Colorado higher education leaders are seeking emergency federal funding for colleges and universities beyond the $2 trillion stimulus package approved by Congress on Wednesday.
A letter sent to the state’s congressional delegation on March 20 outlines the need for emergency aid to students and institutions, technology funding, supplemental research funding and access to low-cost capital amid a worsening economic and public health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus.
The letter is signed by 20 state leaders of public and private higher education, including University of Colorado system President Mark Kennedy and Naropa University President Charles Lief.
The Colorado letter is similar to a memo written by 11 national higher education groups, which together represent nearly every college and university in the United States.
That memo requested more than $50 billion in aid for colleges and universities. The stimulus package approved by Congress on Wednesday allocated approximately $14 billion for higher education.
Universities and colleges in Colorado will likely lose $100 million in revenue to refunds and credits for room and board this year, according to state higher education leaders.
Many institutions, including the University of Colorado Boulder, asked students to leave campus to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Colorado letter requests direct emergency aid for students and institutions based on enrollment and the number of low-income students, with up to $1,500 going to individual students. It also requests that $7.8 billion be spent nationally to help institutions move all students to online-only education.
The letter also requests Congress provide additional funding for research, including COVID-19-related research, and access to zero-interest refinancing and loans.
“As our congressional delegation, we ask you to continue to work with our institutions as Congress identifies ways to address both the immediate burdens, and the long-term impacts to our students, institutions and communities,” the letter states.
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Boulder, said he supports protections for students and staff impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
“As a member of House Leadership, I continue to advocate for policies that would provide student loan debt relief, stabilization funds for states, local governments and higher education institutions, and other measures to safeguard our students and colleges and universities throughout the state,” Neguse said.
A spokeswoman for Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said he also received a copy of the letter from state higher education leaders.
“These are trying times for both students and institutions, and (Bennet) understands the unique challenges both face as campuses close and transition to remote learning,” spokeswoman Courtney Gidner wrote in an email.
“He is committed to working with the delegation to ensure Colorado’s colleges and universities are able to provide for their students (including vulnerable students who need emergency aid for food, shelter, et al.) and continue to provide research, and community- and education-focused services moving forward.”
