June 4, 2020
To: Members of the University Community
From: Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost, and Michele Rasmussen, Dean of Students in the University
Subject: CARES Act Funds for Students
Date: June 4, 2020
We write today to announce the availability of emergency grant funding through the CARES Act for certain eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students who have been negatively impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic.
After a careful evaluation, the University has decided to accept and direct the entire $6.2 million of funding that the federal government has allocated under the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to students. This $6.2 million includes the $3.1 million of CARES Act funds the government allocated to the University to cover institutional costs associated with its response to the coronavirus. These CARES Act funds will be distributed as grants to those students in our University with the greatest financial need.
Students who are eligible to receive these funds must use amounts received for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, childcare, and other expenses. In accordance with the CARES Act, these funds cannot be used to cover University-specific expenses such as tuition. This CARES Act funding is separate from, and in addition to, the financial aid and emergency assistance that the University has already made available to students in need.
The Department of Education’s guidance on these CARES Act funds limits eligibility to Title IV-eligible students (who must meet certain enrollment criteria and be making satisfactory academic progress), and requires schools to consider socioeconomic circumstances when making these grants. The University has identified undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students with the greatest financial need who meet these criteria; these students will receive a separate email regarding the application process.
CARES Act funds are one source of financial support for eligible students. In addition, the University has separately been supporting its students with demonstrated need in many ways, including through existing mechanisms such as the Emergency Assistance Program. The University also has extensive financial aid programs for students across our undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
For additional details on CARES Act funds, please visit the University’s CARES Act webpage.