Virginia Tech and Radford University are among schools receiving millions of dollars more in coronavirus aid money.
Virginia will dole out more than $116 million in federal funds to colleges and universities to help cover costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday.
“This additional $116 million in funding will go a long way towards closing COVID-related budget gaps at these institutions, and will ensure they can continue to provide a world-class education in the midst of this health crisis,” he said in a press release.
The money will be given to public universities and medical centers for telework expenses, personal protective equipment, sanitization and COVID-19 testing. Funding is aimed at covering previous and upcoming COVID-19 costs through the end of this year.
Tech will receive $13,296,727 from the state via federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money. Only the Virginia Commonwealth University health system received more, at $19,887,400.
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The University of Virginia is set to get $11,168,224.
Radford will receive $3,569,767 and the Roanoke Higher Education Center is earmarked for $178,168.
“College life looks very different in the age of COVID-19,” Secretary of Education Atif Qarni said in the state’s news release. “I’m proud to support the Commonwealth’s colleges and universities as they work to keep their students, faculty, and communities safe—all while providing the high-quality education Virginia is known for.”
Tech will use its $13.3 million allocation to offset $8.45 million in student and employee testing and $2.8 million in quarantine and isolation space expenses, according to Mark Owczarski, a school spokesman. The rest will cover costs including software licenses for remote learning and teleworking, personal protective equipment, and tent rentals for outdoor spaces.
Radford University intends to spend its $3.6 million on PPE, cleaning supplies, testing and telework and remote learning expenses, spokeswoman Caitlyn Scaggs said.
In the spring, the state gave out more than $294 million in CARES Act money earmarked for institutions of higher education. All colleges and universities have spent beyond these previous funds because of the need for COVID-19 testing, PPE and a shift to virtual learning, the state noted.
In April, Tech said it had received $19 million in CARES Act money. Radford gained $9.1 million in that earlier package. Half of that funding was tied to direct emergency aid for students.