DSU gets additional $11.3M in federal stimulus funds

DOVER – Delaware State University (DSU) will receive a total of $17 million in direct aid from the federal government through the CARES Act, after Delaware’s congressional delegates  helped it get an additional $11.3 million from stimulus funds that were set aside for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The announcement was made by U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and DSU President Tony Allen during the university’s weekly call for students, faculty, alumni, and other stakeholders.

Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester

“We need to pay special attention to HBCUs that have uplifted our country,” Rochester said during unscripted comments that Allen praised for their passion, energy, and inspiration and demonstrating her commitment to putting people first. “As we go through the pandemic, we must stay strong.”

Allen and members of his senior leadership team reiterated that the university was one of the first in the country to provide cost-of-attendance credits and refunds after the start of the pandemic and is focusing much of its attention on delivering high-quality online courses should they be necessary in the fall. The school originally received $5.6 million as part of the stimulus package.

“We are feeling some strain but we have made great progress,” Allen said. “We are not yet out of the woods but we’re looking at many different scenarios for the fall” including normal operations, starting later, going online-only, and using a hybrid model.

In an interview in late April, DSU spokesman Steven Newton said, “Delaware State will follow all federal guidelines for dispensing all such funds, and it is appropriate that a significant percentage is reserved for direct support of our students, many of whom are being challenged to continue their educations under extremely difficult conditions. We are exploring all the options for using this money as creatively as possible to keep them on track while still following the appropriate regulations.”  

By Peter Osborne

posborne@delawarebusinesstimes.com