New Jersey will receive $323.1 million in federal aid to help colleges and students struggling because of the economic downturn caused by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Over the weekend, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Book announced that half of that funding, which is being allocated through the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, is being “promptly released.”
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is distributing $12.6 billion to more than 5,000 schools nationwide. The funds are included in the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, allocated by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Grant awards were made based on an enrollment formula, according to the DOE. In a letter announcing the awards, Secretary Betsy DeVos said each school would have “significant discretion on how to award this emergency assistance to students.”
School’s Eligibility
In New Jersey, two- and four-year public colleges and universities were awarded a combined $238,113,748. Private four-year colleges, technical and trade schools and seminaries are set to receive aid as well.
In early March, schools began shutting down and transitioning to online learning in place of in-person classes. All schools in New Jersey now remain indefinitely closed under an executive order from Gov. Phil Murphy.
Since then, colleges and universities across the state have issued millions of dollars in tuition and dorm refunds, had their state aid frozen and experienced declines in revenue from the cancellation of events, sporting games and research.
‘Critical First Step’
Booker called the funding “a critical first step in supporting New Jersey’s colleges and universities, staff, faculty and researchers battling this ongoing crisis.”
Menendez, who said Congress is working on another stimulus package, believes the newly-released funding for education “will ensure students receive the assistance they need and that our colleges and universities can continue operating during the crisis.”
In North Jersey, about $40 million was earmarked to help schools cover financial losses and for emergency cash grants to help students pay for housing, food, course materials, technology, health care, childcare and other essentials.
CARES Act Funding
According to Rep. Josh Gottheimer, some of the relief provided in the The CARES Act includes “dollars that are literally going out the door this week.”
“One of my top priorities throughout this crisis has been working to ensure that the Fifth District has the resources it needs to combat the impacts this pandemic is having on our community – including on our education system,” he said in a statement.
North Jersey Aid Recipients
- Bergen Community College – $8,461,418, Paramus, Bergen County
- Bergen County Technical Schools – $76,107, Hackensack, Bergen County
- Berkeley College – $4,464,258, Woodland Park, Passaic County
- Best Care College – $255,167, East Orange, Essex County
- Bloomfield College – $2,851,037, Bloomfield, Essex County
- Branford Hall Career Institute – $201,705, Jersey City, Hudson County, Parsippany, Morris County
- Caldwell University – $2,028,129, Caldwell, Essex County
- Capri Institute of Hair Design – $110,520, Clifton, Passaic County
- Capri Institute of Hair Design – $94,976, Paramus, Bergen County
- Centenary University – $1,350,523, Hackettstown, Warren County
- Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology – $118,012, Pine Brook, Morris County
- College of Saint Elizabeth – $935,846, Morristown, Morris County
- County College of Morris – $3,734,038, Randolph, Morris County
- Cutting Edge Academy – $85,930, Succasunna, Morris County
- Drew University – $1,727,427, Madison, Morris County
- Eastern International College – $1,016,203, Belleville, Essex County, Jersey City, Hudson County
- Eastern School Of Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine – $19,495, Bloomfield, Essex County
- Eastwick College – $895,753, Ramsey, Bergen County
- Eastwick College – Hackensack Campus. – $844,520, Hackensack, Bergen County
- Eastwick College – Nutley Campus – $1,022,459, Nutley, Essex County
- Essex County College – $7,752,662, Newark, Essex County
- Fairleigh Dickinson University – $5,771,203, Madison, Morris County,
- Felician University – $2,243,499, Lodi, Bergen County
- Fortis Institute – $2,435,661, Wayne, Passaic County
- Garden State Science and Technology Institute – $134,873, Jersey City, Hudson County
- Hohokus School of Trade And Technical Sciences – $483,327, Paterson, Passaic County
- Holy Name Medical Center School of Nursing – $206,390, Englewood Cliffs, Ocean County
- Hudson County Community College – $8,467,661, Jersey City, Hudson County
- Institute for Therapeutic Massage – $115,588, Haskell, Passaic County
- Jersey College – $5,119,863, Teterboro, Bergen County
- Joe Kubert School of Cartoon & Graphic Art – $105,343, Dover, Morris County
- Lincoln Technical Institute – $6,452,823, Mahwah, Bergen County, Paramus, Bergen County
- Mobile Technical Training – $5,238, South Hackensack, Bergen County
- Montclair State University – $19,911,482, Montclair, Essex County
- Morris County School of Technology – $68,148, Denville, Morris County
- National Career Institute – $497,128, East Orange, Essex County, Jersey City, Hudson County
- New Community Career and Technical Institute – $289,766, Newark, Essex County
- New Jersey City University – $8,337,070, Jersey City, Hudson County
- New Jersey Institute of Technology – $8,110,969, Newark, Essex County
- Parisian Beauty Academy Paul Mitchell Partner School – $673,639, Hackensack, Bergen County
- Passaic County Community College – $5,451,658, Paterson, Passaic County
- Pillar College – $562,480, Newark, Essex County
- Rabbinical College of America – $347,256, Morristown, Morris County
- Ramapo College of New Jersey – $4,606,705, Mahwah, Bergen County
- Robert Fiance Beauty Schools – $304,898, West New York, Hudson County
- Saint Peter’s University – $3,914,585, Jersey City, Hudson County
- Seton Hall University – $5,749,918, South Orange, Essex County
- Stevens Institute of Technology – $3,121,706, Hoboken, Hudson County
- Sussex County Community College – $1,156,835, Newton, Sussex County
- Teterboro School of Aeronautics – $490,330, Teterboro, Bergen County
- Total Image Beauty Academy – $178,161, Union City, Hudson County
- Warren County Community College – $686,371, Washington Township, Warren County
- William Paterson University of New Jersey – $9,763,356, Wayne, Passaic County
