TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Community College announces it will use a portion of its federal COVID Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds to help current and former students to move forward with their education.
TCC is currently reaching out to students with outstanding balances who were enrolled before
or after March 2020 to let them know their debt has been erased.
Eileen Kenney, associate vice president of enrollment and retention, said this about the decision:
“The students who are eligible, and it includes more than 5,000 individuals, do not have to do anything to participate. We are simply telling them their past-due balances have been paid off which gives them a clean slate. By removing what had become a financial barrier, these students can remain on the path to a degree or return to TCC to complete their degree."
Data from recent data showed that TCC students were struggling with their finances due to the COVID-19 pandemic and being out of work. Up to 40 percent of students reported their financial situation was worse than before the pandemic started.
“We understand our students are struggling and we are here to help them. Using the federal dollars in this way is a holistic approach for all our students whether they are currently attending or attended at some point since Spring 2020,” said Kenney.
The plan to pay off outstanding balances of current and former TCC students uses up $4 million in federal dollars from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Institutional Funds.
TCC also received federal dollars allocated for Student Emergency Funds and will use those federal dollars for emergency grants to support students going forward who are enrolled now and will continue to be enrolled.
Those individuals receiving the outstanding balance forgiveness are not required to do anything and it is being processed automatically for those who incurred the balance during the eligible semesters. They will be notified by email through their TCC account.
If you have a question about whether or not they qualify, they should contact the Bursar at studentaccounts@tulsacc.edu with their name and TCC student ID number.
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