Helping Students Get Back on Track at College of the Canyons

At College of the Canyons, we have earned the reputation for removing the barriers that prevent our students from reaching their goals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, unfortunately many of our students were forced to choose between continuing their education and providing for their families.
In an effort to remove financial debt as a barrier to higher education, the Santa Clarita Community College District cleared nearly $950,000 in student debt through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act!
What was the result of this proactive move? The debt forgiveness initiative restored registration eligibility for 3215 College of the Canyons students! That’s 3215 goals that can now get back on track.
How did we do this? The college targeted unpaid student fees for the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021 and Spring 2021 terms.
The kinds of fees that were cleared included any past due balances for all District-owed fees, including enrollment fees, non-resident tuition, college fees, and District debt for class withdrawal penalties.
There wasn’t a sum that was too large or too small to qualify for this one-time debt clearance.
In fact, the amount of the college’s debt forgiveness ranged from the smallest of $1 to the largest of $5981.
The college’s debt forgiveness plan was funded through the $3.6 million CARES Act award it received in May 2020 to assist students with needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students whose balances were paid off were notified of their enrollment re-eligibility by mail in December so they can go back to school as soon as possible.
To say that we are excited to welcome returning students back to our campuses during the Spring 2021 semester would be an understatement! We are looking forward to helping our new and returning students blaze their own paths at COC in the new year because that is what we do!