Federal COVID Emergency Aid

Facts

• The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act provided a variety of funding opportunities to individuals, colleges, and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) of the CARES Act provided funding to colleges, with fund designated for students experiencing financial hardships due to disruption of campus operations occurring from the pandemic.
• SUNY Westchester Community College signed and returned to the Department of Education its CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act HEERF Certification and Agreement on April 14, 2020 and acknowledges that it intends to use no less than 50% of the total funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act (HEERF I) to provide emergency financial aid grants to students.
• The college was awarded an allocation of $7,195,672 under 18004 (a)(1) and certified that it would use no less than 50% of the total amount received ($3,597,836) for emergency aid grants to students.
• The college has determined that an estimated total of 4,396 students at the institution are 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.
• The priority deadline for CARES Act (HEERF I) grant applications will be processed until funds are exhausted. CARES Act Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19.

Facts:

The federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) provided a variety of supplemental funding opportunities available to individuals, colleges and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) portion of emergency funding provided to colleges is designated for students experiencing financial hardships due to the disruption of campus operations occurring from the coronavirus pandemic.

CCRSAA HEERF funding for student emergency aid awards, which equaled the prior CARES Act HEERF funding for student emergency aid, assists students in paying expenses related to any component of the cost of attendance that arose due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As an institution receiving funds under the CARES Act and CRRSAA, WCC is required to publish information about its campus plan and appropriations.

• The College signed and returned to the Department of Education a Certification and Agreement as required under the CARES Act. By drawing down and expending CRRSAA funds, WCC acknowledges and agrees to be bound by conditions set forth in the CRRSAA Supplemental Agreement including using HEERF funds to provide emergency grants to students.
• WCC intends to use 100% of the funds it has received under the Student Portion of CRRSAA (HEERF II) of $3,596,836 for emergency aid grants to students.
• The total amount of funding received by WCC under the 18004(a)(1) of CRRSAA (HEERF II) is $14,856,758, which includes the aforementioned $3,596,836 for the Student Portion and $11,258,922 for the Institutional Portion.
• WCC is required to report the number of students receiving Emergency Student Aid under HEERF grants as well as the amount of aid distributed. The reporting dates specified by the US Department of Education in its August 31, 2020 memorandum are below. WCC’s Federal Reporting Requirement can be found below.
• WCC submitted an updated Student Emergency Aid campus plan to the State University of New York (SUNY) which went into effect on October 29, 2020.

American Rescue Plan (ARP)  (HEERF III )

Facts:

• Student Emergency Awards under ARP ended in December, 2023.
• The American Rescue Plan (HEERF III) provided supplemental funding opportunities to Westchester Community College under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which included $13,141,473 for student emergency aid grants to help students pay for tuition, fees, housing, food, utilities, books, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• WCC used 100% of the funds it has received under the Student Portion of CRRSAA (HEERF II) of $3,596,836 for emergency aid grants to students.
• WCC received an additional $13,028,409 through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) in the form of an ARP institutional grant.
• WCC is required to report the number of students receiving Emergency Student Aid under HEERF grants as well as the amount of aid distributed. WCC’s Federal Reporting Requirement can be found below.
• WCC’s Student Emergency Aid Campus Plan was submitted to and approved by the State University of New York (SUNY) for the award method below. The award amounts were adjusted slightly from semester to semester depending on the amount of funding available to distribute to students and number of students eligible to receive the awards.

Eligibility, How to Apply and Distribution of Funds:

Distribution:

• Student Emergency Awards ended in December 2023. This is for informational purposes only.
• Any student who completed the FAFSA was automatically reviewed for ARP Student Emergency Aid Grant awards.
• Eligible students received emails and text messages of their awards.
• Awards were sent to the address on record with the College. Students should check their current address on record in the Registrar’s Office to make sure their address is correct.

WCC students with documented “Special Circumstances” that negatively affect their/their family’s financial situation could be eligible for a financial aid adjustment of higher financial aid award.

For example, because of COVID, some employers have shut down, reduced work hours, furloughed employees and others may not have been able to work due to illness. Your campus financial aid office may be able to review your special circumstances to adjust the amount of financial aid you receive or would have received.

If your family has experienced a change in income due to unusual, special circumstances, your campus financial aid office has Professional Judgement and US Department of Education guided flexibility to re-evaluate your situation for the following reasons:

• Loss of job or permanent/indefinite reduction of work hours
• Separation or divorce
• Personal bankruptcy that occurs during the current financial aid year
• Death of a member of your immediate family
• Reduction/loss of child support
• High non-reimbursed medical expense
• Your parents took money out of their pension/retirement plan as a one-time payment to help cover expenses
• Other documented special circumstances outside of the student’s control

American Rescue Plan Special Circumstances

• You may mail, fax or drop off your completed Special Circumstance form along with all the required documentation to the Financial Aid Office.

Please note:

Although Federal Financial Aid appeal decisions (Special Circumstances) are at the discretion of the campus and are based on guidance provided by the US Department of Education and are completed on a case-by-case basis with all decisions considered final, WCC is compelled to make every effort to assist students in need. Once a student submits their special circumstance form they will be informed of a decision within 7-10 business days.

Contact Information

Email:  [email protected]
Location: Administration Building, Financial Aid Office (Room 120)
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday: 9:00 – 4:30 pm
Wednesday and Thursday:  9:00 – 6:30 pm

The distribution of Federal COVID Student Emergency Aid at WCC ended on December 8, 2023.

WCC’s campus eligibility and distribution plans since the beginning of COVID and HEERF Funds, (March 2020) are provided below.

NOTE: Students who were eligible to receive a Federal COVID Student Emergency Aid award in Fall, 2023 have already been contacted by email, with checks mailed in December 2023. Students have 90 days to cash their checks (must be cashed by March 13, 2024).

Any student who filed a FAFSA was automatically reviewed and if eligible, received an email and text notifying them of their status. Students should be sure to check and make sure their home address is up to date with WCC. Students can check their home address on file by logging onto their MyWCC account.

• Eligibility conditions varied slightly from semester to semester and are described below.
• Eligible students were notified by email and text during the semester of the award.
• A check was sent within 10 days of the award being applied to students’ account.
• The check went to students’ home address on file with the college.

The distribution of Federal COVID Student Emergency Aid at WCC has ended (December 8, 2023). This section is for informational purposes only.

The Federal COVID Student Emergency Awards funded by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) ended on December 8, 2023. Westchester Community College received funds from the Federal government (US Department of Education) to distribute emergency aid grants to eligible students under the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WCC has distributed over $29,000,000 in emergency student aid grants to eligible students, which could be used by students to meet a wide range of needs due to COVID impact, including the cost of attendance, including food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, childcare, and/or transportation.

WCC received and distributed $20,337,145 under the Student Portion award (P425E201126) and distributed an additional $9,347,547 under the Institutional award (P425F202001).

Students were also eligible for an ARP Special Circumstances adjustment to their financial aid award if they had documented circumstances that affected their finances, such as loss of employment or permanently reduced hours, divorce or separation, death of a member of your immediate family, among other expenses.

Expanded Distribution of Student Emergency Aid Grants (revised 12/20/2023).

Award Round 8

Award Round 8 (September 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023):

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning September 1, 2023 students enrolled in Fall 2023 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications have been sent via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper). Students have 90 days to cash their checks. Checks must be cashed by March 15, 2024.)

Retired Award Round 7 (January 1, 2023 – August 30, 2023):

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning January 1, 2023, students enrolled in Spring 2023 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

Retired Award Round 6

AWARD ROUND 6: METHOD 6 for Student Eligibility for the Period September 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022:

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning September 1, 2022, students enrolled in Fall 2022 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

Retired Award Round 5

AWARD ROUND 5: METHOD 5 for Student Eligibility for the Period January 1, 2022 – Present (March 31, 2022) :

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning January 1, 2022, students enrolled in Spring 2022 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

