Quarterly Report as of Sept. 30, 2021

La Salle University has received funding from the federal government for grants under the CRRSAA and ARP as part of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II and HEERF III). The University acknowledges the Certification and Agreement required with its assurance that the University will provide at least the same amount of funding in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students as was required under the CARES Act and will distribute all amounts designated for emergency financial grants to students. For details regarding expenditures of the University’s institutional share of HEERF funding, refer to the following link.

The total amount awarded from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) as part of the CRRSAA pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students was $2,138,650. The majority of this funding has been distributed as emergency cash grants to eligible students in need who were enrolled in the Spring 2021 terms to pay for expenses incurred as a result of COVID-19. The estimated total number of students eligible to participate and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under the CRRSAA was 3,006.

The total amount awarded from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) as part of the ARP pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students was $5,980,351. This funding will be distributed as emergency cash grants to eligible students in need who are enrolled in the Fall 2021 semester.  The University is still determining the number of students eligible to receive emergency grants under the ARP funding.

As of Sept. 30, 2021, the University has distributed a majority of the HEERF II funding to students and as such, the University has drawn the corresponding funds from our federal account (G5). The total amount that has been distributed to students as of Sept. 30, 2021 was $2,016,000. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under the CRRSAA was 2,754 as of Sept. 30, 2021. The other 252 eligible students received grants paid via remaining CARES Act funds.

The Department of Education has given colleges and universities discretion to determine how this emergency assistance will be disbursed to eligible students. Understanding that many of our students have experienced financial hardships as a result of the pandemic, the University’s intention is to ensure that students with the most urgent need are the first to receive the emergency grant funds.  Accordingly, the University distributed grants to eligible students as follows:

Only students who were Title IV eligible (those who are eligible for federal student financial aid) based on their FAFSA were eligible to receive a grant under the HEERF II process. Grants were not awarded to non-Title IV eligible Students, International Students, DACA Students, or Students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress. Additionally, La Salle University employees (except those hired as student workers) are also ineligible to receive a CRRSAA grant.

These grants were not applied against existing University account balances (unless appropriate authorization was received from the student) and were sent by direct deposit if eRefunds were elected. (Here’s how to register for eRefunds.) If you were not enrolled in eRefunds, a check was issued and mailed to the billing address on file. These grants will be available to eligible students so long as funds are available. La Salle’s intention is to assist as many students as possible while being sensitive to need.

If you have not received a student emergency grant this Spring and believe that you were eligible based on the parameters described in this update, please email CARESFUND@lasalle.edu.

As of Sept. 30, 2021, the University has not yet distributed the HEERF III funding to students and will begin distributing the funding to students in the Fall 2021 term and will then draw the corresponding funds from our federal account (G5).

Federal guidelines require institutions to prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants. Institutions can also identify additional eligibility requirements. La Salle has not finalized a methodology for distributing ARP grants to students and intends to assist as many students as possible while being sensitive to need.

We thank you in advance for your patience as we continue to assist our students in navigating through this difficult time.