CSU Bakersfield’s President Lynnette Zelezny announced that CARES Act funds will be distributed among students and the institution during the regular board meeting of Associated Students, Inc. on May 1.  

  “The total amount that we’ll be dispersing to students for this additional funding is $6,794,471 dollars total. As you may know, the federal guidelines did not allow for us to disseminate the CARES funding to undocumented or international students, but thanks to ASI and their leadership we were able to move forward with an emergency CSUB CARES fund, and that fund is going to allow us to make sure that all students get some support at this very important time,” Zelezny said. 

    Zelezny explained how the money will be distributed to students within the next two weeks starting Monday, May 4, and that students might be receiving funds at different times, whether it is in the form of a direct deposit or a check. No application needs to be completed to receive the grant. Grants do not need to be repaid. 

  Students will also be receiving different amounts depending on their student status. 

  “All full-time students will receive $300. However, if you are a Pell-eligible student or a Title IV-eligible student, you will receive $700. If you are a student that has zero family contribution for your education, you will receive $1000. All part-time students will receive a minimum of $100,” Zelezny said. 

  A website that provides contact information was created where students can check in to receive further communication on the status of their check. 

  For additional funding, starting on May 15, there will be an application for an additional $300 for support, and all students are welcome to apply, including undocumented students. The criteria for who gets the money has not been set, according to Zelezny, who also said that this application will have a deadline of two weeks, and it will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. 

  “It is going to be a very simplified process; it is basically going to be an explanation of what your needs are for that additional funding, I don’t have any other details on that at this time. If there is more important information for you to prepare for that, I’ll have that for you at Runner Walk and Talk,” Zelezny said. 

  The money being distributed to students is half of the money received by CSUB in federal emergency aid from the U.S.  Department of Education. The remaining half will be used for institutional support meant to replace revenue the school has lost due to the pandemic. 

“It’s about $13.5 million, and we have not received the other half of it. Because the intention of the money is so different, half of the money had to go to the student support,” Zelezny said. “We have not received that second round of funding, we are waiting for it, and that is for institutional support, for the losses of revenue that we are encoring, that support is supposed to bolster the university, lack of revenue on things like housing, parking, food, extra revenue that we have to incur to make sure that we have the technology support.” 

   Zelezny said funding is in “phase one,” meaning that the distribution of this money is meant to help students for needs such as housing, food, or any needs that have arrived due to the pandemic.