Covid-19 CARES Act/CRRSA Act/ARP Act Student Assistance and Institutional Grants
CRRSA
ACT (HEERF II) Awards
The Coronavirus Response and Relief
Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act (enacted December 27, 2020) provided
additional Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF II). A portion of
these funds were designated to be spent as emergency funds for students. The
HEERF II allocations were in addition to the initial HEERF I funds received as
part of the CARES Act in April 2020. On January 17, 2021, South Dakota School of
Mines & Technology (Mines) received the Grant Award Notification (GAN) for
the HEERF II Institutional Funds. The GAN for the HEERF II Student Funds was
received on February 9, 2021.
CRRSA HEERF II Student Funds Award: $727,849
CRRSA HEERF II Institutional Funds
Award: $1,537,094
Total CRRSA HEERF II Student and
Institutional Funds Awards: $2,264,943
ARP
ACT (HEERF III) Awards
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act
(enacted March 11, 2021) provided additional Higher Education Emergency Relief
Funds (HEERF III). A portion of these funds were designated to be spent as
emergency funds for students. The HEERF III allocations were in addition to the
initial HEERF I and II funds received as part of the CARES Act in April 2020
and CRRSA Act in December 2020. On May 20, 2021, South Dakota School of Mines &
Technology (South Dakota Mines) received the Grant Award Notification (GAN) for the HEERF III
Student and Institutional Funds.
ARP HEERF III Student Funds Award: $2,010,101
As of Wednesday, December 29, 2021, South Dakota Mines has made 2238 awards and disbursed the full $2,010,101 in HEERF III Student Funds. We regret that no further assistance under HEERF III is available.
The awarding of HEERF III Student Funds was accomplished in 5 phases.
Phase 1 assisted students who gave us permission to use HEERF III funding to reduce or eliminate unpaid account balances owed to South Dakota Mines going back to spring 2020 through spring 2021. No application was required.
Phase 2 assisted students who had filed the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), who were Pell Grant eligible and had an unmet need (estimated cost of attendance minus Expected Family Contribution minus all forms of aid) for fall 2021. As required, permission to apply funds to unpaid account balances were obtained.
Phase 3 assisted students who had filed the 2021-2022 FAFSA and had an unmet need for fall 2021. As required, permission to apply funds to unpaid account balances were obtained.
Phase 4 gave students the opportunity to provide information about COVID related special circumstances or COVID related Cost of Attendance adjustments. When possible adjustments to Federal Aid or Cost of Attendance were processed or the information was used to offer HEERF III funding. As required, permission to apply funds to unpaid account balances were obtained.
Phase 5 assisted students who did not file the 2021-2022 FAFSA or were international students. These students were asked to provide statements regarding COVID related impact on personal and/or family finances. As required, permission to apply funds to unpaid account balances were obtained.
ARP HEERF III Institutional Funds
Award: $2,008,839
Total ARP HEERF III Student and
Institutional Funds Awards: $4,018,940
CRRSA ACT and HEERF II Awards
Notice: As of May 27, 2021, South Dakota Mines has fully exhausted our CRRSA Act and HEERF II Student Assistance Grants allocation; as a result, we regret that no further assistance under these programs is available.
1. The Coronavirus
Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act (enacted December
27, 2020) provided additional Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF
II). A portion of these funds were designated to be spent as emergency funds
for students. The HEERF II allocations were in addition to the initial HEERF I
funds received as part of the CARES Act in April 2020. On January 17,
2021, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (Mines) received the Grant Award
Notification (GAN) for the HEERF II Institutional Funds. The GAN for the HEERF
II Student Funds was received on February 9, 2021.
2. South Dakota Mines was allocated $727,849
for Student Assistance Grants. The intent of South Dakota Mines was to
fully award these funds to eligible students.
3. Per our records and based upon the limitations
initially imposed on who was eligible for assistance, over 2000 students at
South Dakota Mines were initially determined to be potentially eligible to receive
funding from this program.
5. Per information available in our records, South
Dakota Mines potentially eligible students were evaluated based on high Unmet
Financial Need and prioritized in the order of Federal Pell Grant eligible
students, students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that fell within the
Federal Pell Grant EFC range (included both graduate and undergraduate
students) and then by all other students with high Unmet Financial Need.
