Skip to main content

Search

X Close

Search

X Close

Home

INTRODUCTION

John Carroll University is required to provide regular reporting to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on the use of funds authorized by the CARES Act. Funds received by JCU under the CARES Act were authorized by Congress and signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020. The information noted below is intended to not only meet the reporting requirements of the CARES Act but also provide information to our university community regarding JCU’s use of the student grant portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

Section 18004(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act” or the “Act”)), Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (March 27, 2020), directs institutions receiving funds under Section 18004 of the Act to submit (in a time and manner required by the Secretary) a report to the Secretary describing the use of funds distributed from the HEERF. Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act requires institutions to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received from Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare). On April 9, 2020, the ED published documents related to the Emergency Financial Aid Grants, including a  letter from Secretary Betsy DeVos, a form  Certification and Agreement for signing and returning by institutions to access the funds, and a list of  institutional allocations under 18004(a)(1).

The Certification and Agreement directs each institution applying for HEERF funds to comply with Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and submit an initial report (the “30-day Fund Report”) to the Secretary thirty (30) days from the date of the institution’s Certification and Agreement to ED. Each HEERF participating institution must post the information listed below on the institution’s primary website. The following information must appear in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated every 45 days thereafter:

John Carroll University acknowledges that the institution’s authorized representative signed and returned to the Department of Education (Department) the Recipient’s Funding Certification and Agreement to Students under the CARES Act. JCU gives its assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

JCU has received a total of $2,224,405 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. The US Department of Education issued Award No. P425E203979 for a total amount of $1,112,203 which will be provided directly to students impacted by campus disruptions due to coronavirus.

Award Information Number: P425E203979 Title: CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund John Carroll University Student Portion Budget Period: 05/07/2020-05/06/2021 Award Amount: $1,112,203 CFDA: 84.425E

 

The total amount of funds that John Carroll University has received from the Department pursuant to JCU's Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students is $1,112,203. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act from the date of submission, May 1, 2020, through the close of business on June 12, 2020, is $1,112,203. 

The estimated total number of JCU students eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 2,579. This estimate is based on the number of students who submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The total number of JCU students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act from May 1, 2020, through the close of business on June 12, 2020 is 820.

 

A Committee representing the College of Arts and Science, Boler College of Business, Student Affairs, Business Office, Student Enrollment and Financial Services, and the Office of Sponsored Research reviewed all applicants to determine a method of awarding the funds. The committee utilized the following criteria to award the full allocation of funding:

Round One

  • All applicants were reviewed to identify those not meeting federal eligibility criteria.
  • Remaining applicants were reviewed and evaluated under the guidelines for each qualified expense:
    • Housing - amount requested up to $1,000 maximum*
    • Food - amount requested up to $1,000 maximum*
    • Travel - amount requested up to $2,500 maximum
    • Healthcare - amount requested up to $1,000 maximum
    • Childcare - actual expenses requested
    • Course Material - amount requested up to $1,000 maximum (excluding tuition for current or future registration)
    • Technology - amount requested up to $1,000 maximum (Technology requests were cross-referenced with institutional technology support already granted so as not to duplicate resources)
    • Other - amount requested up to $500 maximum after review and confirmation that requested expenses were reported in the accurate categories

*Requests were compared to institutional refunds made previously for unused room and board charges. Since the institutional share of the CARE stimulus will be utilized to reimburse JCU for those expenses, only request beyond the refunded amount were approved.

 

Round Two

The remaining funding will be evenly distributed to Pell recipients. The 547 Pell recipients registered for Spring 2020 will each receive an equivalent amount. This calculation will take into account the approved JCU CARES Act Emergency Fund application awards. 33 Pell recipient applications for CARES funding exceed the Pell award allocation and are deemed allowable. 

All applicants will receive communication making them aware of their eligibility and method of disbursement. The communication will point students to the JCU CARES Act Reporting website which details the method of award determination.

In accordance with the Secretary of Education’s instructions for institutions to issue aid to students as soon as possible under the student aid portion of the CARES Act, JCU's Director of Sponsored Research posted notice of the CARES Act, along with the Application Form, on the JCU Sponsored Research website on April 30, 2020 and also emailed this information to students on May 4, 2020.

The JCU CARES Act Emergency Funds website was created, which included a link to the CARES Act Emergency Funds Application and a list of FAQs. A CARES Act specific email (caresact@jcu.edu) was created to provide one point of contact for all student or family questions. This information was emailed to all students, faculty, and staff. Copies of the informational materials provided to students include the following, which are linked to this report in the order listed:

 

These policies were created based on the US Department of Education guidelines at the time of implementation.
Last updated: 07/23/2020
Last reviewed: 10/14/2020

More information regarding the total cost of attendance can be found here.