HEERF3 Funds Campus Awarding/ Disbursal Policy 08/13/2021

  1. SUNY Optometry has signed the certification agreement and returned it to the federal Education Department (ED) and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, all of the Student Aid Funds to provide emergency grants to students.
  2. SUNY College of Optometry was awarded $258,784 in HEERF funds to award to students.
  3. The total amount distributed to students is $258,784.
  4. We estimate about 400 student’s were eligible to apply.
  5. 307 non duplicated students received an award HEERF3 Funds Campus Awarding/ Disbursal Policy 08/13/2021
  6. Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), recently passed by Congress and signed by the President, there is $22.7 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is allocating 89% HEERF monies to institutions in two portions, similar to the CARES Act. However, this time, the ED identified the minimum amount each institution must reserve for emergency grants to students, which is the “same amount” institutions received under the Student Portion of the CARES Act.SUNY College of Optometry received $140,066 HEERF 3 funding to give out as direct grants to out neediest students. SUNY Central Administration developed a plan for all SUNY Colleges. Please see template: LINK TO TEMPLATE. After consultation with SUNY Central Administration Audit division they approved a plan for Optometry to award funding to its neediest students. (The college will supply the additional $514 dollars needed to make all awards equal using the approved template).

Students with EFC’s between 0-$2923 will receive $540.
Students with EFC’s between$2924-$5846 will receive $480.
Students with EFC’s between $5847-$8,769 will receive $420.
Students with EFC’s between $8,770-$11,692 will receive $360.
Students with EFC’s between 11,693-$14,615 will receive $300.

  1. Each student who receives funding will receive an e-mail with the following wording: “In response to the coronavirus pandemic, funds have been made available through the CRRSAA Act to award emergency grants to students for expenses related to the any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus. Eligible expenses include tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or childcare. The Campus has deemed you eligible to receive an emergency grant in the amount of $XX. This is not a loan and will not need to be paid back and will not affect your financial aid award amounts for academic year 2021-2022. Students must understand it is their responsibility to notify Vito Cavallaro in the financial aid office immediately if they will not incur expenses that meet or exceed the amount of their emergency grant.”  The Bursar’s office will announce that checks are available for pick up to each awardee and confirm that all checks are cashed by selected students.

Each student who receives funding will receive an e-mail with the following wording:

“In response to the coronavirus pandemic, funds have been made available through the CRRSAA Act to award emergency grants to students for expenses related to the any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus. Eligible expenses include tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or childcare. The Campus has deemed you eligible to receive an emergency grant in the amount of $XX. This is not a loan and will not need to be paid back and will not affect your financial aid award amounts for academic year 2021-2022. Students must understand it is their responsibility to notify Vito Cavallaro in the financial aid office immediately if they will not incur expenses that meet or exceed the amount of their emergency grant.”

The Bursar’s office will announce that checks are available for pick up to each awardee and confirm that all checks are cashed by selected students.

On September 21, 2021 the college disbursed $140,066 from HEERF 3 funds and $514 from College funds to 266 students using the criteria from section 6.