Cost & Aid

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, SUNY Plattsburgh transitioned all Spring 2020 classes to distance learning and required most students to vacate the residence halls after spring break. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorizes colleges to award emergency financial aid grants to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child-care expenses.

SUNY Plattsburgh was awarded $2.6 million in CARES funds by the federal government for the sole and exclusive purpose of providing emergency financial aid grants to students. This policy establishes a campus plan to award these grants, and was developed by a workgroup of representatives from the Financial Aid Office, Office of Student Accounts and several offices from within the Division of Enrollment and Student Success.

SUNY Plattsburgh plans to award CARES Emergency Grants according to two methods that are consistent with federal regulations and SUNY Guidance as of April 29, 2020.

The first method awards a CARES base grant to all eligible students, with a higher award amount for those who are high-need in contrast to those who are not. High-need eligible students are awarded a $1,200 in a base grant and all other eligible students are awarded $250. A high-need student is an undergraduate or graduate student with an EFC below the Pell threshold in either 2019–20 or 2020–21.

In order to receive a base grant, eligible students must submit an online or paper form that collects the minimum certification requirements that are established in the CARES Act. On this form, students certify that they have already incurred or will incur allowable expenses of food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, childcare, and/or transportation as a result of the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus which equal or exceed the amount of their CARES base grant. The definition of allowable expenses is included on the form. On this form, students have the opportunity to replace the original base grant amount ($1,200 or $250) with a lower amount because they have or will have allowable expenses less than the original base grant amount. On this form, students also have the opportunity to decline their base grant because they did not or will not incur any allowable expenses.

The second method provides eligible students with the opportunity to request a CARES enhanced grant for allowable expenses that they have already incurred or will incur that are in excess of the base grant amount. The maximum amount of the aggregate sum of the base and enhanced grant for any student is $6,195, which is equivalent to the maximum Pell grant for 2019–20 and suggested by ED.

Eligible students request an enhanced grant by completing an online or paper supplemental form in addition to the base grant form. This form includes a similar certification as the base grant, but also requests more information and detail from the student. On the supplemental form for an enhanced grant, students list each allowable expense incurred or will incur. For each allowable expense, the student writes brief description, describes how it is related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, and also specifies the amount of each allowable expense. Students are informed on the form that the college reserves the right to request additional documentation and receipts. Requests for enhanced grants are evaluated by the financial aid office, and may be approved or denied based upon whether the request is permissible under the CARES Act.

The table below displays the projected unduplicated headcount of recipients by type of CARES emergency grant:

CARES Emergency Grant

Award	Amount	Federal Allocation	% Allocation
Base Grant for Not High Need	$250	$362,250	14%
Base Grant for High Need	$1,200	$1,868,400	71%
Enhanced Grant	Up to $6,195 total	$398,435	15%
Total		$2,629,085	100%

Appendix 9.1 contains the enrollment data that was used to establish the award amounts for the three types of CARES grants, and the distribution of the federal allocation between the three grant types (see Tables 1 & 2). This methodology is consistent with the federal formula that was used to calculate the total campus allocation of $2.6 million, which heavily weighted Pell eligible students in the formula (~75%). Note that the projected recipients and award amounts are based on current guidance regarding student eligibility, and also assume an 85% response rate of certifications from all eligible students.

The college plans to notify all eligible students of their base grants by no later than the end of May, as soon as the college receives access to federal funds and completes the technical set-up process within Banner. This notification will include student instructions on how to complete the online or paper form for certification, and well as instructions to request an enhanced grant. The college plans to start to post base grants to student accounts as soon as it starts to receive student responses to the certification. The college plans to start to evaluate requests for enhanced grants after the onset of base grants, and start to post enhanced grants to an account after approval by financial aid.

CARES emergency grants are not considered estimated financial assistance (EFA) and excluded from student financial aid packages. The entire grant amount is refunded to a student irrespective of any outstanding account balance with the college. Refunds are delivered via the normal college refund process for students, BankMobile. Students have three options with BankMobile: direct deposit into any checking account of their choice (92% of refunds at Plattsburgh), direct deposit into a BankMobile account (6% of refunds at Plattsburgh), or paper check (2% of refunds at Plattsburgh).