Retired Award Round 4

(Retired) AWARD ROUND 4 :  METHOD 4 for Student Eligibility for the Period September 13,  2021 –  December 21, 2021
SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning September 13, 2021, students enrolled in Fall 2021 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue for Spring 2022 until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption  due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students  must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

NOTE:

• At this time, the HEERF Student Emergency Grants are only for Title IV eligible students. This includes students who are in an eligible degree or certificate program; have completed the FAFSA (or will be able to complete the FAFSA) and successfully met the database matches; are in Good Academic Standing for the fall 2020 semester; and have a high school diploma or equivalency. As such, this does not allow HEERF funds to be distributed to international, DACA students, or students not in good academic standing.
• Eligibility requirements to receive HEERF Student Emergency Grants are students with additional expenses due to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, childcare, and/or transportation.
• Awards will be granted to eligible students until funds are exhausted.

Retired Award Round 3

[Retired]-Award Method 3: (October 29,2020 – September 13, 2021) Westchester Community College is currently processing CARES Act grant applications for Spring 2021 until such funds are exhausted. CARES Act Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc.Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below, whereby Tier 1 and 2 to meet SUNY Priority 1 (PELL eligible, high need, low estimated family contribution).

• Tier 1 PELL eligible students who have a 0 EFC– award is $1,400.
• Tier 2 Pell eligible students who have an EFC greater than 0 on the 2020-21 FAFSA – award is $700.

Note: Previous Fall 2020 awards which are lower than stated above will be adjusted to reflect these amounts.

• Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement. (electronic and/or paper).
• Once the Certification Statement is received, awards will be processed through the Office of Student Financial Services and disbursed to the student’s account. This award is not a part of the student’s financial aid package and a direct payment will be processed via check to the student by the Bursar’s Office.

Retired Award Round 2

Award Round 2, Method 2: August 28, 2020- October 29, 2020

Beginning August 28, 2020, new and continuing enrolled students who are Title IV eligible and registered for FALL 2020 SEMESTER (and for subsequent semesters as CARES Act funds are available), can receive CARES Act Grants (Up to $700 for full-time students 12 credits and above and $350 for part-time students less than 12 credits).

• Priority 1
  Meet the emergency needs of students who have been impacted by COVID 19 who are Pell recipients and students with the lowest EFC’s on the FAFSA.
• Priority 2
  Meet the needs of eligible students who are Title IV eligible undergraduates willing to complete the FAFSA and students with the lowest EFCs.

Students must have filed a FAFSA and must also complete and submit an attestation (certification) that they are impacted by COVID disruptions (link retired) to the Financial Aid Office at [email protected]

Eligible students will receive $1400 from the Federal CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. This money is available to certain college students who had expenses due to the disruption of campus operations.

See the screenshot of the application which has been retired.

Retired Award Round 1

Award Round 1, Method 1: June 1, 2020 – August 28, 2020:

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

• Priority 1 – Pell recipients
  70% of the funds received will be used to meet the emergency need of students impacted by COVID-19 in this category.
• Priority 2 – Eligible Non-Pell recipients
  25% of the funds received will be used to meet the emergency need of students impacted by COVID-19 in this category.
• Extra funding – Eligible students in special circumstances
  5% of the funds received will be used to supplement amounts of the max awards of $1,000 for students who have special circumstances and a particularly pressing need (up to Pell max of $6,195 per award).

Under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, students may receive awards ranging from $500 to $3,100, with additional awards available up to the maximum Federal Pell grant threshold of $6,195 per award. Students must have filed a FAFSA and must also complete and submit an application (link retired) to the Financial Aid Office at [email protected]

See the screenshot of the application which has been retired.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the process or your eligibility, email [email protected].

WCC’s Education Stabilization Fund HEERF Annual Reports

US Department of Education Dashboard
2023 Annual Report
2022 Annual Report
2021 Annual Report
2020 Annual Report

WCC’s HEERF Student Emergency Aid Quarterly Reports

WCC’s HEERF Institutional Aid and MSI Reports:

Archived Reports

ARCHIVED: Original Report Links

WCC’s HEERF Student Emergency Aid Quarterly Reports:

WCC’s HEERF Institutional Aid and MSI Reports: