To: All students
From: Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones
The state Legislature has not yet passed a spending plan for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, which began July 1.
As you may have heard, this budget impasse in Harrisburg affects the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, or PHEAA, which administers a number of state grant programs that provide financial assistance to college students, including many students here at California University.
PHEAA has notified financial aid administrators at colleges across Pennsylvania that it cannot disburse any financial aid until a state budget has been finalized. This situation, which has occurred previously when the final passage of the state budget was delayed, would impact students at both public and private institutions in Pennsylvania.
About 32,000 students who will begin classes this month at one of the State System’s 14 universities are expecting to receive a state grant to help pay their tuition and other college-related fees. If a state budget is not passed in time, funding for PHEAA-related programs — including PHEAA State Grants and PHEAA Work-Study programs — will be delayed.
California University is committed to ensuring that no student who receives PHEAA-related financial aid is harmed financially while we wait for a state budget to be passed. Cal U will use institutional funds to cover those awards until a state budget is passed and the University can be reimbursed.
Students should recognize that not all financial aid is awarded through PHEAA. For example, graduate assistants and most work-study students are NOT funded by PHEAA programs.
If you have concerns about your financial aid for the Fall 2015 semester, please contact financial aid director Jill Fernandes (fernandes@calu.edu) in the Office of Financial Aid; call the Financial Aid Office at 724-938-4415; or visit the office in Dixon Hall.
We look forward to seeing you in just a few short weeks for the start of the fall semester!
With warm wishes,