Base grants are refunded to students in sequential order based upon the receipt date of the certification. Enhanced grants are refunded to students in sequential order based upon the receipt date of the request. Base and enhanced grants continue to be refunded to students until the total amount of awards on campus reaches the federal allocation of $2,629,085. If the response rate is lower than anticipated and federal allocations remain in the fall, the original budgets for base and enhanced grants will be revisited and the original award amounts may be increased in order to ensure the total federal allocation is expended by April 21, 2021.

The Financial Services Forms web page contains paper forms for certification of the base grant and enhanced grant. Online forms are available on the college secure website (MyPlattsburgh) and include similar instructions, collect the same information, and include the same certification.

Definitions

An eligible student satisfies all of the following criteria:

• Enrolled during the Spring 2020 semester on or after March 13, 2020. Students who withdrew from the college prior to March 13 are not eligible for a CARES grant since they had withdrawn prior to date of the President’s Proclamation, “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak,” Federal Register 85, No. 53 at 15337–38.
• Matriculated in an eligible undergraduate or graduate academic program as of March 13, 2020. Eligible academic programs include all academic programs eligible for federal Title IV financial aid except those designated by the college as solely online for billing purposes. Ineligible online programs currently include: Accounting BS Completion Program, (755D), Fitness & Wellness Leadership M.S. (8073), Healthcare Informatics Certificate (0058), Nursing RN to BS (0203), and Special Education Grades 7–12 Advanced Certificate (063D).
• Eligible for federal Title IV financial aid in 2019–20 or 2020–21 and a FAFSA on file in 2019–20 or 2020–21. See below definition of eligible for federal Title IV financial aid. SFS encourages otherwise eligible students with no FAFSA on file to complete one.
• Certify that they have already incurred or will incur allowable expenses of food, housing, course materials, technology, course materials, health care, childcare, and/or transportation as a result of the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus which equal or exceed the amount of their CARES base grant.
• There is an additional eligibility criteria for an enhanced grant. Students certify that they have already incurred or will incur allowable expensesin excess of the amount of their base grant. Students must list each allowable expense already incurred or that will incur. For each allowable expense, the student writes a brief description, describes how it is related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, and also specifies the amount of each allowable expense. Students are informed that the college reserves the right to request additional documentation and receipts.
• These criteria may be modified based upon any additional guidance from ED or SUNY.

According to federal regulations (Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)) a student is eligible for federal Title IV financial aid if all of the following criteria are met:

• Be enrolled in a degree, certificate or other recognized educational credential (including a program of study abroad approved for credit by the eligible institution at which such student is enrolled) — that is, a regular student under 34 CFR 600.2);
• Not be enrolled in elementary or secondary school and have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent;
• Be maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP);
• Not owe an overpayment (refund) on Title IV grants;
• Not be in default on a Title IV loan;
• File with ED “as part of the original financial aid application process” a certification (Statement of Educational Purpose) that includes: a) A statement of educational purpose, and b) The student’s Social Security Number (SSN);
• Be a U.S citizen or national, a permanent resident, or an eligible noncitizen;
• Have returned any fraudulently obtained Title IV funds, if the student is convicted of or plead guilty or no contest to charges;
• Not have fraudulently received Title IV loans in excess of annual or aggregate limits;
• Have repaid any Title IV loan overpayment amounts in excess of annual or aggregate limits, if obtained inadvertently;
• Have his Selective Service registration verified (the Title IV aid ineligibility for failure to register is actually in the Selective Service Act §3811(f));
• Have a valid SSN, except for residents of the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau; and

Not have a federal or state conviction for drug possession or sale, with certain time limitations.

A high-need student is defined as an otherwise eligible undergraduate or graduate student with an EFC below the Pell threshold of 5,576 in either 2019–20 or 5,712 in 2020–21.

Allowable expenses are defined as expenses that resulted from the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, and include food, housing, course materials, technology and computer, health care, dependent care, transportation, and other non-tuition expenses under the cost of attendance.

SUNY issued new guidance to colleges on November 10, 2020. This guidance authorized colleges to provide payments directly to students without asking them to either complete an application or certification. SUNY Plattsburgh had less than $100,000 in federal allocation remaining on this date and elected to award all remaining funds based upon the new guidance. Appendix 9.3 contains a copy of the new guidance along with a sample student email notification.

