30-day Fund Report Federal Emergency Financial Aid (CARES) Grant
May 27, 2020
- Western Washington University (hereafter referred to as “Western”) signed and returned the “Recipient's Funding Certification and Agreement for Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act” to the U.S. Department of Education on April 21, 2020. Western intends to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (referred to as Federal CARES grants on Western's campus) to qualified students.
- The total dollar amount Western will receive for Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (Federal CARES grants) from the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to the institution's Certification Agreement referenced above is $5,820,847. Funds were transmitted to Western on April 28, 2020.
- As of May 27, 2020, the total amount of Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (Federal CARES grants) distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is $2,578,390.
- The estimated total number of Western students eligible to potentially receive Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (Federal Cares grants) under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 13,754.
- As of May 27, 2020, the total number of students who received a Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grant under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 2,010.
- Methods used by Western to determine which students receive Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (CARES grants) and how much they receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act are two-fold. One method consists of an application students can complete and submit to the Financial Aid Department (hereafter referred to as “Financial Aid”), which was posted to the Financial Aid website on May 1, 2020. The other consists of collaborations between Financial Aid and other areas on campus to identify students who incurred expenses due to disruption of campus operations from coronavirus. These areas include but are not limited to University Residences, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Office of Student Life, Student Disability Access Center, Graduate School, Veterans Services, Academic Technology and User Services, LGBTQ Resources, Western Success Scholars Program and Western's Associated Students Child Development Center.
- Instructions, directions and guidance provided by Western's Financial Aid Department were included on the Financial Aid website via the Federal CARES grant application and accompanying FAQs. In addition, in early May 2020, the Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grant (Federal CARES grant) information was sent to students and families via the Family Connection Newsletter and included in Western Today. Melynda Huskey, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services, informed all active Western students of the opportunity to apply for Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (Federal Cares grants) via an electronic announcement dated May 1, 2020. Upon learning from the U.S. Department of Education that U.S. citizens could be considered for Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants (Federal Cares grants) even when not eligible for Federal Title IV funds, the Financial Aid Department promptly updated the relevant Federal CARES grant FAQs on the Financial Aid website on May 26, 2020. Further, Vice-President Melynda Huskey will send a follow-up announcement to all active Western students to inform them of this update.