Colleges, universities in Western Pennsylvania could get more than $200M in new stimulus relief

Colleges and students struggling to make ends meet in a pandemic economy will get a $21 billion boost from the latest infusion of coronavirus stimulus, with more on the way, should Congress take up President-elect Joe Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus package.

The U.S. Department of Education recently released projections showing what each college can expect to receive. The grants are based on a formula that weighs total enrollment as well as the percentage of low-income students who receive federal Pell Grants. The money is intended to be applied to student aid and costs related to pandemic operations, such as renovations to campus buildings and classrooms as well as technology costs for offering online learning options.

Inside Higher Ed, a trade publication that covers postsecondary education, reported that grants to Pennsylvania colleges and universities range from a high of $84.9 million to Penn State, the state’s sprawling flagship university with a total enrollment of nearly 75,000, to $1.8 million to Chatham University in Pittsburgh, which enrolls about 2,500 students.

In an effort to ensure the grants make their way into the pockets of needy students, preliminary information included a minimum amount that must be spent on direct student aid and caps the amount that may be spent on institutional costs. In most instances, the preliminary figures suggest colleges will have to spend about a third of the total allocation to direct student aid.

All told, the latest round of grants should pump about $220 million into Penn State and 17 universities and community colleges in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and the region.

Colleges and universities said they racked up millions of dollars in unanticipated costs last spring when they were forced to pivot to online learning and offer refunds of housing and food services during the initial pandemic shutdown. The University of Pittsburgh, which is scheduled to receive $30.6 million in the latest round of stimulus funding, estimated its pandemic related costs last spring alone totaled $30 million to $40 million.

Many colleges and universities have since welcomed some students back to campus, in most cases offering a combination of online classes and a limited curriculum of in-person learning.

Biden’s proposed stimulus package includes another $35 billion in aid to colleges and students.

Estimated grants under the most recent stimulus bill include:

Penn State — $84.9 million

Pitt— $30.6 million

Carnegie Mellon University—$9 million

California University of Pennsylvania — $7.4 million

Carlow University — $2.4 million

Chatham University — $1.8 million

Clarion University — $5.4 million

Duquesne University — $7.8 million

Edinboro University — $6.4 million

Community College of Allegheny County — $17.8 million

Indiana University of Pennsylvania — $15.3 million

La Roche University — $1.9 million

Robert Morris University — $5.1 million

Point Park University — $5.2 million

Saint Vincent College — $2.3 million

Seton Hill University — $2.3 million

Slippery Rock University — $11.3 million

Westmoreland County Community College — $5.1 million