Clark Atlanta University Cancels Student Debt For COVID Semesters

ATLANTA — Clark Atlanta University students wanting to erase the last academic year and a half from their memories can at least count on it being cleared from their financial ledgers.

The historically Black university just west of downtown Atlanta announced last week that all student balance sheets for the semesters between January 2020 and this summer — the COVID-19 pandemic months — are being reduced to zero.

That means students enrolled in spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021 and summer 2021 owe nothing for those semesters, University President George French said in a letter released to students and parents last week and later tweeted.

“We understand these past two academic years have been emotionally and financially difficult on students and their families due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” French said. “That is why we will continue to do all we can to support their efforts to complete their CAU education.”

The unprecedented gift, French said, was made possible through a combination of public and private higher education leaders that helped to bring funding from both the CARES Act and the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

Those dollars also provided emergency financial aid directly to students, refunded prorated room and board and parking charges for the spring 2020 semester, discounted tuition and fees for the entire 2020-21 school year, and purchased 4,000 laptops for every student enrolled and hot spots for those in need.

“Now the momentum continues with being in a financial posture to clear student account balances,” French said.