NAICU Washington Update

New Resource Helps Colleges and Universities Following Disasters

October 13, 2022

According to the Department of Education, since 2017, there have been over 300 presidentially declared major disasters across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Outlying Areas.  In response, the Department created a one-stop National Disaster Resource page listing a multitude of useful links to help colleges and universities “restore learning” and address the needs of students and communities after a declared federal disaster.

In 2018, the Disaster Recover Unit was created to “spearhead disaster recovery work across the Department” and to better assist K-12 and postsecondary schools in dealing with the impacts of natural disasters. 

The resource page links to information on preparedness in advance of a disaster, how to get back to teaching, how to help students who may have lost their homes, and how to obtain childcare services, among other tools.  It also includes access to relevant resources from other federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Key to the higher education sector, the page also lists a toll-free number for information about relief options for students and borrowers affected by a natural disaster. 
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