UArizona, Pima Community College comment on impact of potential government shutdown

We are closely monitoring the situation at the U.S. Capitol and preparing for the potential of a shutdown of the federal government.

At this time, Congress and the White House have not yet agreed on a deal to avoid a lapse in funding for non-essential, discretionary functions of the federal government. If no resolution is reached, a partial or complete shutdown may occur as soon as Sunday, Oct. 1.

The majority of the University of Arizona community – including faculty, staff and students – will not be impacted immediately, particularly if the shutdown is limited in time and scope. The Office of Research, Innovation & Impact has published initial guidance for our research community members with active federally funded sponsored projects. For additional information, the White House and federal agencies have developed contingency plans and FAQs.

As we have experienced in the past, the possibility of a federal government shutdown creates uncertainty and additional challenges for our community. Thanks to our colleagues across the University who are working to ensure we are as adequately prepared as possible for a potential shutdown.

We will update our guidance as this situation evolves.

As you may be aware, funding for the federal government is set to expire at the end of this month. If lawmakers do not pass a funding bill, the U.S. Government will be forced to shut down on October 1, 2023. Below are areas of the College that could be impacted by a government shutdown.

Federal Financial Aid

Federal Student Aid (FSA) funding for the current aid year is generally not affected during a government shutdown. The systems and vendors used to process federal student aid will still continue to work. Additionally, The Department of Education (Department) will designate essential employees needed to keep the FSA programs running.  However, The Department of Education and the Office of Federal Student Aid may not deem every employee to be essential, and students or borrowers may see delays in certain processes or rollouts. The areas most impacted by this could be the rollout of the 2024-2025 Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA). Currently, The Department of Education has been implementing FAFSA Simplification and promised a FAFSA release date in December 2023. Another area that may be affected is borrowers applying for loan forgiveness.  Email student aid questions to: fahelp@pima.edu

Veterans’ Education Benefits and Services

GI Bill benefits for student veterans currently enrolled and certified should not be affected by a short-term government shutdown. Student veterans seeking to obtain their GI Bill benefits during or shortly after a shutdown may experience delays. As with other federal agencies, some Department of Veterans Affairs employees may be furloughed, and questions and requests for assistance from agency employees may go unanswered until the shutdown is resolved. Email veterans benefits questions to pcc-veterans-services@pima.edu.

International Students and Study Abroad Students

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services would continue processing visas, but delays would be possible, particularly if the shutdown is prolonged. The State Department would continue processing visas and passports so long as funds are available. If other government agencies and offices that support consular processing are unable to maintain operations at any time during a shutdown, visa and passport processing could be impacted.Immigration and Customs Enforcement would continue to operate. ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) would continue its normal operations. Customs and Border Protection ports of entry would continue to operate. However, foreign nationals could experience delays. For questions regarding international student services and study abroad, please email international@pima.edu.

Other Federal Programs

The College is monitoring the potential impact on a number of PCC federal grants and contracts and is preparing accordingly. As with past federal government shutdowns, the College has sufficient budget capacity to offset delays in federal reimbursements on grants and contracts to keep staffing and operations in federally-funded programs stable.
Families and individuals who are enrolled in other federal programs should be aware that a shutdown may affect the delivery and process of these programs.  Experts suggest, for instance, that Social Security recipients–while payments should continue on track–may experience slow downs in customer service and remediation of errors. Those receiving federal food assistance through SNAP and WIC (often known as food stamps) face the risk of losing that assistance if state funds run dry while the shutdown is ongoing.

Below are links for more information and resources:

• Student Assistance [pima.edu]
• Arc Food Pantry [pima.edu]
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Jorgensen Brooks Group [jorgensenbrooks.com], 888.520.5400 
• U.S. Government Agency Contingency Plans [whitehouse.gov]

The College is watching the situation and its impact on students closely and will send out communications as appropriate or as new information or impacts are known.