CARES Act Required Website Posting Information (UMaine) – Update #2

July 10, 2020 CARES Act, UMaine and UMM updates

University of Maine

CARES Act Funding Under Section 18004(a)(1) – Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund 50% for Student Aid

Follow-up Report #2

Sponsor:  U.S. Department of Education

Award Number:  P425E203082

Award Amount:  $3,801,847

Report Period:  04/28/2020 thru 07/09/2020

Report Date: 07/09/2020

Source and Purpose of Funds

The University of Maine (“UMaine”) received the above award from the CARES Act passed by Congress on March 27, 2020 to provide emergency financial aid grants to eligible students for their expenses related to the disruption of our campus operations due to coronavirus.

On April 22, 2020, UMaine submitted the required Certification and Agreement (please link signed C&A) to the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DOE) committing to use these funds to provide emergency aid directly to our eligible students.

Eligibility Requirements

Consistent with the guidance from the U.S. DOE, eligible students include all students who were enrolled at UMaine on March 13, 2020 and are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), with the following exceptions:

  • Non-degree seeking students
  • International or DACA students
  • Employees receiving UMS Employee Tuition benefits
  • Early College students
  • Students enrolled in exclusively online programs as of March 13, 2020.

Students who did not have a FAFSA on file with the university were able to complete a self-certification form, attesting under the penalty of perjury to meeting the requirements of Section 484 of the HEA.

Distribution Plan

Consistent with the other institutions within the University of Maine System, of which UMaine is a part, and in acknowledgement that every one of our students experienced disruption when COVID-19 forced all courses to be transitioned to online delivery, UMaine will automatically distribute approximately 85 percent of these funds to all eligible students. Award amounts will be tiered as follows based on the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled as of March 13, 2020:

Undergraduate

.1 – 5.99 Credit Hours: $100
6 – 11.99 Credit Hours: $200
12+ Credit Hours: $400

Graduate

.1 – 2.99 Credit Hours: $100
3 – 5.99 Credit Hours: $200
6+ Credit Hours: $400

The remaining 15 percent (approximately) of the CARES student aid is being made available by application to eligible students who self-identify with additional need as a result of the disruption to campus operations caused by COVID-19. The application was made available to students on May 6, 2020. Students had a deadline of May 22, 2020 at 4:30pm to submit an application.

Applications for the additional CARES Act amounts were reviewed by a campus committee and awarding parameters were created for approval and distribution of these funds.

Communications were sent to students who were apporved or denied funding on June 3, 2020 and those eligible began receiving payments for their approved amounts on June 3, 2020.

In some cases, emergency funds may have been supplemented with a portion of CARES dollars intended for institutional relief.

All distributions to student will be made via direct deposit or check. Because the IRS considers the CARES student funds as a “qualified disaster relief payment,” they are not considered taxable income.

Disbursements To-Date

Distribution Type

 

 Number of Eligible Students Number of Students To Whom Aid Has Been Distributed Total Amount of Aid That Has Been Distributed Amount of Funds Remaining for Disbursement
Automatic 8,853 8,100 $3,058,800 $246,200
Application 8,853 1,005 $490,497 $6,350
Total       $3,549,297 $252,550

Communications to Students

Below are all communications from the University of Maine System or UMaine to students concerning the emergency financial aid grants provided through the CARES Act

UMS Community Guidance for Students

CARES Act Certification and Agreement (UMaine)

CARES Act Funding Communications (UMaine)

University of Maine CARES Act 30 Day Report

University of Maine CARES Act Follow-up Report #2