CAMPUSNEWS SIXMILLION When University of the Cumberlands received nearly $6 million in emergency coronavirus relief funding, it immediately directed every dollar of the funding to its undergraduate student body. Full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students received direct payments of $1,500, with Pell-eligible students receiving an additional $475. Part-time degree-seeking undergraduate students received $500, with Pell-eligible students receiving an additional $275. The aid was funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). Because federal guidelines prohibit public funding from being distributed to international undergraduate students, the university used private, institutional dollars to provide direct payments to that population. This move ensured that every degree-seeking undergraduate student received financial support. Cumberlands president Larry L. Cockrum said the university could have withheld a majority of the funding to cover its own expenses, but instead opted to transfer every dollar to students, many of whom have struggled with educational and living expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government allocated a total $5,852,797 to Cumberlands to provide financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and to cover a variety of institutional costs. The university began processing payments to students immediately.
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Our mission at University of the Cumberlands is built around putting our students first. Every decision we make is made with that in mind. During this time of prolonged national emergency, supporting our students is crucial. We care for our students, we want them here, and we want them to be able to focus on their education and extracurricular opportunities.
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-President Cockrum
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Directing 100 percent of emergency funding to students is a continuation of The Cumberlands Commitment, an initiative launched in 2018 to make college more affordable for students. Tuition was lowered by 57 percent in 2018, and, in 2019, Cumberlands made textbooks free for in-seat undergraduate students. President Cockrum noted that most college students were not included in stimulus payments issued in relation to the pandemic, yet he feels many students, and their families, have struggled financially and could use the help. He hopes allocating these newest payments directly to students provided relief and allowed students to focus more on their education. In May 2020, Cumberlands used federal emergency funding through the CARES Act to provide in-seat undergraduate students with one-time payments of $500 to $1,000.
