HEERF I: CARES Act

Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

On March 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by the U.S. federal government. It included a provision (Section 18004(a)(1)) that authorized the Department of Education to allocate by formula grant funds to institutions of higher education. On April 9, the Department of Education published the list of eligible institutions and their individual allocations. ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥ was among the institutions included on that list. It subsequently issued several sets of guidance through June 17th.

As outlined in the CARES Act, at least fifty percent (50%) of the grant allocation for any institution is to be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).

In compliance with requirements issued by the Department of Education, each institution that accepted the CARES Act funds for students must provide the following information in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and every 45 days thereafter until fully expended:

  1. An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
  2. The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
  3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).
  4. The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
  5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
  6. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
  7. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥â€™s initial 30-day report and its final report related to the student emergency grants are provided here:

÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥â€™s initial/final report related to the institutional portion of the grant is provided here: