Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
               
	
Higher  Education Emergency Relief Fund (Effective October 30, 2020)
  - 911±¬ÁÏÍø acknowledges that the institution  signed on April 14, 2020 and returned to the Department of Education the  Certification and Agreement with the assurance that 911±¬ÁÏÍø will use,  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.  
  
 
  - 911±¬ÁÏÍø was allocated $1,989,431 for  funding of Higher Education Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
  
 
  - 911±¬ÁÏÍø has distributed $1,988,566 of  our CARES Act Emergency Relief Funds as of October 1, 2020
  
 
  - 911±¬ÁÏÍø estimates that 3,858 students  were eligible to receive funding under the CARES Act.
  
 
  - The CARES Act established Higher Education  Emergency Relief Funds so that institutions could provide cash grants to  students for the disruption to their education due to the coronavirus.  The criteria for the HEERF grant established  by the legislature was intended to be awarded to students who are eligible for  TITLE IV funding, are not in an online program of study and have experienced an  expense related to the COVID-19 pandemic.   The committee reviewed these criteria and divided the 911±¬ÁÏÍø  student population into 4 groups; Undergraduate Resident, Undergraduate  Commuter, Graduate Resident and Graduate Commuter. Students were removed if  they were in an online program of study, withdrew before March 13th,  and had not filed a 2019-20 FAFSA.  The  committee felt that all eligible students were impacted by the pandemic. 
Committee  Members:
	- Janeen  Decharinte, Director Financial Aid
 
    
  - Pam  Maciulewicz,Student Accounts 
 
  - Sarah  Wiegman, Assistant Dean, SGPCE
 
  - Toni Fitzpatrick, Director of Academic  Services
 
  
  
   
 
  
  
  
  SPRING 2020
Grant  Amounts and Rationale
The  committee created the following Grant amounts:
	
    	
        	| Resident  Undergraduate | 
            $1,000 | 
      
        
        
        	|  Commuter  Undergraduate | 
            $300 | 
      
        
         
        	| Resident  Graduate | 
            $1,000 | 
      
        
        
        	|  Commuter  Graduate | 
            $300 | 
      
    
 
Expenditures
911±¬ÁÏÍø  University includes in the Cost of Attendance for students that are living at  home with their parent an allowance of 1750 per semester for living  expenses.  The 875 expense was calculated  per week at 109.375 for the 8 weeks of disruption.  The technology expense was calculated using  an average increase cost for internet and technology purchases of 63 per  week.  Assuming a family of 4 that cost  to the student would be approximately 22 a week.  The commuter expenses of 175 were derived  from the inability to participate and use university facilities such as  library, computer labs, dining facilities etc.  
  
   | Housing student | 
    1,750 | 
    109.375 | 
    875 | 
   
    Dependent student living with parent for 8 weeks of a Living    Allowance | 
  
  
    | Technology | 
      | 
    15.63 | 
    125 | 
   
    Assuming a Family of 4 and a monthly additional cost for    Technology of approximately $63 | 
  
  
    | Commuter | 
      | 
    21.87 | 
    175 | 
  
    Additional expenses related to a food allowance due to the    inability to utilize the dining halls, computer labs and library on campus in    between their classes | 
  
 
- A total of 2,972  undergraduate students and 737 graduate students have received a HEERF Grant as  of May 23, 2020.
 
- The following communication email below was sent  to all eligible students.  In addition,  the application for HEERF will be placed on our LU COVID-219 webpage, Financial  Aid webpage and the LU my911±¬ÁÏÍø Portal.
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed  the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act referred to as the CARES  Act.  The CARES Act provides emergency  assistance in the form of cash grants to students for expenses related to the disruption  of their education due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  In order to be eligible for this funding a  student must be: 
  - Title IV eligible as determined by completing  the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
 
  - Enrolled in an eligible degree seeking program
 
  - Registered for classes at the time of the  Disaster Declaration  
 
  - Not enrolled in an online program of study 
 
911±¬ÁÏÍø determined  expenses incurred by students related to the disruption of operations and based  the amount of grant assistance resulting from residence halls closing,  increased technology expenses, and additional costs for food and transportation  to return home.  I am writing to inform you that you are receiving a HEERF grant as  provided by the CARES Act.  Please  access your Student Account on your my911±¬ÁÏÍø portal at www.mylewis.lewisu.edu  to review your HEERF  grant. 
  If you believe that the amount of  expenses you incurred due to the disruption of your education at 911±¬ÁÏÍø  exceeds the amount of your HEERF Grant, you may apply for supplemental  funding.   An application will be available for additional  funds after May 23, 2020 on the 911±¬ÁÏÍø COVID webpage.
  If you have any questions, please  contact the Office of Financial Aid Services at finaid@lewisu.edu.  
  
  FALL 2020
  - 
 On September 1, 2020 the existing students  that were awarded a HEERF Grant for Spring semester were reviewed for  enrollment for Fall 2020.  The following  additional guidelines were put in place to expend the remaining portion of the  HEERF Grant allocation.
 
 
 
  - Guidelines and Awarding
  	
		  - Student’s registered for Fall 2020 both  graduate and undergraduate
 
		  - Student’s whose EFC regardless of student type  made the student Pell eligible
 
		  - Awards were prorated based on full-time or  less than full-time
 
	
   
	Expenditures
  An additional HEERF Grant award to  undergraduate students who are Pell Grant eligible for technology assistance  due to the Hybrid Learning environment for the Fall 2020 semester.  An additional HEERF Grant award to graduate  student whose EFC was within the Pell EFC range.
  
   | Technology | 
     | 
     | 
   An addition of 20 per week for 15 weeks of Technology assistance    for Pell Grant eligible students.  A    less than full-time student would receive 16.67 per week | 
   
   
   
       | Full-time | 
       20.00 | 
       300 | 
      
   
   
       | < Full-time | 
       16.67 | 
       250 | 
      
    
 
 
 - An additional 16 students were identified that  met the eligibility criteria for Spring 2021 and those students were awarded  according to the Spring 2020 criteria outlined above
 
 
 
   - The Fall 2020 review resulted in 866  undergraduate students and 98 graduate students that received additional funding  in the Fall 2020 semester.
   
 
   
   - The following communication email below was sent  to the eligible students. 
	Dear «FNAME» «LNAME» 
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid,  Relief, and Economic Security Act referred to as the CARES Act.  The CARES Act provided emergency assistance  in the form of cash grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of  their education due to the COVID-19 outbreak.   In order to be eligible for this funding a student must be:
  - Title IV eligible as determined by completing  the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
 
  - Enrolled in an eligible degree seeking program
 
  - Registered for classes at the time of the  Disaster Declaration  
 
  - Not enrolled in an online program of study 
 
I am writing to  inform you that you are receiving an additional HEERF grant as provided by the  CARES Act.  Please access your  Student Account on your my911±¬ÁÏÍø portal at www.mylewis.lewisu.edu  to review your HEERF  grant. 
 
  The Federal Government  mandated this money be sent directly to the student.  In order for us to  do that, we have to pay the grant to your account and then do a refund to your  bank account.  When you review your account you will see the grant  credited and then refunded on your Statement of Account.
The grant money will be  Direct Deposited into your bank account within 48 – 72 hours, if you have Direct  Deposit set up with TMS. If you do not have Direct Deposit, a paper check will  be mailed to the address on file. Paper checks may take 1 – 2 weeks to receive  them.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of  Financial Aid Services at finaid@lewisu.edu.
 
Quarterly Public Reporting Form for (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3) Funds
Download the Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report:
ANNUAL HEERF REPORTING
            
             
 
 
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