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COVID-19 Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students

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Public Notice

The College of Saint Elizabeth (now Saint Elizabeth University) signed the Funding Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on April 10, 2020. The College received the funds on April 20, 2020. As stated in the certification agreement, the College agreed to allocate no less than 50% of the $935,846 received from the CARES Act to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19 (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and child care).

The College disbursed the funds to eligible students in several rounds. ROUND ONE included all students living in residence on March 21. ROUND TWO included all other undergraduate students who were enrolled full time on March 21 (commuters, Continuing Studies students). Based on remaining funds, a third round will be possible during the fall semester.

We estimate that there are 846 students eligible to apply for a CARES Emergency grant. Because we believed that the students who experienced the greatest disruption were those living in college housing, the initial opportunity to apply for a grant was offered to Title IV eligible students living in residence at the time of Governor Murphy’s Executive Order closing the campus and mandating remote instruction. Of the 336 students living in residence at the time, 315 were determined to be Pell or TAG (Tuition Assistance Grant) eligible, thus representing our highest need population. As of May 13, 2020, the grant was offered to 336 students who were living in college housing as of March 21, the date that New Jersey Governor Murphy signed the executive order mandating remote learning. Two hundred and thirty-seven eligible students have completed the application, been verified and received a total of $228,058. The College administration determined that for the first round of distribution, students could apply for up to $1,000. A simple application asked the students to identify categories of need (food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and child care) and provide the amount expended on each category. No documentation of expenses was required beyond indicating the amount expended in each category. A signature was required on the application to verify the student’s identity. Following verification of eligibility, the funds were made available to the student. NOTE: The College has no fully online undergraduate programs so the qualification for funds was related exclusively to COVID disruption and Title IV eligibility.

The communication provided to students in ROUND ONE is as follows:

I am pleased to share that if you are a traditional undergraduate student who was enrolled at the College on March 24, 2020, lived on campus in Spring 2020, was displaced from student housing by the coronavirus pandemic and have a FAFSA on file, you are eligible to receive funding of up to $1,000 from the Emergency Grants to Students under Section 18004 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act distributions are limited in scope and based on personal eligibility and circumstances. I hope you will take advantage of this funding opportunity by completing the CARES Act Emergency Grant application and that it helps as you continue to manage the new realities of your personal situation, cope with losses, continue with your online courses and plan for the future so that you successfully meet your personal and educational goals.

Applications must be completed and submitted by 5 p.m. on May 5, 2020. We expect final notification of your grant award to occur within 14 days of your application being verified and approved.

You can find more information in the CARES Act Emergency Grant application FAQ. If you have additional questions regarding the application itself, contact Louise Novotny at lnovotny@cse.edu. These funds are intended to help students like yourself with “expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus; specifically, food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and child care expenses.”

I understand these are tough times with difficult choices, particularly when it comes to financial obligations. You are no doubt faced with many demands. Because this aid is being provided to you specifically because you are a student, we encourage you to consider fully all of your options. If you need advice while making your choices, please know that we are always here to help. Feel free to contact Financial Aid at (973) 290-4721 or financialaid@cse.edu.

The application directed the student to enter the total amount of the funds “requested to assist with allowable expenses incurred as a result of the campus disruption related to COVID-19. Receipts are not required for expenses listed; however, the maximum request cannot exceed $1,000, which may be taxable.” Students entered a dollar amount in each of the allowable categories: food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare. Funds were subsequently distributed and students have been notified that the grant has since been determined to be non-taxable. ROUND TWO applications were made available beginning the week of May 18. Eligible students in ROUND TWO were offered the opportunity to apply for up to $750. Eligible full- time traditional undergraduate students received an application similar to that used in ROUND ONE which asked for the amount expended in each expense category. No receipts for the expenses were required. Students were required to sign the application to verify their identity.

All full-time Continuing Studies students (adults over 24 years of age) were provided with the opportunity to apply for a CARES Act Emergency grant. Since FAFSA’s are not completed by all Continuing Studies students, they were asked to attest to the following: 1) Citizen or eligible noncitizen; 2) No student loans in default; and 3) If male, selective service registration. If the student attested to all three and signed the application, they were determined to be eligible to receive a grant. The remaining part of the application was the same as that used in ROUND ONE.

