CARES Act Grant at Eastern International College

CARES Act Distribution Information:

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”). To meet this reporting requirement, the Department of Education has requested the following information must appear in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated every 45 days thereafter:

• An acknowledgment 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.
  $1,015,504.90
• 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).
  $507,752.45
• 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.522 students are Title IV-eligible.The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. 522 have been awarded as of September 30, 2020.
• The methods used to determine which and how many students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants are as follows:
  a. A Spring 2020 enrolled undergraduate student for term of disbursement
  b. Eligible for funding under a Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965
  c. Students with an EFC number at zero will receive the maximum amount of $1,100.
  d.  Students with an EFC greater than zero will receive $884.96.
•  The instructions, directions, or guidance provided by Eastern International College to all students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants were sent via College email, app and published on the College website.  Instructions are provided on the Eastern International College Financial Aid website at : test74.mlivehosted.com/campus-update-coronavirus
  
• The grant appears with the following name CARES ACT GRANT.
• The grant will be awarded through financial aid and disbursed directly to students via paper check.
• The grant will be processed through Accounts Payable and will not be applied to or used to offset any charge, debt, tuition, fees, or other balance in a student account, nor will it be encumbered in any manner by Eastern International College.
• Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report (2020Q3)
• Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report (2020Q4)
• Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report (2021Q1))
• Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report (2021Q2 – Final))
• Quarterly Fund Report for CARES Act – Student Portion

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Campus Update: May 11, 2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund provides financial support to higher education institutions for the purpose of covering expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. At least 50 percent of CARES Act funds must be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eastern International College has signed and returned the Certification and Agreement to the Department of Education, and intends to use no less than 50% of the funds to be received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Grants to students. The College is expected to receive $508,102 in Student Share funds of the CARES Act Grant which will be distributed directly to students through emergency financial aid grants to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. The College has not yet received the payment of Student Share CARES Act Grant funds from the student and has therefore not yet distributed these funds to students.

Additional guidance has been provided that puts provisions on this funding. Students must be Title IV eligible and enrolled in an on-campus program. These funds also cannot be used to pay a student balance as owed to the College, and is to be solely used for unanticipated expenses due to the COVID-19 disruption.

To be eligible for a CARES Act Emergency Grant, a student must:

• Be enrolled in (or accepted for enrollment in) as of the Spring 2020 Term.
• Have been enrolled in at least one course in the Spring 2020 Term.
• Have completed a 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to verify the following general eligibility requirements. The student must:
  • Have a valid Social Security number.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or have qualifying non-citizenship status.
  • Have earned a high school diploma or GED.
  • Have registered for selective service (if the individual is male and under 26 years of age).
• Fulfill the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards of Eastern International College at the beginning of the Spring 2020 Term.
• Have a certified need of funding for eligible expenses incurred as a result of disruption to College operations and related to the coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare. This is completed by submitting the CARES Act Grant application at https://forms.gle/RKk1SkRUKsfBKYn47. All applications must be received by June 5th, 2020; students should anticipate a 2 week processing time following close of application submission, and will receive a notification to their @edu email with their award status. 

Note: A student enrolled in classes for a program that was offered exclusively online during the Spring 2020 Term is not eligible for an emergency grant. (DHBS Completion and HLBS Completion programs) A student who is in default on a Title IV loan (or who owes refund money on a Title IV grant), failing to maintain Satisfactory Progress, or is otherwise ineligible for Title IV funding is also ineligible for CARES Act funding.

To apply, go to https://forms.gle/RKk1SkRUKsfBKYn47

Applications are due June 5, 2020

For additional information on the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, please see www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Campus Update: CARES Act at Eastern International College – April 17, 2020

Eastern International College acknowledges the devastating effect that the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic has caused on our local and global economies, and the lives of individuals throughout the world. To avoid a significant disruption in studies, the College transitioned to a distance education (online learning) model for the duration of the Spring 2020 semester, with plans to continue as such into Summer 2020 classes. In an effort to assist students during this time of uncertainty, the US Dept of Education passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), giving additional funds to institutions to award to students with unanticipated expenses related to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This is “gift aid” from the federal government that does not need to be repaid by the student. 

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About Coronavirus

CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which has now been detected in 50 locations internationally, including cases in the United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).

On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC). On January 31, 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19.

Symptoms

For confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Steps to Protect Yourself

The actions you take and plans you make today make a difference. Here are some important steps for protecting yourself and others from getting and spreading the flu at home:

1. Stay home when you are sick.
2. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
3. Cover your coughs and sneezes.
4. Wash your hands.
5. Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
6. Be prepared and informed.

Consult the NJ Department of Health hotline for questions and concerns regarding COVID-19 at 800-222-1222. More information at CDC.

We look forward to staying in communication with you as this situation unfolds.

The information below is directly lifted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19

If you are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should:

• Stock up on supplies
• Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others
• When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often.
• Avoid crowds as much as possible

During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible.

Who is at Higher Risk?

Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:

• Older adults
• People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Lung disease

If a COVID-19 outbreak happens in your community, it could last for a long time. (An outbreak is when a large number of people suddenly get sick.). Depending on how severe the outbreak is, public health officials may recommend community actions to reduce people’s risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can slow the spread and reduce the impact of disease.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

Get Ready for COVID-19 Now

• Have supplies on hand
  • Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand in case there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community and you need to stay home for a prolonged period of time.
  • If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications.
  • Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms. Most people will be able to recover from COVID-19 at home.
  • Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.
• Take everyday precautions
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Take everyday preventive actions
    • Clean your hands often
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
    • If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
    • To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
    • Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.
    • Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.
    • Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones)
    • Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
  • If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, take extra measures to put distance between yourself and other people
    • Stay home as much as possible.
      • Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks.
    • Have a plan for if you get sick:
      • Consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
      • Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.
      • Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick.

Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs

• Pay attention for potential COVID-19 symptoms including, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.
• If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. In adults, emergency warning signs*:
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to arouse
  • Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning.