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The following resolution was passed by the NCCC board of Trustees on May 18, 2020. This resolution explains the methodology in which CARES ACT funds will be disbursed. If there is any additional guidance released from the federal government this methodology may be changed to accommodate the latest requirements.
CARES ACT – Revised NCCC has received an allocation from the federal CARES Act, which has been drawn down from the US Department of Education. NCCC has extreme leeway in the methodology as to how these student grant dollars are to be given to current and future students to help with costs associated with adapting to the pandemic. These grant dollars do not factor into normal restrictions on Pell Grant maximums, either semester or lifetime, NJCAA rules (as they are open to all students), or other limitations. The money flows directly to the student, meaning that even if the student owes money to the college they will still get a grant if they qualify under the proposed methodology. The student could choose to use all or part of the money to pay their bill. The CARES Act asks the recipient to use the money for cost of living items such as food, rent, transportation, child care, etc. However, there will be no accountability to the student.
To qualify students must be Title IV eligible (typically US citizen high school graduates who are degree/certificate seeking, and who completed or could complete a FAFSA), and must have taken face-to-face and/or hybrid classes at the time of the National Declaration of Emergency.
The college has one year to expend these funds. Last month the administration brought a plan for the Board’s approval, which was given. However, after the approval, additional guidance was published by the US Department of Education, which further refined which students are eligible for the CARES Act funds.
The updated plan will allocate up to 100% of the direct grant received by NCCC as soon as possible. Qualified students were contacted and asked to complete a certification form that made them aware of the request by the CARES Act that the funds be used for cost of living items and for issues associated with the disruption of closing campus to face-to-face and hybrid classes. There are 549 students who are qualified to receive a grant. As of this writing 342 students have completed the certification form.
The plan calls for the qualified students to receive funds based on the number of credit hours enrolled during spring 2020 semester. Based on the total number of credit hours taken by qualified students, the amount is estimated to be about $50 per credit hour taken. Checks should be mailed by the end of the week.
A letter with the check will explain the reason for this grant and how, according to the federal government, the student should spend the funds.
The administration recommends that the Trustees award CARES Act grant to qualifying spring students in the proposed method described above.
Resolution 2020-17 RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Neosho County Community College approves the revised CARES ACT Grant.
Neosho County Community College has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 1800(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Neosho County Community College has received a total of $803,338 with $403,169 having been dispersed to students as of July 27th, 2020. Of the estimated 552 eligible students, 474 were paid.
As required by the U.S. Department of Education Public Quarterly Reporting Requirements Neosho County Community College has prepared the Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report: NCCC HEERF Quarterly Reporting [PDF]