On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA). This new law gives the U.S. Department of Education funds to distribute to institutions of higher education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
This CRRSAA law has some similarities, as well as important differences, from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) that was enacted on March 27, 2020. Like the CARES Act, the CRRSAA Act provides grants to students, but an important difference is that students enrolled in exclusively distance education courses will be allowed to receive an award under the CRRSAA law. Because of this, significantly more students at NSU will receive an award under CRRSAA.
Last year, Northwestern State University distributed $2.8 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to provide NSU CARES grants to eligible students who experienced education disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, NSU has been awarded an additional $2.8 million through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) to continue to support students who have an exceptional need due to COVID-19.
According to eligibility requirements, CRRSAA funds are available to all degree seeking, undergraduate or graduate students, enrolled for the Spring 2021 semester as of March 16, 2021 who are U.S. citizens. Unfortunately, federal guidelines exclude undocumented and international students and non-degree seeking students, including Dual Enrollment and Continuing Education students from receiving CRRSAA funds.
Payments and Amount of Awards
Funds will be posted on your student account and paid in the form of a direct deposit (if set up) or a paper check by U.S. mail to your student address on file with the university. NSU plans to issue payments on April 1, 2021. There is no certification process that you need to complete to receive funding.
Students who have a balance with NSU will have the option to apply their HEERF II (NSU CRRSAA) funding towards any charges still owed to NSU. This option will appear within your MyNSU account.
Every eligible student will be awarded the same amount. Award amounts will be $352.00 per student.
We have created a Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) webpage, https://www.nsula.edu/crrsaa/, with information, eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions. Please send any questions about the NSU CRRSAA student grants to CRRSAA@nsula.edu.
We have worked to ensure that we are following federal guidelines and to make the process as quick and simple as possible to our students.
Sincerely,
Chris Maggio
