On December 27th, 2020, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), was signed into law which authorized the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II). The HEERF II requirements allow institutions to assist eligible students with all educationally related expenses.
The Department of Education states that these payments “may be used for any portion of the student’s cost of attendance or emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.”
FINAL REPORT – December 31, 2021
(1) Blackburn University dba Blackburn College has signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement and the assurances that the institution will use the applicable amount of funds designated under CRRSAA (HEERF II) (a)(1) and (a)(4) program to provide Emergency Financial Assistance Grants to Students.
(2) The total amount of CRRSAA (HEERF II) funds that Blackburn College has received or will receive from the Department of Education for emergency grants to students is $456,532.
(3) The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under CRRSAA (HEERF II) (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs as of December 31, 2021 is $456,532.
(4) The total number of students eligible under Title IV making them eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CRRSAA (HEERF II) is approximately 411.
(5) The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to Students under the CRRSAA (HEERF II) programs is 411.
(6) The college distributed these funds based on each student’s estimated family contribution and other specific student needs.
(7) Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Message to Students included with checks:
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law in December 2020, the federal government has provided funding for direct grants to students of Blackburn College. In order to comply with the government’s request that these funds be distributed based on student need, we are distributing greater amounts to students with greater financial need. The Department of Education states that these payments “ay be used for any portion of the student’s cost of attendance or emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.”
Letter to Students with Balance Due:
The enclosed check is being provided to you as a result of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) that was passed by the federal government in December 2020. The Act provided funding to Blackburn College (and other colleges) to provide direct grants to students that “may be used for any portion of the student’s cost of attendance or emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.”
Guidelines for these grants require the College to make these funds directly available to you instead of applying them to your student account. As noted above, however, one of the allowable uses of the funds is to pay for cost of attendance (tuition, room, board, books, etc). We have included a statement of account in this envelope; if you have a balance due to the College, please see Chris Beck in the Business Office to discuss paying this balance, including opportunities to utilize the CRRSAA funds to cover your cost of attendance.
Announcements:
Subject: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law in December 2020, the federal government has provided funding for direct grants to students of Blackburn College. In order to comply with the government’s request that these funds be distributed based on student need, we are distributing greater amounts to students with greater financial need. In general, we will provide some level of funds to all students for whom we have received a FAFSA. The Department of Education states that these payments “may be used for any portion of the student’s cost of attendance or emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.” The federal guidelines provide for up to one year for the College to distribute these funds to students, but we will begin processing them very soon and hope to have them available to students within two weeks. We will provide more information once the payments are ready for pick-up/mailing.
Subject: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – CRRSAA Stimulus Checks
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, the federal government has provided funding for direct grants to students of Blackburn College. In order to facilitate social distancing, we are spacing out the distribution of the checks. Resident and commuter students should pick up their checks at the Business Office according to the following schedule:
Last names beginning with:
A – F: Tuesday, March 16
G – M: Wednesday, March 17
N – Z: Thursday, March 18
Checks will be mailed to remote students on Tuesday, March 16th.
In addition, the CRRSAA Blackburn a combined total of $1,000,750 for the purpose of Institutional Aid. The links below provide detailed reporting on the use of those funds.