Texas Border Business
MCALLEN, TEXAS – Following a decision by South Texas College Board of Trustees on Tuesday, 3,488 students with unpaid balances from recent semesters will now have their debt burden to the college eliminated, paid on their behalf through the use of pandemic relief funds.
Trustees approved the discharge of student debt incurred during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 terms.
At their regular meeting on June 22, the STC Board approved utilizing the college’s portion of institutional funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to discharge over $1.9 million in outstanding student balances.
HEERF Institutional Fund guidelines indicate the allotment of funds to reimburse sources of lost revenue, including unpaid student accounts.
“It is really important for us to find a way to help as many residents and students take charge of their lives again not just during the global pandemic but during the economic downturn as well,” said STC Board Chair Rose Benavidez. “The fact that we’re allowed to clear any debt they have and give them a fresh start is really significant for us in many ways, but most important, it’s knowing we have the ability to let someone begin a new journey.
“I think what this does is validate the fact that this Board at the college puts students first above all, and the biggest investment we can make is not in bricks and mortar but human capital,” Benavidez said.
Representatives from STC will directly notify students if their account qualifies for debt discharge.
