Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting

Reporting requirements

Section 18004(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act” or the “Act”)), Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (March 27, 2020), directs institutions receiving funds under Section 18004 of the Act to submit (in a time and manner required by the Secretary) a report to the Secretary describing the use of funds distributed from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”). Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act requires institutions to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received from Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care). On April 9, 2020, the Department published documents related to the Emergency Financial Aid Grants, including a letter from Secretary Betsy DeVos, a form Certification and Agreement for signing and returning by institutions to access the funds, and a list of institutional allocations under 18004(a)(1).

The Certification and Agreement directs each institution applying for HEERF funds to comply with Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and submit an initial report (the “30-day Fund Report”) to the Secretary thirty (30) days from the date of the institution’s Certification and Agreement to the Department. The Department will provide instructions for providing the required information to the Secretary in the near future. In the meantime, each HEERF participating institution must post the information listed below on the institution’s primary website. The Department would like to receive the most current information from the date when the institution received its allocation for emergency financial aid grants to students, and the institution should have received its allocation within a few days after submitting the Certification and Agreement.

(Electronic Announcement 050620)

Reporting parameters

An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution 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.
The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).
The estimated total number of students at the institution 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.
The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

Reporting elements

HEERF Quarterly Expenditure Reports

Quarterly budget and expenditure reports created according to the federal CARES Act are listed below.

HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report — Oct. 1, 2020

HEERFII/CRRSAA Report

[HEERFII/CRRSAA Report March 15, 2021 PDF]

HEERF III Reporting – American Rescue Plan (ARP)

The following information is provided to comply with the Department of Education’s HEERF III Reporting requirements. This information is limited to HEERF III funding and does not include any other grant programs.

Reporting Date: January 7, 2021

Emergency Financial Aid Grants for Students

DSDT acknowledges that it submitted a Funding Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students to the Department of Education and received a supplemental notification of approval on June 30th, 2021 for funds designated under Section 2003(a)(1) of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

HEERF I – $7,856 received, of which $3,928 was disbursed to students

HEERF II – All students in Film Production and Technology Professional 6 (two largest programs during a certain time frame)

Group 1: 114 students

Amount of disbursement made per student: $178.56

Group 2: 16 students (all funds left over from students who did not cash checks issued was redistributed to students who sent a need based email)

Amount of disbursement made per student: $245.53

HEERF III – students emailed need based

Need based Group 1 – 19 students

Amount of disbursement made per student: $536.26

Need based Group 2 – 14 students

Amount of disbursement made per student: $536.26

DSDT was allocated $18,769 from the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students as designated under Section 2003(a)(1) of the ARP.

The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under ARP is $592.71, of which $18,769 was awarded in this quarter.

The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students from ARP is 33. Such estimate is based on the number of students that have been enrolled at DSDT on or after March 13, 2020, as described in the Department of Education’s final rule, “Eligibility To Receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students Under HEERF” (May 14, 2021, 86 FR 26608).

The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to Students under ARP is 33, of which 33 received a grant in this quarter. DSDT will continue to award emergency grants until all allocated funds are exhausted.

DSDT has established an application process for students to request emergency funds with a goal of assisting as many students as possible while prioritizing those students with exceptional financial need. Award amounts are determined by DSDT based upon a review of the student emergency grant application, the amount requested, and the students demonstrated financial need from their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), if applicable. Generally, students receive grant amounts between $179 and $593. As of December 31, 2021, the average grant amount awarded to a student is $282.76, with an average grant amount of $282.76 in this quarter.

DSDT announced the availability of emergency grants under ARP by emailing all returning students in August 2021. Additionally, emails were sent to new students in early September 2021, after the start of classes. The university continues to raise awareness of all emergency financial assistance to our student body by adding links to the Financial Assistance Related to COVID-19 page across a number of our student-focused websites and through various communication efforts. All materials indicate that emergency grant funds are able to be used to assist all components of cost of attendance, including tuition, and that awards could be applied directly to a student account, with the student’s affirmative consent.

DSDT students can visit the HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND webpage for additional information and specific guidance regarding Emergency Financial Aid Grants, including eligibility requirements, directions for submitting an application, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Institutional Portion

The Institutional Portion allocated to DSDT under HEERF II is $27,321.00, and was made available for use beginning on July 13, 2021.

For the quarter ending December 31, 2021, the total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants drawn by the university under Section 18004(a) (1) of the CARES Act was $18,769.00. The Institutional Costs, which were directly related to impacts associated with coronavirus, were used to cover personnel and non-personnel expenses related to testing lab services, services for implementing physical distancing and air quality measures in campus facilities, as well as HR family care proctoring and temporary child care need services. The Institutional Lost Revenue, which were directly related to impacts associated with coronavirus, were used to cover losses within housing services, parking and transportation services, and the early education center.