Lynn University acknowledges that it signed and returned the Recipient's Funding Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds III created under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Lynn has used and intends to continue to use the student funds until depleted. The university received and applied $2,587,600 toward institutional funds to cover costs associated with significant changes to the residential halls and therefore loss of revenue due to COVID-19 safety protocols. Institutional funds were also applied to monitor and suppress COVID-19 with activities that included testing, cleaning and disinfecting. Institutional funds were also used to conduct direct outreach to students on financial aid adjustment opportunity. All funds were used in May 2021.
Lynn received $2,654,071 for students under HEERF III. It has disbursed $2,654,071 to 1200 students.
The university estimated that 3,356 of its students were eligible to participate in programs under the emergency grant.
Lynn used the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) from students' 2021 FAFSA submission to determine who will receive emergency grants and how much funding they will receive. Award amounts ranged between $500 to $4,000 per student depending on their EFC range. EFC ranges were between $0 and $50,000. If a student's EFC range exceeded $50,000, they were able to submit an appeal to be reviewed for changes in their circumstances. Subsequent 2021 FAFSA submissions were considered for students.
Direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity for a financial aid adjustment due to recent unemployment of a family member or the student or other circumstances was ongoing through Summer and Fall 2021 with virtual and on-campus sessions.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) was signed into law on March 11, 2021. ARPA permits students that are international, DACA, or non-FAFSA filers to be eligible to apply for emergency cash grants. These students were able to complete the ARPA Survey indicating that they were affected by COVID and met the exceptional need of additional assistance. These awards ranged from $500-$4,000.
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Students who are within the determined EFC range (1,736) were sent an email survey to their university email account. In order to receive funds, students must respond with the following: 1) Acceptance of the ARPA funds, and 2) Reason for requesting funds: childcare, course materials, food, healthcare, housing, tuition, and/or technology. Students were asked to provide their electronic banking information to the institution, in order to receive the funds within 3–5 business days. They were informed that this is a cash grant.
In addition, parents and students received notifications and reminders about the ARPA funding via their personal email addresses. If no response after one week, the university sent students a text message to their mobile number on file at the university.
EFC outside the determined EFC range, non-FAFSA filers, international students, DACA students, dual-enrolled students, and certificate students received an email that if they have an exceptional financial need related to COVID-19, they may complete the ARPA Survey and submit for review of an emergency cash grant.
Further information and guidance is available for students and families in the ARP Act frequently asked questions.