SUNY Plattsburgh awarded two final cohorts CARES Base Grants under this new guidance.  Both cohorts satisfied all student eligibility criteria for a CARES Base Grant except they were first enrolled at SUNY Plattsburgh in Fall 2020 and were not enrolled in Spring 2020. Base Grants awarded under this new guidance were posted to the Fall 2020 semester instead of Spring 2020.

The first cohort was first-year students admitted into the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) in Fall 2020 who were not expected to withdraw from the college per guidance from the EOP Office. All of these students were high-need students and awarded a $1,200 CARES Base Grant. 

The second cohort was first-year students admitted into our Student Support Services (SSS) program who were high-need. Since the number of students in the second cohort exceeded the remaining federal allocation, students were ranked-ordered based upon parental federal adjusted gross income (AGI) from the FAFSA. Students were awarded a $1,200 Base Grant in sequential order, from lowest federal parental AGI to highest, until the exhaustion of the entire federal student allocation of $2,629,085. 

Appendix 9.3 contains a copy of the email notification that was sent to both cohorts.

Public Reporting Requirement for CARES Act Sections 18004 (a)(1) Student Aid Portion

Date	Type	Report
4/24/2020	Notice	SUNY Plattsburgh receives Grant Award Notification (GAN) for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CARES Act
5/24/2020	30 Day	SUNY Plattsburgh has not yet distributed any emergency financial aid grants to students
6/10/2020	Notice	Notification that funds are available for SUNY Plattsburgh to draw down
6/19/2020	Optional	SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed a cumulative total of $1,501,936 of emergency financial aid grants to 1,688 students.
7/7/2020	45 Day	SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed a cumulative total of $1,893,666 of emergency financial aid grants to 2,227 students.
7/17/2020	Optional	SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed a cumulative total of $2,362,064 of emergency financial aid grants to 2,710 students.
8/19/2020	45 Day	SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed a cumulative total of $2,423,845 of emergency financial aid grants to 2,766 students.
9/30/2020	Quarterly	Since 8/19/2020, SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed $40,150 more in emergency financial aid grants to 33 more students. SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed a cumulative total of $2,463,995 of emergency financial aid grants to 2,799 unduplicated students.
12/31/2020	Final Quarterly	Since 9/30/2020, SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed $166,340 more in emergency financial aid grants to 189 more students.   This periodic update (189 more students @ $166,340) is not unduplicated and includes the re-issuance of uncashed checks.   SUNY Plattsburgh has distributed a cumulative total of $2,629,085 of emergency financial aid grants to 2,974 unduplicated students.  This is the final quarterly report posting which covers all HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

Quarterly Public Reporting Form for CARES Act Sections 18004 (a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004 (a)(2), and 18004 (a)(3)

Date	Type	Report
9/30/2020	Quarterly	Sep 20 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report (link to PDF)
12/31/2020	Quarterly	Dec 20 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report (link to PDF)

• SUNY Plattsburgh signed and returned to the department the Certification and Agreement. SUNY Plattsburgh 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.
  
  
• SUNY Plattsburgh will receive or has received $2,629,085 from the department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

• SUNY Plattsburgh estimated that 3,536 students are 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. SUNY Plattsburgh estimated that of the 3,536 eligible students, 85% of them, or 3,006, would respond to the certification and receive an emergency grant (see Policy).

• SUNY Plattsburgh’s policy and methods for awarding emergency financial aid grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act are located above (see section Purpose, Policy, Definitions and Appendix).
  
  
• Below is a copy of SUNY Plattsburgh’s CARES grant notification that was emailed to all eligible students. The email included instructions, directions and guidance for students concerning the emergency financial aid grants.
  
  
• The Financial Services Forms web page contains paper forms for certification of the base grant and enhanced grant. Online forms are available on the college secure website (MyPlattsburgh) and include similar instructions, collect the same information, and include the same certification.

CARES Base Grant Award Notification

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, SUNY Plattsburgh transitioned all Spring 2020 classes to distance learning and required most students to vacate the residence halls after spring break.

SUNY Plattsburgh has awarded you a CARES Base Emergency Grant of $XXX.XXX for allowable expenses that you have already incurred or will incur as a result of the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. The amount of your base grant was based upon the college’s federal allocation, the total number of eligible students, and financial need per the FAFSA (see college policy).

Click this link to certify or decline your base grant. You can also follow the student instructions below in order to certify or decline your base grant.

