Statements from President Crow

Dear ASU Students:

For the administration, faculty and staff of Arizona State University, student success is our first and highest priority and we understand that the stress and uncertainty of the current global public health emergency complicates the already challenging endeavor of pursuing a college education. I speak for everyone who works at the university when I say we are committed to helping students to continue and complete their educational journey successfully. The value of a college degree remains one of the best ways to ensure a lifetime of achievement, satisfaction and financial security. 

The COVID-19 pandemic causes stresses on many levels. At ASU, we believe it is our duty and our responsibility to continue providing high quality education to every qualified student who is willing to work for it. During the Spring 2020 semester ASU distributed approximately $566 million in total financial aid, helping 63,000 students. We have also finalized our plans to distribute CARES Act funds, which can be found here. 

ASU students have every right to be proud of the way they handled the mid-semester transition. Through their efforts and commitment, the Spring semester resulted in our highest achieving semester from a student performance standpoint – grades improved across all major categories and the percentage of students withdrawing from at least one course dropped by 2.5 percentage points. 

In preparation for the fall semester, we are aware that the conditions which caused disruption this Spring remain with us. We have prepared accordingly and there is a plan for moving forward in an environment that supports student learning, health and wellness.  We are making investments in the university’s infrastructure that will provide critical resources to manage COVID-19, and allows students to continue progressing and engaging collectively with their studies on campus and remotely. We believe this is an answer not only for today, but for the future when accessibility will be driven by student choice and not by public health constraints. 

We want to offer a reminder of the ways ASU may be able to assist students. Changes in economic circumstances might mean a student is now eligible for federal financial aid, or now might be eligible for additional federal financial aid, and we are having these conversations with students every day. If personal circumstances have created a different economic environment, we encourage you to visit this special site, set up by ASU’s Financial Aid and Scholarship Services, for additional guidance on this topic.

We also know that you may be dealing with other experiences and expenses as you navigate through the pandemic. You might have a need for a laptop or a WiFi hotspot to help with studies. If so, you can check out a laptop or hotspot at the ASU Library. You might have unmet basic needs. If so, you can also direct those requests to our financial aid office.

In addition, ASU Counseling Services remains available to you 24/7. Everyone is dealing with added pressure and stress during this time, so it is important to reach out for help if you need it. 

The university addressed every issue brought forward for the spring semester with university resources. We know that students have been tested this year in ways that no one could have expected, financially and otherwise. We understand the difficulties that students experience and our commitment to helping students get the assistance they need is a central part of our mission. It always has been. It always will be. 

If there is any other way we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at michael.crow@asu.edu.

Sincerely,

Michael M. Crow
President
Arizona State University