CARES Act Student Funds Information

PURPOSE

Doane University has received funding through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. We will use the student portion of the funds to provide direct emergency aid to Doane students whose lives and educations have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak. The federal government requires that the funds cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations. Therefore, students who were taking courses in an online-only modality already are not eligible for these funds. These expenses can include costs under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare. The intent of the CARES Act, in particular, the student funds, is for institutions of higher education to distribute the funds as quickly as possible. They also encourage institutions to prioritize students most in need. A committee at Doane, including vice presidents, directors, and staff from the Business Office; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Financial Aid; Student Experience; and Grants and Foundations Relations, has worked on reviewing all guidelines and requirements of the legislation. We realize these are unprecedented and challenging times for everyone, and many of our students and families are dealing with issues they could not have imagined. We also recognize that the CARES Act funds for students will most likely not cover all the qualifying expenses you have incurred related to the disruption in your education caused by the coronavirus outbreak. We are aware of the pressures you face currently. We do not wish to place an additional burden upon you and your families by requiring a complicated application process requiring individual review of applications and determination of award amounts. Therefore, the Committee established a process where emergency aid will be distributed efficiently while considering the financial need of all our students.

CARES ACT FUNDS

Doane University received a total of $1,538,922 through the CARES Act. Half of those funds, $769,461, must be used for emergency relief aid to students and is the focus of the information that follows. The CARES Act requires the University to spend its share of the student funds in one calendar year and to report to the federal government on the method of distribution and information shared with students about the distribution of funds.

DISTRIBUTION METHOD

GROUP 1: For current students who have a FAFSA on file

• Doane will distribute 90% of available student aid funds ($689,880) immediately to students who have already completed the FAFSA AND are determined to be eligible according to federal guidelines. (see eligibility guidelines below)
• No action is required to receive these funds. Doane University will not require students who have already completed the FAFSA to complete an application to receive CARES Act emergency aid funds. We will determine eligibility for funds and the amount of funds students receive using the information we have on file. If you have been contacted previously by Doane about verifying information regarding your FAFSA application, please contact the Financial Aid Office and/or provide the information requested as soon as possible.
• Following guidance from the federal government, Doane will distribute aid to eligible students based on a formula that considers financial need based on your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). See the distribution summary below.
• No action is required to receive these funds. The Business Office will disburse the funds as soon as possible. If a student is set up for direct deposit, the funds will be deposited into the student’s bank account. If not, the Business Office will mail a check to the address listed in the student’s account.
• EXCEPTION: If you completed a FAFSA and were selected by the US Dept of education for Standard Verification but you have not completed the verification process to determine the accuracy of your FAFSA, you will receive an automatic distribution equal to Tier 5 (see below).

GROUP 2: For current students who DO NOT have a FAFSA on file

• Doane will distribute the remainder of available student aid funds ($79,581) on a rolling basis to students who DO NOT already have a FAFSA on file.
  • These students must complete the FAFSA at this time to determine if they are eligible for CARES Act funds. See the eligibility guidelines below.
  • These students must also complete a short online Doane CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Application.
• Doane will distribute aid to eligible students based on the same formula used for students who received automatic funds distribution. That formula considers financial need based on your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). See the distribution summary below.
• CARES Act funds will be provided directly to the student through direct deposit or check. Processing and sending the payment to the student may take up to five (5) business days after receipt of the application AND the FAFSA, and eligibility has been confirmed. The Committee will review applications on an ongoing basis and make decisions as quickly as possible.

GROUP 3: Fall 2020 UPDATE

• Doane distributed CARES Act student aid funds to Group 1 and Group 2 students between May and July 2020, leaving $69,341 in available student aid funds.
• Doane opened a Fall 2020 CARES Act application process in August 2020 to distribute the remaining student aid funds. Applicants verified eligibility for CARES Act funds, indicated the urgency of need, and provided estimations of unexpected expenses experienced since March 13, 2020, resulting from the disruptions to campus operations from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Doane received 285 applications and following guidance from the federal government, took into consideration students with the greatest financial need. The committee also considered the urgency of each application, which took into account estimations of unexpected expenses due to COVID-19. Doane awarded 77 students CARES Act funds. The review committee considered financial need based on applicants’ Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• CARES Act funds were provided directly to the students through direct deposit or check.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for CARES Act funds current students must meet ALL the following criteria:

• Enrolled in a degree or certificate program that included at least one on-ground or hybrid class. Students identified as online-only are NOT eligible for CARES Act funds.
• Eligible for Title IV as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • US citizenship or *eligible noncitizen
  • A valid Social Security number
  • Registration with Selective Service (if the student is male)
• Maintained satisfactory academic progress in their course of study, and
• Do not owe a refund on grants previously received or in default on any federal student loans.
• Meet any other requirements to be eligible for federal student aid; completing confirmation of identity and statement of educational purpose if required on the FAFSA

If you already filed a FAFSA and received Title IV aid, you may be eligible for CARES Act funds. The Committee will determine eligibility based on information on file.

