Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Iowa offers loans and grants to student flood victims
By Adam Sullivan
The Daily Iowan, U. Iowa
June 26, 2008

Students will be able to draw support from one more source now - the Office of Student Financial Aid.

The office announced on Tuesday that it will make financial support available to students directly affected by flooding. The announcement was made via a news release on the university's flood blog.

Mark Warner, the director of Student Financial Aid, said support will be supplied through short-term loans or by grants.

Loans of up to $500 will be given to students who expect to receive other support from insurance companies, the Red Cross, or other sources. The purpose of the loan, Warner said, is to support students' short-term needs until money from private or government agencies can be awarded.

Grant money, on the other hand, is coming from the UI Foundation's Flood Relief Fund. Warner said this money - up to $500 per student - is meant for students who do not expect receive other aid.

"I'm very pleased that people have been so generous with the amount of money they've applied to the university in such a short time," Warner said.

Susan Shullaw, the senior vice president of strategic communications for the UI Foundation, said funds received through donations to the foundation are at the sole discretion of UI President Sally Mason, and a task force has been assembled to determine rules and regulations of how the money will be used.

"[Mason's] first priority is to use this fund to provide relief for students, faculty, and staff who have been displaced by flooding," Shullaw said. "Once human needs are met, she'll use the funds to provide assistance to areas of campus that have been hit the hardest."

So far, the UI Foundation's website has received donations from 1,390 donors totaling at least $227,000. Shullaw expects mail donations could push that total to at least $300,000.

She encourages potential donors to make their donations through a Big Ten Network promotion associated with the UI Foundation. According its website, the network has agreed to match donations up to $25,000 made through the foundation's website.

The release acknowledged that some students and parents may experience significant financial difficulty as a result of flooding. These students may qualify for additional loans or grants through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Students hoping to obtain support can obtain an assistance request form from Student Financial Aid during normal business hours. If applicable, students are asked provide documentation - from organizations such as the Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency - to help assess how much financial support is needed. The amount of support awarded to each student will depend on individual circumstances.

E-mail DI reporter Adam Sullivan at: adam-sullivan@uiowa.edu

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