[Cobo] FW: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III - American Rescue Plan

Wed May 12 09:44:00 CDT 2021

Information sent to your Presidents regarding the HEERFIII allocations.

From: Johnson, Dr. Glen
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 4:57 PM
To: Presidents <pres at osrhe.edu>
Cc:
Subject: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III - American Rescue Plan
Importance: High

OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Memo

To:                  Presidents
Cc:                  State Regents
                        Higher Education Network
From:             Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Date:               Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Subject:          Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III - American Rescue Plan

As you know, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) was authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law on March 11, 2021, and provides $39.6 billion in support to institutions of higher education in continuing to serve students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) made available $36 billion in emergency aid to public and private non-profit institutions under HEERF III. A copy the press release issued by USDE (Attachment 1) and a copy of the allocation table for the Student Aid Portion and the Institutional Portion of HEERF III grants has been attached (Attachment 2).

Additionally, USDE released a “Frequently Asked Questions” guidance document detailing how institutions can use these funds to, among other things, support vulnerable students, monitor and suppress the coronavirus, and reengage students whose education was disrupted by the pandemic (Attachment 3).

According to the press release issued by USDE, ways the HEERF III funding can be used to have the greatest impact on students and communities include:

  *   Using emergency financial grants to support students with exceptional needs.
     *   The ARP requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants or undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances. USDE’s guidance clarifies that institutions can consider a variety of factors when assessing need, such as a student’s eligibility for other federal or state need-based aid, significant unexpected expenses, loss of employment, reduced income, or food or housing insecurity. Institutions can also consider the needs of students who did not complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

  *   Retaining and re-engaging students.
     *   Institutions can also use their funds to help retain students by providing academic or mental health support systems for students.
     *   Additionally, institutions can reengage students by discharging student debts at their institution accrued during the pandemic so students can re-enroll, continue their education, or obtain their official transcript to continue their education, transfer to another postsecondary institution, and/or secure employment.

  *   Preventing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19, including efforts to vaccinate students and campus communities.
     *   Public and private nonprofit institutions must also use a portion of their Institutional award to implement evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with the public health guidelines<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA1MTEuNDAyNDkzODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi9jb21tdW5pdHkvY29sbGVnZXMtdW5pdmVyc2l0aWVzL2NvbnNpZGVyYXRpb25zLmh0bWw_dXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX25hbWU9JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkmdXRtX3Rlcm09I3ByZXZpb3VzIn0.oaqkbkgnVPERmumJg4WxNnRVXz-dzOFSUx5upDSJIw4/s/1441582011/br/106161016374-l>.
     *   Institutions can use funds to help detect coronavirus transmission, such as funding the costs associated with diagnostic or screening testing strategy, setting up testing sites, purchasing tests, and hiring additional personnel to administer tests.
     *   Institutions can also work to prevent the spread of the virus by using institutional funds to spread awareness and build confidence in getting vaccinated, and to set up vaccination sites on or off campus, including costs of bringing sites to rural and satellite locations.
     *   Additionally, HEERF institutional funds can be used to reduce barriers to vaccination, such as paid time off for staff to get the vaccine and costs associated with vaccination efforts.

Public and private nonprofit schools can also use the institutional portion of their awards to cover a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, and technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll.

Finally, public and private nonprofit institutions must also use a portion of their institutional award to conduct direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial aid adjustment due to recent unemployment of a family member or of the independent student.

USDE has created a specific website dedicated to HEERF III under the ARP, which can be accessed online at: https://www2.ed.gov/print/about/offices/list/ope/arp.html. This website provides information regarding each of the following HEERF III programs funded under the ARP:

  *   Institutional Portion for Public and Nonprofit Institutions (a)(1)<https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfiiiinstitutional.html>
  *   Student Aid Portion for Public and Nonprofit Institutions (a)(1)<https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfiiistudent.html>
  *   Historically Black Colleges and Universities (a)(2)<https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfiiihbcu.html>
  *   Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (a)(2)<https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfiiitccu.html>
  *   Supplemental Support under American Rescue Plan (a)(3) <https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/ssarp.html>
  *   Proprietary Institutions Grant Funds for Students (a)(4) <https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfiiiproprietary.html>

Questions regarding HEERF grants should be directed to HEERF at ed.gov<mailto:HEERF at ed.gov>.

We will keep you advised of any new developments related to HEERF III funding.

Thanks.

Glen

Glen D. Johnson
Chancellor
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
405.225.9122
gjohnson at osrhe.edu<mailto:gjohnson at osrhe.edu>
follow us on Twitter @okhighered

[cid:image005.jpg at 01D74686.9A059CA0]      [cid:image006.png at 01D74686.9A059CA0]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/cobo/attachments/20210512/ab6a3637/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image005.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2450 bytes
Desc: image005.jpg
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/cobo/attachments/20210512/ab6a3637/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image006.png
Type: image/png
Size: 6916 bytes
Desc: image006.png
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/cobo/attachments/20210512/ab6a3637/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2021-05-11 Attachment 1 - USDE Press Release - HEERF III.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 126755 bytes
Desc: 2021-05-11 Attachment 1 - USDE Press Release - HEERF III.pdf
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/cobo/attachments/20210512/ab6a3637/attachment-0003.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2021-05-11 Attachment 2 - HEERF III Student & Institutional Portions.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 1578997 bytes
Desc: 2021-05-11 Attachment 2 - HEERF III Student & Institutional Portions.pdf
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/cobo/attachments/20210512/ab6a3637/attachment-0004.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2021-05-11 Attachment 3 - USDE HEERF III FAQs.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 343518 bytes
Desc: 2021-05-11 Attachment 3 - USDE HEERF III FAQs.pdf
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/cobo/attachments/20210512/ab6a3637/attachment-0005.pdf>