The purpose of the Student Emergency Fund is to provide assistance to Willamette students in emergency situations. It is intended to assist students during times of crisis by providing financial support where a clear need exists. This fund supports students whose hardship is impacting their program attendance and functionality and is to be used after all other financial resources have been exhausted.
Administration of the Fund
The Student Emergency Fund is administered by the Office of Student Affairs. All requests must be submitted in writing (by the student or the involved faculty/staff member) and approved by the Office of Student Affairs before any funds are released. In addition, depending on the nature of the need, the assistance may be offered in the form of gift cards, direct payment for a good or service, and/or receipts must be provided to ensure that funds are used for the designated purpose(s). Emergency fund payments may be taxable to the recipient under state and federal income tax laws. Please consult your tax advisor.
It is expected that the student needing financial assistance will have first exhausted their immediate support network (i.e., family, friends, financial aid). This will ensure the availability of funds for a greater number of students who lack the financial resources to cover unexpected emergency expenses.
Request Parameters
The maximum amount of money that can be requested from the Student Emergency Fund is $500.00 per student except in exceptional circumstances as approved by the Office of Student Affairs. Funds can be accessed for, but are not limited to the following reasons:
- Replacement of essential personal belongings due to fire, flood, theft, or natural disaster
- Emergency or temporary housing assistance
- Medications or costs related to emergency medical care (not covered by insurance)
- Assistance with food, rent or utilities due to an emergency situation
- Emergency transportation costs related to a family death or illness
- Safety-related needs (i.e. changing a lock)
- Other emergency situation that will impact a student's ability to fully participate in their academic career at WU
Following are some examples of circumstances that would generally not constitute an emergency activating the Emergency Request Fund:
- Money to pay for school bill, books, or supplies (see the Textbook Assistance Fund)
- Circumstances where funds are readily available through a student’s immediate support network (family and friends)
Request Process
To submit an Emergency Fund request, click here:
EMERGENCY FUND APPLICATION
Final approval of both the request and the amount of money requested lies with the VP of Student Affairs or their designee.
Questions and information can be directed to emergency-fund-applications@willamette.edu or to the Office of Student Affairs, UC 340, 503-370-6447.