[Wsssc] FW: CARES Act Part II: Emergency Financial Aid Grants and the Pursuit of Racial Equity

Wed Jun 3 13:19:00 PDT 2020

WSSSC: here is updated guidance on CARES Act emergency assistance to students written by Ha Nguyen in our office, reflecting the clarification released by the U.S. Department of Education. Financial Aid directors and other Student Services Councils have also received it.  Joe

From: Ha Nguyen <hnguyen at sbctc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 11:30 AM
To: Financial Aid Directors <dirfinaid at lists.ctc.edu>; mssdc (mssdc at lists.ctc.edu) <mssdc at lists.ctc.edu>; CUSP (cusp at lists.ctc.edu) <cusp at lists.ctc.edu>; WA Opportunity Grant Program <oppgrant at lists.ctc.edu>; Adult Literacy Directors <abedir at lists.ctc.edu>
Cc: dehpd-wactc at googlegroups.com; Jon Kerr <jkerr at sbctc.edu>; Joe Holliday <jholliday at sbctc.edu>; Jamie Traugott <jtraugott at sbctc.edu>; Erin Frasier <efrasier at sbctc.edu>; Jessica Porter <jporter at sbctc.edu>; Deana Rader <drader at sbctc.edu>; Becky Wood <bwood at sbctc.edu>; Dylan Jilek <djilek at sbctc.edu>; Kathi Medcalf <kmedcalf at sbctc.edu>; Alavi, Zahra <Zahra.Alavi at seattlecolleges.edu>; Alyssa Jocson Porter <alyssa.jocsonporter at seattlecolleges.edu>; Amanda Chin <achin at greenriver.edu>; Amita Chakravarty <achakravarty at spscc.edu>; Andre Loh <andre.loh at seattlecolleges.edu>; Angela Pak <angela.pak at seattlecolleges.edu>; Audry Bernal <audry.bernal at lwtech.edu>; awAnderson (awAnderson at greenriver.edu) <awAnderson at greenriver.edu>; Ay Saechao <asaechao at highline.edu>; Betsy Hasegawa <betsy.hasegawa at seattlecolleges.edu>; Boyoung Chae <bchae at sbctc.edu>; Brinda Sivaramakrishnan <bsivaramakrishnan at tacomacc.edu>; Celva Boon <celva.boon at cptc.edu>; Chayuda Overby <coverby at everettcc.edu>; Choi Halladay <challaday at pierce.ctc.edu>; Crystina Mostad <crystina.mostad at seattlecolleges.edu>; Dani Crivello-Chang <DCrivello-Chang at greenriver.edu>; Dorrienne Chinn <dorrienne.chinn at seattlecolleges.edu>; Erica Almeda <ealmeda at cascadia.edu>; Eugene Shen <eshen at rtc.edu>; Gerie Ventura <gventura at highline.edu>; Gloria Hong <ghong at spscc.edu>; Hideko Lyle <hlyle at olympic.edu>; Humamo <humamo at gmail.com>; Irey, Sayumi <Sayumi.Irey at Seattlecolleges.edu>; Janis V. Farmer (jfarmer at whatcom.edu) <jfarmer at whatcom.edu>; Jen Yong Ho (jyho at greenriver.edu) <jyho at greenriver.edu>; Jessica Koshi-Lum <jkoshi-lum at rtc.edu>; Johnny Hu <Johnny.Hu at Seattlecolleges.edu>; Kao Lezheo <Kao.Lezheo at Seattlecolleges.edu>; Karen Fernandez <kfernandez at highline.edu>; Kathi Hiyane-Brown (khiyane-brown at whatcom.edu) <khiyane-brown at whatcom.edu>; Kevin Pham <kevin.pham at edcc.edu>; Khoi Nguyen <knguyen at highline.edu>; lchang (lchang at rtc.edu) <lchang at rtc.edu>; Lee, Karen (Karen.Lee at lwtech.edu) <Karen.Lee at lwtech.edu>; Lia Homeister <lhomeister at rtc.edu>; Lijiao Serven <lserven at everettcc.edu>; Lin Zhou <lzhou at batestech.edu>; LuLani Tomaszewski <ltomaszewski at rtc.edu>; Mari Acob-Nash <Maria.acob-nash at seattlecolleges.edu>; Mayumi Steinmetz <msteinme at shoreline.edu>; Mei Luu (MLuu at whatcom.edu) <MLuu at whatcom.edu>; Miki Aspree <maspree at everettcc.edu>; Monica Twork <mtwork at highline.edu>; Nora Lance <nora.lance at bellevuecollege.edu>; Quynh Mihara <qmihara at highline.edu>; Reuth Kim <rkim at sbctc.edu>; Rimando-Chareunsap, Rosannette <Rosie.Rimando at seattlecolleges.edu>; Rosaline Palaita <rpalaita at greenriver.edu>; Sailaja Arungundram <asailaja at hotmail.com>; Samantha <librarian.samantha at gmail.com>; Sapan Parekh <sapan.parekh at bellevuecollege.edu>; Sera Han <shan at shoreline.edu>; Sheila DeLeon <sheila.deleon at seattlecolleges.edu>; Sookyung Park <spark at everettcc.edu>; Sue Anne Lemkin <Slemkin at shoreline.edu>; Summer Korst <skorst at highline.edu>; Teresa Lin <teresa.lin at email.edcc.edu>; Thuy Nguyen <thuy.n.nguyen at seattlecolleges.edu>; Timothy Chang <timothy.chang at bellevuecollege.edu>; Tina Young <tyoung1024 at gmail.com>; Tony Vo <vot7 at seattleu.edu>; Tram Dang <tram.dang at seattlecolleges.edu>; Tsai-Em Cheng <tcheng at greenriver.edu>; Vanessa Calonzo <vanessa.calonzo at seattlecolleges.edu>; Vik Bahl <vbahl at greenriver.edu>; Wang, Victoria (vwang at RTC.edu) <vwang at RTC.edu>; wtakata (wtakata at rtc.edu) <wtakata at rtc.edu>; Yifan Sun <ysun at batestech.edu>; Yilin Sun <yilin.sun at seattlecolleges.edu>; 'ytamura007 at gmail.com'; ytruong (ytruong at rtc.edu) <ytruong at rtc.edu>; Yueh-Lin Chen <ychen at rtc.edu>; Yukari Zednick <yzednick at cascadia.edu>
Subject: CARES Act Part II: Emergency Financial Aid Grants and the Pursuit of Racial Equity