The communication sent to commuter and Continuing Studies students on May 18 is as follows:

As promised, I am sending additional details on the CARES Act Emergency Grant. I am pleased to share that if you are a full-time traditional undergraduate student who was enrolled at the College on March 24, 2020 with a FAFSA on file and commuting to campus in Spring 2020, or are a full-time continuing studies student who is Title IV eligible, you may be entitled to receive funding of up to $750 from the Emergency Grants to Students under Section 18004 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

If you are a full-time Continuing Studies student and are unsure of your Title IV eligibility, the application will ask you three questions. Those three questions, if answered affirmatively, demonstrate your qualifications to receive a grant. By attesting to each question and signing the application you are accepting responsibility for the honesty of your answers. If you do not answer honestly, you can be prosecuted for violation of a federal law.

The CARES Act distributions are limited in scope and based on personal eligibility and circumstances. I hope you will take advantage of this funding opportunity by completing the CARES Act Emergency Grant application and that it helps as you continue to manage the new realities of your personal situation, cope with losses, continue with your online courses and plan for the future so that you successfully meet your personal and educational goals.

Applications must be completed and submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2020. We expect final notification of your grant award to occur within 14 days of your application being verified and approved.

You can find more information in the CARES Act Emergency Grant application FAQ. If you have additional questions regarding the application itself, contact Louise Novotny at lnovotny@cse.edu. These funds are intended to help students like yourself with "expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus; specifically, food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and child care expenses."

I understand these are tough times with difficult choices, particularly when it comes to financial obligations. You are no doubt faced with many demands. Because this aid is being provided to you specifically because you are a student, we encourage you to fully consider your options. If you need advice while making your choices, please know that we are always here to help. Feel free to contact Financial Aid at (973) 290-4721 or financialaid@cse.edu.

Please know that we are very proud of the focus and dedication you have placed on completing this semester successfully despite the day-to-day challenges. I know it's not easy and I pray for you and all CSE students every day to remain safe and well.

As of May 19, a total of 113 ROUND TWO applications have been completed and are in the process of being verified. Applications will be accepted through May 25

July 3, 2020
The award process has been completed for those students displaced during the spring semester. Four hundred and seven students applied and were found to be eligible under the conditions stated above. The total financial award to date to the 407 students is $353,286.71. The remaining funds will be held until fall and will awarded to eligible students using similar process.

December 17, 2020
During the Fall 2020 semester, the institution distributed $1,000 to five students. The total financial award to date is $358,286.71.

March 31, 2021
During the months of January and February 2021, 332 traditional undergraduate (TUG) students received CRRSAA funds totaling $390,701. In March 2021, 33 Continuing Students student received $32,895 in CRRSAA funds. The rational for the award process remained unchanged. The total financial award to date is $781,882.71.

June 30, 2021
Since March 31, 2021, Saint Elizabeth University awarded an additional $132,597 to 265 students. Of the total award amount, the University has awarded $907,280.71 to students. The rational for the award process remained unchanged.

September 30, 2021
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the third calendar quarter 2021.

December 31, 2021
Since October 1, 2021, Saint Elizabeth University awarded an additional $388,000 to 389 traditional undergraduate students, $24,000 to 32 Continuing Studies and $79,000 to 158 graduate students. Of the total award amount, the University has awarded $1,402,875.83 to students. The rationale for the award process remained unchanged.

March 31, 2022
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the first calendar quarter 2022.

June 30, 2022
Since April 1, 2022, Saint Elizabeth University awarded an additional $484,800 to 404 traditional undergraduate students, $23,800 to 34 Continuing Studies and $113,400 to 162 graduate students. Of the total award amount, the University has awarded $2,024,875.83 to students. The rationale for the award process remained unchanged.

September 30, 2022
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the third calendar quarter 2022.

December 31, 2022
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the fourth calendar quarter 2022.

March 31, 2023
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the first calendar quarter 2023.

June 30, 2023
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the second calendar quarter 2023.

September 30, 2023
There were no HEERF funds distributed to students in the third calendar quarter 2023.

