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 II created under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). Lynn has used and intends to continue to use the funds until depleted. The university received and applied $2,000,672 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. All funds were used in February 2021.
Lynn received $967,938 for students under HEERF II. As of June 24, 2021, the university has distributed $956,750 of the funds.
The university estimates that 1,702 of its students are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and are eligible to receive an emergency grant.
As of June 24, 2021, 1063 Lynn students received an emergency grant.
Lynn used the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) from students' 2020 FAFSA submission to determine who received or will receive emergency grants and how much funding they received or will receive. Award amounts range between $300 and $1300 per student depending on their EFC range. EFC ranges are between $0 and $50,000. If a student's EFC range exceeds $50,000, they can submit an appeal to be reviewed for changes in their circumstances. Subsequent 2020 FAFSA submissions were also considered for students that were enrolled.
As of March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) was signed into law. This is HEERF III. ARP permitted students that are international, DACA, or non-FAFSA filers to also apply for emergency cash grants. Some of the CRRSA funds not expended by that date permitted the new guidance to apply. Therefore, some CRRSA funds were also extended to some international and not FAFSA filers as long as they were able to complete the CRRSA Survey indicating that they were affected by COVID and were in need of additional assistance. These awards ranged from $300 to $6,000.
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Students who are within the determined EFC range (1,686) 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 CRRSA Act 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 CRRSA Act 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.
Further information and guidance is available for students and families in the CARES Act frequently asked questions.