How ULM is Providing Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA)
Act funds to Students
Unlike the CARES Act, the CRRSA Act section 314(a)(1) does not require that 50% of
an institution’s funds be spent on student grants. No application was required due
to the University having previously qualified to receive CARES Act funds. It does,
however, require that institutions spend the same amount on student grants as they
were required to spend under the CARES Act. The allowable uses of funds are more flexible
than in the CARES Act, with institutions permitted to use their funds to defray expenses
associated with COVID-19, including lost revenue, reimbursements for expenses already
incurred, technology costs associated with the transition to distance education, faculty
and staff training, and payroll. Institutions may also use their funds to carry out
student support activities authorized by the Higher Education Act (HEA), or to provide
emergency grants to students (including those enrolled exclusively in distance education).
The grants may be used to cover any component of a student’s cost of attendance (COA),
or for emergency costs that arise due to COVID-19, including tuition, food, housing,
health care, and child care.
A total of $2,888,882 has been designated for distribution to students in the form
of Emergency Financial Aid Grants under CRRSA Act.
ULM determined that 5173 of its students were 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 under Section 314(a)(1) of the CARRSA Act.
Based on the conditions established by the U.S. Department of Education the following
groups of students are ineligible to receive CARRSA Act relief aid: (a) dual enrollment
students and (b) students who are not U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens.
(April 2021). ULM awarded additional CARRSA Act aid totaling $2,828,800.00 to current
ULM students. Because funds were limited, aid was distributed only to eligible students
with the greatest financial need based on current financial aid information. A total
of 5173 students (1143 graduate & 4030 undergraduate) received aid of $150, $300,
$750, or $1000. The distribution methodology appears below.
Undergraduate Student, Full-Time ($300, $750, or $1000)
· $1000: Pell Eligible (EFC = 0)
· $750: Pell Eligible (EFC > 0)
· $300: Not Pell Eligible
Undergraduate Student, Less than Full-Time ($750 or $150)
· $750: Pell Eligible (EFC = 0)
· $750: Pell Eligible (EFC > 0)
· $150: Not Pell Eligible
Graduate Student, Full-Time ($300)
Graduate Student, Less than Full-Time ($150.00)
As of May 4, 2021, ULM has awarded $2,828,800 (or 97.92% of the total) in CARRSA Act
Emergency Financial Aid Grants to 5,173 students.