If you have not filed a FAFSA, you must apply at studentaid.gov/FAFSA and complete a Doane CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Application for consideration for funds. Even if you or your family chose not to file a FAFSA because of your income, you should file a FAFSA now to be considered for CARES Act funds. If you are not eligible for Title IV aid as determined by completing a FAFSA, then you will not be considered for CARES Act funds. However, Doane University has separate emergency grant funds made possible from the generosity of donors and friends of the University that may be available to help you. Please complete the Doane University COVID-19 Undergraduate & Graduate Student Emergency Assistance application for consideration. * Generally, you are an eligible noncitizen if you are (1) a permanent US resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551); (2) a conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C); (3) the holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: Refugee, Asylum Granted, Parolee (I-94 confirms that you were paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or Cuban-Haitian Entrant; or (4) the holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of Victim of human trafficking.

DISTRIBUTION SUMMARY

To determine CARES Act funding levels, Doane used five tiers of Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Doane uses these tiers within our financial aid practices for the University. The following table includes the five EFC tiers.

TIERS	ESTIMATED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION
Tier 5	Equal to or more than $30,001
Tier 4	$15,001-$30,000
Tier 3	$5,712-$15,000
Tier 2	$1-$5711*
Tier 1	Less than $1*
*Pell-eligible

Students in Tiers 1, 2, and 3 are those with the highest financial need. Students in Tier 3 are sometimes particularly in need, as they are not eligible for Pell grants. 

For students in Group 1, Doane will distribute student CARES Act funds among the five tiers according to the following table. Students with the highest financial need will receive most of the funds.

 

DISTRIBUTION TIERS ($689,880)	PERCENT DISTRIBUTION	INDIVIDUAL AWARDS PER TIER BASED ON ENROLLMENT AND ELIGIBILITY
Tier 5	5% of funds ($35,280)	$180
Tier 4	10% of funds ($70,800)	$300
Tiers 1, 2, and 3	85% of funds ($583,800)	$700

For students in Group 2, Doane will distribute the remaining aid ($79,581) on a rolling basis to eligible students based on the same formula used for students in Group 1. 

A Committee, including the following individuals, developed this process:

Jason Cottam, Director of Budget and Post Award Administration

Jake Elswick, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Experience

Cindy Nitzel, Bursar

Julie Schmidt, Vice President for Finance and Administration

Luis Sotelo, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Peggy Tvrdy, Director of Financial Aid

Sarah Zulkoski, Director of Grants and Foundations Relations

The President and Executive Council reviewed this process. The Committee also shared the process with the Board of Trustees, Provost, Deans, the Advancement Office, the Business Office, the Financial Aid Office, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Enrollment Office, the Student Affairs Office, and the Athletics Office. 

 

Group 3: Fall 2020 Update

To determine CARES Act funding levels for students awarded funds in Group 3, Doane used a modified version of the tiers of Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Doane uses these tiers within our financial aid practices for the University. The following table includes the four EFC used for Group 3 student aid awards.

TIERS	ESTIMATED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION
Tier 4	More than $30,0001
Tier 3	$5,001*-$30,000
Tier 2	$1,001-$5,000*
Tier 1	Less than $1 to $1,000*
*Pell-eligible up to $5,711

For students selected for funding in Group 3, Doane will distribute student CARES Act funds among the four tiers according to the following table. Students with the highest financial need will receive most of the funds.

DISTRIBUTION TIERS ($69,341)	PERCENT DISTRIBUTION	INDIVIDUAL AWARDS PER TIER BASED ON ENROLLMENT AND ELIGIBILITY
Tier 4	6% of remaining funds ($4,400)	$400
Tier 3	22% of remaining funds ($15,000)	$600
Tier 2	12% of remaining funds ($8,000)	$800
Tier 1	61% of remaining funds ($42,000)	$1,350* or $1,150

*Students receiving $1,350 are those who have exhausted all sources of federal aid.