Dear GS Student Veterans,
You are probably aware that there is a possibility of the federal government shutting down in the coming days due to the budget debate taking place on Capitol Hill. As a precaution, in order to account for delays that could occur later in the month because of a backlog of work at the VA, we recommend that you be prudent with your spending during the month of April in the event that your May 1 BAH payments are delayed.
We strongly recommend that you carefully budget your money in order to ensure that you are able to cover your expenses for additional days into May.
Please note that the University is producing a contingency plan to manage issues that could affect many different parties at Columbia should a shutdown occur.
I also wanted to point out that the VA released a Veterans Field Guide to Government Shutdown that you may find online at http://www.va.gov/FieldGuide_Flyer_Final_6261.pdf . It contains valuable information about services to veterans that will be impacted by reduced appropriations.
I hope that you find this information helpful. If you find yourself confronting an issue with your finances, please contact the Office of Educational Financing at GS at (212) 854-5410 or gs_financial_aid@columbia.edu for assistance.
Best,
Dean Rodgers
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Curtis M. Rodgers
Dean of Enrollment Management
Columbia University School of General Studies
