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259 SHEFA applications OK’d
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Posted on Feb 29 2012
By Moneth Deposa
Reporter
Reporter
The Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board of directors has approved financial awards for over 250 students this semester and ordered the submission of check requests to the Department of Finance.
SHEFA received a total of 435 applications for the spring 2012 semester. Of this number, 259 were deemed eligible for financial assistance, while 36 have so far been denied due to noncompliance with requirements or lack of supporting documents.
SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneider told Saipan Tribune yesterday that 141 applications will still be reviewed until next week.
It was learned that SHEFA submitted to Finance yesterday its first request for checks for the spring 2012 semester. Hofschneider said the checks amount to $457,000 for 259 scholars.
The next check request will be sent to Finance once more applications are approved. Hofschneider aims to transmit the next check request on March 15.
According to him, the total amount disbursed this semester will not exceed $850,000.
Last Feb. 17, Finance issued $272,400 worth of checks for SHEFA scholars, covering financial assistance for 187 students in the fall 2011 semester. In December, Finance paid out $473,100 for 261 scholars in the same semester.
Based on SHEFA records, the total amount awarded in the fall 2011 semester is $884,200 for 528 recipients. Of that amount, three check requests remain pending for disbursement.
The poor fiscal state of the government has resulted in delays in the issuance of scholarship checks from both SHEFA and the CNMI Scholarship Office.
