Mississippi Valley State University students will soon be able to apply for emergency financial grants to help cover expenses incurred after campus operations were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is federal legislation, signed into law by President Trump on March 27, that provides a variety of financial support to individuals and organizations affected by COVID-19.
The CARES Act includes a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) that provides more than $14 billion in emergency funding to higher education. Of those funds, more than $6 billion must go directly to students in the form of emergency financial aid grants (HEERF-student share) for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.
MVSU is set to receive a total of $3,079,829 of which at least half ($1,539,915) must be provided directly 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. The remaining funds may be used by the university to cover costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus.
MVSU CARES Project Director Dr. La Shon F. Brooks has assembled a committee that is working to implement a tier system in which funds will be disbursed by prioritizing students with the greatest need. The grants are open to MVSU undergraduate or graduate students who have filed a FAFSA. Those MVSU students who were enrolled in 100% online degree programs prior to March 13, 2020, are not eligible.
MVSU students will be able to access the CARES application through Banner (Sutton2). The application will be for the Spring 2020.
An announcement will be made with additional instructions once the application is live.