Hello, Colleagues:

I'm writing with the hope that there have been moments in your day that have lightened your heart. I know many of us are heartbroken over the horrific acts of violence on our black brothers and sisters amidst a global health crisis and economic depression that has disproportionately attacked our black, brown, and native communities, and increased the anti-Asian sentiment within our refugee/immigrant populations. It is a trifecta of global proportions in which our communities of color will struggle to recover from (emotionally, spiritually, and financially) for years to come. But, it has also increased our system's urgency to take bold action steps in supporting our students of color and their families.

As you are already aware, the Department of Education (ED) recently updated their guidance page for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) established by the CARES Act. ED stated that their guidance for the HEERF is not enforceable, excepting what is in statute. They focused on the language regarding Title IV eligibility for student emergency grants and stated that they will not initiate any enforcement action based solely on their guidance because it lacks the force and effect of law. They also stated that the underlying statutory terms in the CARES Act are legally binding, as are any other applicable statutory terms, such as the restriction in 8 U.S.C. § 1611<https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1611> on eligibility for Federal public benefits (including grants). This statement appears to exclude our DACA, undocumented, and international students from accessing the emergency grants.

However, the recent clarification also expands our colleges' abilities to consider distributing the emergency aid to the following student populations:

  *   Basic skills students (67% are students of color)
  *   Students who are not currently receiving Financial Aid or do not meet Title IV eligibility (Pell-eligible)
  *   Students who are Ability to Benefit eligible
  *   Students without a HSD/GED
  *   Part-time students

I hope this guidance is helpful as your college revisits its policies and practices for distributing the emergency grants. On behalf of SBCTC, I can't thank you enough for the work you do for students in our collective pursuit of racial equity and healing. Without your leadership, courage, and advocacy during this turbulent and precarious time in our nation's history, our students of color and other minoritized populations would be left further behind.

Please always feel free to reach out to me at any time should you have any questions or simply want to connect.

Best,
Ha

[Compass]Ha T. Nguyen (she|her|hers)
Policy Associate|Student Services
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
hnguyen at sbctc.edu<mailto:hnguyen at sbctc.edu> * o: 360-704-4319 * c: 253.279.4299
sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> * Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> * Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>

"Things are not getting worse, they are getting uncovered.
We must hold each other tight and continue to pull back the veil."
-        Adrienne Maree Brown
_________________________________________________________________________________
                                                        SBCTC Vision
"Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives
within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice
in service to our diverse communities."

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20200603/097321a3/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 629079 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20200603/097321a3/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2630 bytes
Desc: image002.jpg
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/wsssc_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20200603/097321a3/attachment-0003.jpg>