Mesalands receives nearly $200,000 in relief measures

Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari is receiving nearly $200,000 from coronavirus relief measures.

Mesalands will receive $198,978 from more than $84 million in grants to New Mexico colleges and universities, according to a news release last week from U.S. Sen. Tom Udall’s press office.

About $62 million came through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and $22 million through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund, both authorized by the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Half, or $31 million of the $62 million provided to New Mexico educational institutions under the HEER Fund, must go towards providing cash grants to students for expenses related to disruptions to their educations because of the COVID-19 outbreak, including course materials and technology as well as food, housing, health care, and childcare.

Institutions will use the remaining funds to cover costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction because of the pandemic.