UNC, NC State raise $1 million and counting to help students affected by coronavirus
College students across the country have unexpectedly lost their jobs, been forced to leave their campus dorms and study abroad programs, and are struggling to pay for food and new technology as the spring semester classes move online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In North Carolina, donations are coming in to provide those students a little relief. More than $1.1 million — and counting — has been raised for students at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State.
Each institution in the UNC System has established emergency funds for alumni and concerned citizens to contribute to that will directly benefit students who are struggling, the system announced Thursday.
“COVID-19 has disrupted all of us,” UNC System Interim President William Roper said in a statement. “Your contribution to one of these funds can help minimize disruption to the academic aspirations of a deserving student.”
N.C. State University has raised more than $658,000 to help those students through its Student Emergency Fund. The university has helped more than 200 students and distributed more than $104,000 since March 3.
The fund was established by the Division of Academic and Student Affairs to help students recover from unexpected financial crises. Students affected by COVID-19 can submit an application to get emergency resources and support for food, housing, financial and educational issues.
UNC-Chapel Hill helps displaced students
UNC-Chapel Hill donors and its student government have raised more than $500,000 to support the Carolina Student Impact Fund, UNC-CH Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said Thursday after the UNC Board of Trustees meeting.
The fund is designed to help meet the “immediate, critical needs of our most vulnerable students, with many already facing unexpected hardships” according to a letter from the university. Guskiewicz said the fund is growing, and he applauded the UNC alumni and donors who “stepped up very quickly” to assist students in need.
Money has already been spent to bring students home who couldn’t afford it and will provide technology for students who don’t have internet access off campus.
“I don’t know how much has been given out to this point,” Guskiewicz said. “I do know we’re helping students each day.”
UNC-CH board chair Richard Stevens also said the university will be following guidance from the UNC System on students’ refunds for housing and meal plans, which should come next week.
Undergraduate, graduate and professional school students who have been affected by COVID-19 and need financial aid can email covidcareforstudents@unc.edu or ccfs@unc.edu.
“We know our students are coping with financial hardships and anxieties in these uncertain times, and this fund will not only ease the burdens they face in the short-term, but make a huge difference for them and their families in the long term,” Guskiewicz said in a previous statement.
About 900 students are still living in residence halls on campus and need access to dining facilities, Guskiewicz said, and their health and safety is a priority for the university. UNC-CH confirmed at least two reported cases at the university, including an employee. The university can’t track the total number of cases connected to campus because students or employees may get tested by an outside provider.
The student relief fund is supported by private donors and was established to help students who are affected by natural disasters, including hurricanes. UNC is still collecting money for the fund, but is encouraging donors to make online gifts rather than by mail because of reduced staffing.
UNC-CH Undergraduate Student Body President Ashton Martin and other student leaders also contributed $25,000 from student government by declaring a state of emergency. The money came from the reserves of the Student Safety and Security Committee.
“In addition to the added stress of adapting to an online learning environment, the effects of social isolation, and the disappointment our graduating students feel in having their final year unceremoniously cut short, many students likely are facing significant financial hardships,” the declaration said. “For that reason, we want to do everything in our power to support students in their time of greatest need.”
In a Facebook past, Martin said she didn’t want her year as student body president to end this way, but she is proud that the fund is the last thing her administration contributed to.
“Stay safe out there y’all and please stay home!,” she wrote.
UNC commencement postponed
The student government declaration mentions graduating seniors’ disappointment with commencement ceremonies being postponed, which the UNC System and Guskiewicz announced last week.
Guskiewicz addressed the issue in the board meeting Thursday, saying while it was painful decision they are listening to the more than 4,000 students who have responded to the survey about what to do.
On of the more popular options on the table is holding an evening commencement ceremony at Kenan Memorial Stadium in August, Guskiewicz said.
The option for a virtual commencement on May 10 hasn’t had much support, Guskiewicz said. There’s also the possibility of bringing everybody back for Homecoming weekend or the University Day weekend in October, as well as combining commencement ceremony with the December 2020 graduates.
Guskiewicz said they plan to make a decision by mid-April.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM with the headline "UNC, NC State raise $1 million and counting to help students affected by coronavirus."