6. As of May 27, 2021, 631 HEERF II awards were
processed for disbursement to 630 eligible students. Our full $727,849 allocation has been fully
exhausted.
7. Students with a zero-balance owed to South Dakota Mines received their funding by direct disbursement to them via their
designated requested refund method (check or Direct Deposit). These students were notified by e-mail from David Martin,
Financial Aid Director, to their South Dakota Mines e-mail account of the award,
the source of the funding and the approximate date they could either see the
funds in their designated Direct Deposit account or receive the check.
8. Students who had an unpaid
balance owed to South Dakota Mines that were being considered for funding were sent an
e-mail requesting their permission to apply the funds to their unpaid balance.
They were informed that if the amount of the award was more than what they
owed, they would receive a refund of the difference. However, if after the
funds were applied they still owed a balance on their account, they were
directed to contact the Student Accounts/Cashiering Services office to pay the
balance owed. They were also informed
that if they chose not to give South Dakota Mines permission to apply the offer to their unpaid
balance, they would receive a direct refund.
Once their response was received, offers were processed and funds disbursed
as they requested.
CARES Act Student Assistance Grants
Notice: South Dakota Mines has fully exhausted our CARES Act Student Assistance Grants allocation; as a result, no further applications are being accepted for CARES Act Student Assistance Grants.
1. On April 23, 2020, Dr. James Rankin, South Dakota Mines President, signed the Certification and Agreement to participate in
the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act relative to
Student Assistance funding. By signing
the document, he certified that South Dakota Mines has used, or intends to
use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of
the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
2. South Dakota Mines was allocated $727,849 for Student Assistance Grants. The intent of South Dakota Mines was to fully award
these funds to eligible students.
3. As of November 6, 2020, $727,849
in Emergency Financial Aid Grants, under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, had been processed for disbursement to eligible students at South Dakota Mines. As a result, South Dakota Mines has fully disbursed our CARES Act Student Grants to eligible students.
4. Per our records, 1448 students at South Dakota Mines were determined 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 to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
5. As of November 6, 2020, 577 Emergency Financial Aid Grant awards were processed for disbursement to 525 eligible students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the
CARES Act.
6. South Dakota Mines notified eligible
students of the availability of CARES Act Student Assistance via an e-mail from
our president. Three reminder notices were sent to eligible students who had not previously applied. Students were informed that the
assistance was coming from the U.S. Federal Government, why the assistance was
being offered, and what qualified as an allowable expense they incurred due to
campus closure and the move to online course delivery and how to apply through
our online application. Students were asked to select one or more of the
following areas eligible for assistance and then provide a requested amount and
a brief description of the expenses incurred:
- Temporary relocation for new housing
arrangements
- Living expenses (food, rent, utilities, incurred
due to moving out of campus housing)
- Extra living expenses for a previously shared
apartment or house in the Rapid City area that you now have sole responsibility
for
- Technology not previously needed due to the
switch to all online classes
- Health care that you are now fully responsible
for
- Childcare
- Other
expenses incurred due to campus closure not noted above
7. Completed applications were received
electronically and reviewed by a committee that determined if the expenses
incurred fell under the requirements of the CARES Act. Students were notified of the approval and an
approximate date of the assistance disbursements. Students were also notified if clarifying
information was needed before a final decision was made. Based upon the approved allowable expenses that students had incurred, they were free to use the CARES Act Student Assistance Grants as best met their needs. Students were also
informed if their request was not approved by reason of not meeting the
requirements of the CARES Act.
8. Students who received the e-mail
notification from Dr. Rankin or subsequent reminders from David Martin,
Financial Aid Director, were eligible to click on a link and
complete the CARES Act Student Assistance Application. Since we have exhausted our allocation, the online application is no longer available.
South Dakota Mines Institutional CARES Act
Institutions receiving funds under Section 18004 of the CARES
Act are required to submit a report to the US Department of Education
describing the use of funds distributed from the Higher Education Emergency
Relief Fund (HEERF). This page provides public information about Mines’
participation in the CARES Act and use of the HEERF Institutional Portion
(P425F202087). This information will be updated no later than 10 days after the
end of each calendar quarter.