Langston University is using funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to cancel student account balances.
This marks the second time the university has cleared balances using grant funding. The first time Langston University canceled student account balances was in August 2021, with a clearance amount of $4,654,112.
The amount of debt cleared through the new initiative is $4,587,485. The two debt clearance initiatives, August 2021 and March 2023, total over $9.2 million in canceled funds.
This year’s initiative will impact students enrolled throughout the summer 2022, fall 2022, and spring 2023 semesters.
In a statement released Wednesday president, Kent J. Smith Langston said the institution “has sought ways to lessen the burden and remove barriers to degree completion” for students.
University officials say they will not be refunding or reversing past payments already made on balances.
According to the university, the new clearance “includes students not currently enrolled at the institution as well as those enrolled during summer 2022 or fall 2022 who will now be cleared of any hold preventing them from receiving an official transcript due to a balance.”
The university registrar will also now consider late applications for graduation due to the award’s timing. Any students now eligible to apply for graduation as a result of debt clearance will have until March 31 to apply for commencement.
