The Student Government Assembly has donated $75,000 to the NYU COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, according to a statement released by SGA on Wednesday, April 15.
The money primarily came from the SGA’s general budget as well as the Program Board and Student Activities Board’s budgets, according to the statement.
“The Executive Committee is happy to announce that the Student Government Assembly, along with Program Board and Student Activities Board, have transferred a collective $75,000 USD to the NYU COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant,” the SGA statement reads. “During such unprecedented times, NYU allowed us to donate a maximum of $75,000 USD to this grant.”
These funds were previously allotted for programming, CAS senior and Vice-Chair of the Student Senator’s Council Kosar Kosar — who helped draft the statement — said.
“Because programming is no longer happening and that money is going to be unused, SGA had the choice of what to do with our budget and so we decided to donate that money to the relief fund,” Kosar told WSN.
The NYU COVID-19 Emergency Relief grant supplies funding to remedy costs incurred by the ongoing pandemic including technology expenses and loss of income as well as the need for new academic supplies.
As per the CARES Act implemented by the United States Congress — which aids with the nationwide economic fallout accompanying COVID-19 — NYU is allowed to continue granting emergency relief to students.
In addition to the statement, Gallatin senior and SGA chairperson Jakiyah Bradley — the main author of the statement — also encouraged students to apply for aid.
To apply, the Emergency Relief grant website advises students to locate the finances tab on Albert and to click the COVID-19 & Financial Appeal button. From there, students will be asked to submit a form detailing how much funds are needed and what they would go toward.
“The process to apply is simple and open to all students – undergraduate and graduate – with priority for those who have filed for and received financial aid,” the website reads.
In a previous email from NYU Senior Leadership, NYU maintained that it has given around $4 million and aided around 8,500 students requesting emergency grants. The university still has yet to announce how many students applied for emergency funding.
In addition to transferring money from its budget toward emergency relief, SGA has been in constant communication with the administration to address student concerns. An SGA statement written in March is consistently updated with any new information garnered from these interactions.
Kosar said he was pleased with the donation SGA made to the fund, and that doing so is integral to the assembly’s objectives.
“It was good knowing that we were able to donate that money to help students,” Kosar said. “That money wasn’t used for programming so it’s used to help students in need, that’s what the SGA mission is all about.”
Email Lisa Cochran at [email protected]