The communication sent to SEU students in December 2023 is as follows:

Dear SEU Student:

This is a reminder that if you are an undergraduate student enrolled for the Spring 2023 and Fall 2023, you are eligible to receive between $200 and $1,900 through the Higher Education Relief Fund under the American Rescue Plan (ARP). In order to allocate this funding, you must submit your request no later than 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 8, 2023. Note: there will be no expectations to this deadline. Distribution will be provided in the two following ways: (1) apply to student balance or (2) check to be physically received on-campus. As with the previously distributed CARES and CRRSA A funds, funding amounts will be based on need. You must complete the application and click submit by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 8, 2023. Questions may be referred to Maria Johnson at mjohnson04@steu.edu.

Sincerely,
Gary B. Crosby, Ph.D.
President

Dear SEU Student:

This is a reminder that if you are an undergraduate student enrolled for the Spring 2023 and Fall 2023, you are eligible to receive between $200 and $1,373 through the Higher Education Relief Fund under the American Rescue Plan (ARP). In order to allocate this funding, you must submit your request no later than 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 8, 2023. Note: there will be no expectations to this deadline. Distribution will be provided in the two following ways: (1) apply to student balance or (2) check to be physically received on-campus. As with the previously distributed CARES and CRRSA A funds, funding amounts will be based on need. You must complete the application and click submit by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 8, 2023. Questions may be referred to Maria Johnson at mjohnson04@steu.edu.

Sincerely,
Gary B. Crosby, Ph.D.
President

January 10, 2023

As December 31, 2023, the remaining $340,303.78 in HEERF funding under award number P425E200120 was distributed to 569 SEU students. Of the 569 students, 384 were undergraduates and 185 were graduate students. No funds under this HEERF award remain.

In order to allocate this funding, SEU created a 4-tiered approach to ensure that the most students would benefit while also targeting students with significant financial need. To qualify, students had to be enrolled at SEU as a matriculating student on at least a half-time basis during both the Spring 2023 and the Fall 2023 semesters. Nearly all of our students have a demonstrated financial need and receive some form of financial assistance, provided that every effort has been made to ensure all students are receiving aid from all of the programs they are eligible for. SEU determined that "need," for the purposes of this distribution, will be based on cumulative outstanding balances. We have a total of 569 matriculated (non-visiting) students who were enrolled for both the Spring '23 semester and the current Fall '23 semester on at least a half-time basis. Of those, 185 are graduate students and 384 are undergraduate students. The tiered distribution approach was a joint effort between the Offices of Financial Aid, Bursar, Finance, and Enrollment Management.

Under HEERF award number P425L200238, there were no HEERF funds expended in the fourth calendar quarter 2023.

Award: P425E200120

Name of entity receiving award: College of Saint Elizabeth
Amount of award: $2,363,280
Funding agency: U.S. Department of Education
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) program number for grants: CFDA 84.425E
Program source: Education Stabilization Fund
Award title descriptive of the purpose of the funding action: Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Student under the CARES Act
Location of the entity (including congressional district): 2 Convent Road, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 - Congressional. Dist. NJ-11
Place of performance (including congressional district): 2 Convent Road, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 - Congressional. Dist. NJ-11
Unique identifier of the entity and its parent: DUNS 065804601

Award: P425L200238

Name of entity receiving award: College of Saint Elizabeth
Amount of award: $1,630,679.00
Funding agency: U.S. Department of Education
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) program number for grants: CFDA 84.425L Program source: Education Stabilization Fund/American Rescue Plan
Award title descriptive of the purpose of the funding action: Emergency Financial Aid Grants for institutions to defray expenses associated with coronavirus under the CARES Act
Location of the entity (including congressional district): 2 Convent Road, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 - Congressional. Dist. NJ-11
Place of performance (including congressional district): 2 Convent Road, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 - Congressional. Dist. NJ-11
Unique identifier of the entity and its parent: DUNS 065804601

Total compensation and names of top six executives (as of March 25, 2024):

Total compensation: $1,165,000.00
Gary B. Crosby, President
Aaron Aska, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Anne Bartlett, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Life
Thalia Wilson, Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management
Jeffrey Gutkin, Chief Information and Innovation Officer
Kim Sabourin, Assistant Professor and Director of Speech-Language Pathology Program