The CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund provided federal funding to colleges and universities for specific expenses that were a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CARES Act I

Salve Regina received approximately $1.7 million from the Department of Education relating to the CARES Act. Funding came with the stipulation that 50% must first be given to students (see the student aid section below) and 50% could be used by the institution to defray extraordinary operating costs relating to the pandemic. Institutional aid was used to partially fund off-campus housing necessary in the de-densification of our residence halls and to partially fund costs associated with changes in instructional methodology. Details are available in the links below.

• CARES Act institutional funding - Sept. 30, 2020
• CARES Act institutional funding - Dec. 31, 2021

CARES Act II

Salve Regina received approximately $2.4 million from the Department of Education relating to the HEERF Act (also known as CRRSAA). Funding came with the stipulation that $857,705 must first be given to students (see the student aid section below) and the balance could be used by the institution to defray extraordinary operating costs relating to the pandemic. The institutional portion was used to partially defray losses due to the shutdown of the University in spring 2020. Details are available in the links below.

• HEERF quarterly reporting - Dec. 31, 2020
• HEERF quarterly reporting - March 31, 2021
• HEERF quarterly reporting - June 30, 2021

CRRSAA/HEERF II

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) was signed into law Dec. 27, 2020. Section 314 of the CRRSAA created a second Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund called HEERF II to provide emergency financial aid assistance to students. Funds could be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to the pandemic, such as tuition, technology, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. The University received $857,705 to be allocated across students. Awards were distributed to eligible students based on an analysis of financial need, using information from a student’s financial aid application and/or appeal process, with priority given to Pell-eligible students and those experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.

Final reporting: All funding was exhausted as of April 12.

• Total funds received: $857,705
• Total funds distributed: $857,705
• Total number of students awarded: 890
• Total number of Pell-eligible students awarded: 408
• Percentage of HEERF II funding given to Pell-eligible students: 76%

Student Aid

Final reporting: All funding was exhausted as of Oct. 20, 2020.

• Total funds received: $857,705
• Total funds distributed: $857,705
• Total number of undergraduate students eligible: 1,763
• Total applications completed: 696
• Total number funded: 739

To receive funding through the CARES Act, undergraduate degree-seeking students must:

• Have been enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program for the spring 2020 semester as of May 8 (last day of spring classes)
• Have been enrolled in at least one face-to-face class as of March 13 (last day of classes before spring break)
• Have completed a 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), be federally eligible and determined to have financial need

Students enrolled in a program that was offered exclusively online during the spring 2020 semester were not eligible for emergency grants. Students who were in default on a Title IV loan (or who owed refund money on a Title IV grant) were also ineligible for CARES Act funding.

The following expenses were considered for grant assistance if they were related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus: Food, housing (such as having to move off campus when residence halls closed), course materials, health care, child care, technology-related expenses (such as having to buy a computer when courses were moved online) and/or transportation (such as having to fly home because classes were canceled or having to return from study abroad because of program cancelation).

This funding was separate from any institutional financial aid and priority was given to those with the greatest demonstrated financial need based on the FAFSA. These funds could not be used to pay for tuition and related fees. The U.S. Department of Education did not allow these funds to be used for international students, undocumented students, non-matriculated students or students enrolled in distance-only degree programs.

Eligible undergraduate students were emailed May 14, 2020 with more information and a link to the application form. The survey closed May 31, 2020 and only students who applied were considered. Study abroad students with additional expenses were considered a special population and additional costs were reimbursed.

CARES/HEERF III

Salve Regina has signed and returned to the Department of Education the certification and agreement form and has used funding designated under the CRRSAA and ARP programs to provide emergency financial aid grants to students.

Salve Regina received approximately $4.2 million from the Department of Education relating to the HEERF Act. Funding came with the stipulation that $2.1 million must first be given to students and the balance could be used by the institution to defray extraordinary operating costs relating to the pandemic. The majority of the institutional portion was used as of November 2021 and the limited remaining funds were used as of March 2022. Funds could be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to the pandemic, such as tuition, technology, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. Awards were distributed to eligible students based on an analysis of financial need, using information from a student’s financial aid application and/or appeal process, with priority given to Pell-eligible students and those experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic. Details are available in the links below.

Institutional Aid

• HEERF quarterly reporting: Sept. 30, 2021
• HEERF quarterly reporting: Dec. 31, 2021
• HEERF quarterly reporting: March 31, 2022

Student Aid

• Total funds received: $2,110,571
• Total funds distributed: $2,110,571
• Total number of undergraduate students eligible: 1,260
• Total applications completed: N/A
• Total number funded: 1,260