Cares Act Grants to SLCHS Students

Dear Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences at Rockhurst University Students -

By now, you are probably aware of recent legislation known as the CARES Act (The Act) – the federal stimulus package passed for the sole purpose of easing the financial burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic – and the aid that it provides to institutions of higher education (IHE). 

As is the case for many of our peer institutions, Rockhurst has received funding pursuant to The Act – Saint Luke’s College of Health Science’s (SLCHS) allocation totaled just under $463,000. In accordance with The Act, half of that amount will be distributed to SLCHS students (see below).

The Act instructs IHE to distribute grant aid to undergraduate and graduate students who have incurred expenses due to COVID-19 (examples of such expenses can be found below). The Act requires IHE to distribute the grants only to students who are Title IV eligible (i.e. eligible for federal financial aid) and who were enrolled in Spring 2020 semester on-ground or hybrid classes as of March 13, 2020 (students who were enrolled exclusive in online classes are not eligible for Cares Act grants). The Act encourages IHE to give special attention to students with unmet financial need. Financial data has informed the University as to how to distribute the grants in a fashion that will best meet the requirements of The Act and assist our students with the greatest financial need. 

During the spring 2020 term, SLCHS was not yet a part of Rockhurst University. This distribution of CARES Act funds is specifically for SLCHS students (enrolled in Spring 2020 semester on-ground or hybrid classes as of March 13, 2020). New SLCHS students beginning in the summer 2020 or Fall 2020 terms are not eligible for these funds. Additionally, any Rockhurst University student that was in a pre-major curriculum at Rockhurst University during the spring 2020 semester, preparing for possible admission into a SLCHS program at a future date (e.g., pre-Nursing), is also not eligible for SLCHS CARES Act funds, but instead would have been eligible for those funds through Rockhurst University.

There will be two phases of grant distributions for eligible SLCHS students, as follows: 

• Phase I - Immediate, Need-based grants: These $200 - $1000 grants will be automatically distributed to those students (enrolled in on-ground or hybrid SLCHS classes as of March 13) whose Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) on the 2019-2020 FAFSA filing is at or below $12,000. The grant amount will be determined on a sliding scale based on the student’s EFC.

  We expect approximately 250 SLCHS students will be awarded these immediate, need-based grants, and that this money will be distributed by the end of July via check. Because these grants are automatic, there is no further action required by the grant recipients or their families.

To ensure grant checks are received in a timely manner, students should make sure the university has their current mailing address which can be updated by going to the RU portal at my.rockhurst.edu and clicking on Rockweb and then on Personal Information.

• Phase II - RUCare$ grants: We know many students have incurred unexpected costs due to the sudden nature of the pandemic. The Act encourages IHE to assist students who have incurred such costs, including (but not limited to):
  • Food
  • Housing and moving expenses (e.g. rent, storage)
  • Technology (e.g. internet, routers, computers, cameras, software)
  • Transportation (e.g. unexpected travel costs)
  • Child care
  • Medical expenses
  • Increased utility costs
  • Loss of income

Funding for these RUCare$ grants will come from both The Act funds and the University’s Love in Action Emergency Assistance Fund. Thanks to the generosity of the Rockhurst Community, the University’s Love in Action Emergency Assistance Fund can be used for a wider range of needs than The Act’s funds, and they are available to students who are not Title IV eligible. Information on how to apply for an RUCare$ grant will be sent in August via email to all Saint Luke’s College students. These RUCare$ grants will be no more than $500 and funding for these grants is limited and not guaranteed.

NOTE: The Immediate, Need-Based grants and the RUCare$ grants are NOT considered taxable income to the recipient. However, grant amounts will be reported in box 5 of IRS form 1098-T.

We hope this financial assistance will be of help to you. Even if your plans will be different from what you envisioned, we hope you will be able to spend time doing the things that bring you joy. And, to our graduates, may you find success wherever your next steps take you.

GERALD MOENCH

Chief Financial Officer