If you certify the grant, the amount will be refunded to you irrespective of any outstanding account balance with the college. Refunds will be delivered via the normal college refund process for students, BankMobile. Base grants are refunded to students in sequential order based upon the receipt date of the certification, until the exhaustion of the college’s federal allocation. CARES grants are not considered financial aid, are not included in your financial aid package, and have no impact on your current financial aid package.

If you have or will incur allowable expenses in excess of the amount of your base grant, you have the option to complete a Request for an CARES Enhanced Emergency Grant.

Contact the financial aid office for more information.

Online Student Instructions

1. Login to MyPlattsburgh.
2. Click the Student Services Tab.
3. Click the link to “Certify Base CARES Emergency Grant” under Financial Aid Office.
4. Follow the instructions and remember to submit your online certification.

Paper Student Instructions

1. Visit the Financial Services Forms web page.
2. Print the paper certification form: “Certify Base CARES Emergency Grant”.
3. Follow the instructions, sign, and return the paper form to the Financial Aid Office.

I plan to live at home. Why am I paying the Career Services Fee, Intercollegiate Athletic Fee, Recreation Fee, Student Health and Counseling Fee and Student Association Fee when I don’t have access to these services?

Mandatory fees are charged to all students to support several college activities and services. These fees are assessed to all enrolled students and are essential for the college to operate. Mandatory fees are not user-based fees and students are encouraged to take advantage of the benefits these fees provide. For Fall 2020, both the Athletic Fee and Recreation Fee have been reduced by 50%.  The Student Association Fee has been reduced by 20%. For Spring 2021, the Athletic Fee has been reduced by 25% and the Student Association Fee has been reduced by 48%.

In addition, services have been transitioned to remote service so that students can access:

• Recreation fitness programs: Group exercise classes will continue to be offered to all students virtually.
• Career services staff and service can be accessed remotely, including: individual career coaching through appointments and drop-in hours; access to a career portal (Handshake) for job/internship postings and resume/cover letter feedback; industry-specific websites and databases; opportunities to practice interviewing, and support for applying to graduate school. In addition, several major events are scheduled, including a Part-Time Job Fair, Graduate and Professional School Fair and Career Fair.
• Student health and counseling will continue to offer and expand upon the remote counseling offerings.
• Student Association has moved much of its programming for students to virtual programming and events. All club meetings will be held remotely so that all students can participate. 

Will I lose my scholarship that requires on-campus residence if I move off-campus?

• Yes, you will. You must live on campus if you have a scholarship that requires on-campus residence. If you do not, the college will cancel this scholarship and you would be responsible for any outstanding balance that resulted from this. 
• You may become eligible again when you return to on-campus housing and meet all other conditions of the grant.
• If you are from the North Country, you also have the option to live at home whether your coursework is fully online or in person.

Will I lose my Welcome to New York Grant that requires on-campus residence if I move off campus?

• Yes, you will. You must live on campus if you have a Welcome to New York Grant that requires on-campus residence. If you do not, the college will cancel this grant and you would be responsible for any outstanding balance that resulted from this. 
• This grant is provided to students by the college out of its dormitory fund. Accordingly, the general purpose is guided toward on-campus housing and meal costs.
• On-campus housing and meals typically make up more than half of the cost of education each semester. These grants do not pay for the full cost of on-campus housing and meals but are able to fund only a portion of that cost each semester.
• Students whose course work has transitioned to online formats or otherwise choose to not live on-campus are not eligible for this grant because they are not paying for these on-campus housing and meal costs.
• You may become eligible again when you return to on-campus housing and meet all other conditions of the grant.

Will I lose my Campus Community Award that requires on-campus residence if I move off-campus?

• Yes, you will. You must live on campus if you have a Campus Community Award that requires on-campus residence. If you do not, the college will cancel this award and you would be responsible for any outstanding balance that resulted from this. 
• This award is provided to students by the college out of its dormitory fund. Accordingly, the general purpose is guided toward on-campus housing and meal costs.
• On-campus housing and meals typically make up more than half of the cost of education each semester. These awards do not pay for the full cost of on-campus housing and meals but are able to fund only a portion of that cost each semester.
• Students whose course work has transitioned to online formats or otherwise choose to not live on campus are not eligible for this award because they are not paying for these on-campus housing and meal costs.
• You may become eligible again when you return to on-campus housing and meet all other conditions of the award.