Reporting update, August 7, 2020
Colorado Mesa University signed and returned the Department of Education’s Certification and Agreement with the assurance that the institution intends to use no less than 50% 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 the funds that Colorado Mesa University will receive pursuant to the Certification and Agreement is $7,068,379 of which $3,534,190 is to be utilized for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
To date, Colorado Mesa University has issued $1,560,799.64 to 1,561 students. It is expected that Colorado Mesa University will be able to assist 2,500 students with these funds.
CARES Fund Programs
Colorado Mesa University has funded and is currently funding the following programs to assist students with COCID-19 related expenses.
Funds to assist students displaced by housing closure.
Expense Covered:
The Emergency housing funding is utilized to assist students that needed to relocate due to the closing of residence halls. Funds are used for room and food necessities. Students that were deemed to have no other living arrangements were allowed to stay on campus.
How the amount of grant was calculated:
Funds allocated to students were calculated on the remaining days that were allowed for room and board costs from the closing of the residence hall upon checking out and the remaining days left in the semester. The amount of the adjustment for housing was prorated on the amount the student actually paid for housing. Students that did not actually pay for housing and food were not allotted funds.
Student Criteria:
Student must be in housing during the Spring 2020, have indicated to Residence Life they are moving out, and have greater out of pocket housing costs than scholarships and grants applied to housing.
Instructions given to Student:
Fund to be utilized for housing and food expenses due to having to relocate.
Funds to assist students that struggle with online format for classes.
Expense Covered:
Costs incurred due to for students that struggled with classes being switched to online format.
How the amount of grant was calculated:
Student completes an online form declaring the classes the student desired to withdraw from and retake at a later date. The amount of funding is based upon the cost of the classes withdrawn.
Student Criteria:
Student must be enrolled in Spring 2020 semester, and request a withdraw and refund within the electronic form process.
Instructions given to student:
Student instructed to complete online request to withdraw from class. The student must certify that the cause of the learning issue is due to the change to online learning due to COVID-19. Funds can be utilized for future face to face class learning in upcoming semesters.
Funds to assist students with emergency situations.
Expense Covered:
Funds to assist students with emergency situation that have occurred due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.
How the amount of grant was calculated:
Student completes an online form declaring the emergency funding reason. The amount of funding is based upon the students request and, in some cases, verified via student meetings with CMU IRIS Advisors.
Student criteria:
Must be enrolled in Spring 2020 and enrolled in Fall 2020 and express financial hardship (i.e.: food, health care, childcare, etc.) that cannot be resolved by other means. Student has exhausted all financial aid options and cannot work through the student employment program.
Instructions given to Student:
Utilizing an online form, students can request up to $250 by explaining the student’s emergency funding needs due to COVID-19. Students can request from $251 to $1000 by meeting with a CMU IRIS Advisor.
Funds to assist students with emergency situations.
Expense Covered:
Funds to assist students with emergency situation that have occurred due to COVID-19, that is included in the Cost of Attendance, and not able to be met by other means.
How the amount of grant was calculated:
Student works with Admissions Counselor to complete an online form declaring the emergency funding reason. The amount of funding is based upon the students request and, in some cases, verified via student meetings with CMU Admission Counselors.
Student criteria:
Must be enrolled in Fall 2020 and express financial hardship (i.e.: food, health care, childcare, etc.) that cannot be resolved by other means. Student has exhausted all financial aid options.
Instructions given to Student:
Utilizing an online form, students can request up to Cost of Attendance, not to exceed the maximum PELL Grant amount.
Additional relief programs are in development. This page will be updated every 45 days with new program information. Students can find more information and instructions on CMU's COVID-19 financial assistance page.