According to @blackenterprise, Clark Atlanta, Spelman, and FAMU are among a few #HBCUs that are clearing tuition debts for the 2020-2021 academic school year.
As the pandemic continues to disrupt life as we once knew it, the HBCUs decided to use the funds from the federal government to make life a bit easier.
Announcing the message on their Facebook page, Spelman wrote, “To address the financial hardships that have taken a toll on students and families over the last year, Spelman College cleared outstanding student balances from AY 2020-2021, an action made possible by the receipt of funds from the federal government.”
“This reset to the lower tuition rates of four years ago will have a long-term impact on affordability,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. “Spelman’s in-depth study into the financial aid needs of our students several years ago reinforced our understanding of one of this country’s fundamental inequities: high performing, high need students are drastically underfunded,”
As schools across the country announced the cancelation of tuition debt for the 2020-2021 academic school year, FAMU released a statement and said that they have spent “spent more than $16 million to cover fees, tuition, and unpaid student account balances,” according to. Black Enterprise.
As previously reported, Clark Atlanta also announced the cancellation of student loan debt. Clark Atlanta also announced its tuition clearing of balances, due to COVID-19. “Clark Atlanta University President Dr. George T. French, Jr. announced today that student account balances for Spring 2020 – Summer 2021 will be canceled and cleared. The university is canceling all student account balances for the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021 semesters by bringing them to a zero balance.“