Following a unanimous vote of support by its Board of Trustees Monday, St. Catharine College filed suit in the U.S. District Court in Louisville to compel the U.S. Department of Education to release federal student aid funds for which its students are eligible.
The College claims disbursements to it from the Department of Education are being withheld without reason and is insisting upon their payment.
While the College and its students have met every requirement laid out by the Department to secure financial assistance for its students, the continued and egregious withholding of funds has put at risk the ability of many students, including its neediest, to continue their education and threatens this historic institution.
St. Catharine’s mission includes welcoming all students to its campus and its ability to educate those who come to it is at risk due to the Department of Education’s refusal to distribute student financial aid dollars based on continually changing and capricious benchmarks for payment.
“These actions are wrong,” said St. Catharine College’s President, Dr. Cindy Gnadinger. “We live out our Catholic identity by serving others and confronting injustice, standing up for those who cannot. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees and the President to take this necessary action to protect our students, faculty and community to make sure this injustice does not stand.”
“This is not pleasant news to share and our goal has always been to reach a workable solution with the Department, but I want you to be assured that on behalf of St. Catharine, I am pursuing every avenue available to continue our mission,” said Gnadinger.
Once successful in court, the College intends to continue educating its students and living the pillars of prayer, study, ministry and community.
From St. Catharine’s Communications