“From an education standpoint, that is going extremely well. Our faculty members have been very pleased with the participation levels of students, the interaction that is taking place and the quality of work that is being produced. From a financial standpoint, these stimulus funds will help both our ground and online students who have been impacted by the pandemic and enable them to continue on a path toward completing their degrees.”
Mueller said GCU is still working out the details of how those funds will be distributed, but made clear that those funds will not be used to reimburse the University for refunds and credits that have already gone out to students for housing and food.
More details on the cash grants will be communicated to students in the coming days.
