Hamline University – CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Funding (first 45-day Report).

This report contains information that is required by the U.S. Department of Education.

Hamline University was awarded $1,285,114 by the U.S. Department of Education (Ed) in accordance with Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide emergency financial aid grants to students. President Miller authorized, and the University submitted to Ed, a Certification and Agreement document with the assurance that the University has used or intends to use no less than 50 percent of funds received under this section to provide aid. These funds are now fully dedicated to supporting emergency financial aid grants to students.

On May 6, 2020, the total number of students at Hamline who were eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and thus eligible to receive a CARES Act emergency financial award, was determined to be 2,165, which included 1,647 undergraduate and 518 graduate students.

The distribution of emergency financial aid grants to students is currently in process and as of July 2, 2020, 1,359 undergraduate and graduate students have been provided an award.

Hamline has communicated to the university community in a number of ways to ensure that all students are aware of these emergency funds. Students were sent an informational email describing the CARES Act grant purpose and eligibility criteria, as well as providing a link to the Hamline CARES Act electronic application. The application further explained the program. Students were invited to contact the Dean of Students Office if they had questions. In addition, students received phone calls or phone messages during the first week that the application was available to assure that students both knew about and understood the program. Eligible students who did not meet the initial application deadline have been provided opportunities to apply for funding and have been awarded CARES Act grants.

Hamline has followed federal guidelines in determining which students were eligible to receive an award and award amounts. The Office of Financial Aid developed lists of undergraduate and graduate students who met the CARES Act prerequisite eligibility criteria. Each eligible student was invited to complete an application, indicating their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. Eligible students who reported allowable expenses were determined to be candidates for a CARES Act emergency grant. Finally, grant award amounts were set in a consistent manner based upon each applicant's AY2020 expected family contribution (EFC) and 2020 spring semester enrollment percentage.

The table below presents the 2020 CARES Act EFC categories, number of students in each category who have been provided an award, and grant award ranges.

For additional information, contact the Dean of Students Office: deanofstudents@hamline.edu, 651-523-2421.