Awareness

How to protect yourself from COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses:

If you are healthy

  • Continue your normal daily routine. This means you can continue to participate in public gatherings such as work, school, or social activities.
  • Get your flu shot, and stay up-to-date on other routine childhood and adult immunizations.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water or, at minimum, use an alcohol-based hand rub, which may be less effective than soap and water.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, handrails, etc.

If you are sick

    • Stay home
    • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your inner elbow shirt sleeve.
    • Wash your hands with soap and water or, at minimum, alcohol-based hand rub, which may be less effective than soap and water.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
    • Avoid close contact with anyone else with cold or flu-like symptoms.
    • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, handrails, etc.

COVID-19 in the community

  • It’s important to remember that the risk to most Coloradans from COVID-19 is low. If an individual does not have a high risk of exposure, it is very unlikely they have novel coronavirus. But anyone who is ill and concerned should contact a health care provider.

CARES HEERF Reporting

The Department of Education’s electronic announcement dated May 6, 2020, and titled “Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting-Emergency Grants to Students” requires the following disclosures in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated 45 days thereafter.” Adams State University acknowledges that President Lovell signed and returned the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to the Department of Education on April 17, 2020. The university intends to use no less than 50% of the funds received under the Cares Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. The emergency relief funds were received on April 25, 2020, in the amount of $784,457.

Eligibility Requirements

On May 15, 2020, Adams State University estimated that 625 students met eligibility requirements as outlined in CARES:

  • Enrollment in a degree-seeking program that, when the campus is not closed, takes place on-campus or through a hybrid on-campus/online format. Students enrolled exclusively in programs that are always taught entirely online are not eligible for the CARES fund.
  • Enrollment in programs that are always taught entirely online (even when the campus is not closed).
  • Meet FA eligibility requirements
  • Non incarcerated students
  • No DACA, or international students

Prospective applicants were notified via email of the availability of funds, and a link to the application:

If you have incurred expenses related to campus disruptions due to the coronavirus, please learn more about the eligibility requirements for the CARES fund below and, if you believe you may be eligible, submit the Grizzly Persistence Adams State University CARES Act COVID-19 Emergency Aid Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScae7Np1xZo7V9BAfXjrFv4XCT6qNWb4C8IKqSh6mruHwnM5w/viewform

Students were asked to identify the nature of the request by selecting an option related to job loss, closure, decreased earnings, housing, utilities, food, shelter, hospitalization, or other Covid19 related expenses. By submitting the application, students certified that there was a Covid related expense or situation that impacted the student financially. As of the date of this posting, (May 17, 2020) Adams State received 500 applications, and $160,750 has been issued directly to students. Students were prioritized according to need and PJ for students with “exceptional” Covid related circumstances.

CARES Act Update: June 25, 2020

Adams State has awarded a total of $356,300 in emergency aid by an application process. All students have been notified multiple times via email and telephone to let them know about the availability of funds as well as the steps to apply. Awards range from $500 to $800. The formula used to determine amounts is based on the number of credit hours taken in the Spring semester, demonstrated financial need, and enrollment in summer or fall courses. Payments continue to go directly to students, bypassing any account balance.

CARES Act Update: September 30, 2020

Adams State awarded an additional $368,914 in emergency aid to students who didn’t complete an initial application, and through PJ. Awards were prioritized according to financial need and enrollment levels. The average award was $500.

CARES Act Update: December 31, 2020

To date, Adams State has spent $730,114 of HEERF CARES Act funds on 725 students who have experienced financial difficulties due to the Covid19 pandemic. Awards have been issued directly to students to assist with unpaid balances, emergency purposes such as housing, storage, travel, medical, loss of income, technology, and assistance for students whose educational savings were used to offset unexpected expenses.

CARES Act Update: March 31, 2021

Adams State awarded $12,509 to students experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic. Students were identified by reduction of income financial aid appeals, One Stop, Financial Aid, Housing, Student Affairs, or Student Business Services staff.

HEERF2 CRRSAA and ARP Update

Adams State University has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Under CRRSAA section 314(d)(7), which continues to apply to ARP (a)(4) funds, awards from the Proprietary Institution Grant Funds for Students Program may only be used to provide financial aid grants to students (including students exclusively enrolled in distance education), which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to Covid 19 such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.

HEERF2 Update: 1/19/2021

Adams State received $784,457 in HEERF2 CRRSAA funds.

HEERF2 Update: March 31, 2021

Adams State spent $9,310 in February and March. Awards were made using PJ, and prioritized by financial need. Students either self-identified, or they were referred to our office by SBS, Housing, Student Support Services, professors, CAMP, Registrar’s, the VPSA, VPAA, President, and the OneStop. Payments were applied to student account balances if Adams State received written authorization from the student. Otherwise, payments were refunded directly through Bank Mobile.

HEERF2 Update: April 21, 2021

On 4/20/2021 Adams State University began sending CARES fund payments to students via Adams State’s refund provider, BankMobile. Awards were made to 1,125 students. Students who received prior CARES funding and were Pell-eligible received $300. Pell-eligible students with no prior emergency funding received $500. Non-Pell eligible students, as defined by EFC being above the Pell cutoff, or no FAFSA received $300. Payments were made to students who were enrolled in online programs at the onset of the pandemic, international, and DACA. Payments were prioritized based on financial need as demonstrated by FAFSA.

HEERF2 Update: June 30, 2021

As of the date of this posting, Adams State spent $527,644 in Q3. This includes the April mass disbursement. The institution also assisted with previous account balances to students with unpaid balances as a result of the pandemic. Amounts were prioritized by demonstrated financial need and circumstances.

HEERF2 Update: August 28, 2021

The remaining HEERF2 funds were used to assist enrolled, undergraduate students with costs related to the Covid 19 pandemic. Pell-eligible students received $400, and non-Pell eligible students received $300. Students were selected based on enrollment, and no application was required.

American Rescue Plan (ARP) HEERF3 Update

Adams State University signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the CRRSAA and ARP (a)(1) and (a)(4) programs to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

HEERF3 Update: 5/14/2021

Adams State received $2,586,568.00

HEERF3 Update:6/30/2021

No expenditures

HEERF3 Update: 9/30/2021

Adams State spent a total of $645,861 assisting 1,658 undergraduate students with unpaid account balances, and other costs associated with the pandemic and Cost of attendance. A mass disbursement was made to all undergraduate students enrolled for the fall semester. Pell-eligible students received $400, and non-Pell students received $300, as demonstrated by FAFSA EFC. No application was required. Payments were made weekly to students based on need, and no application was required. Funds were prioritized by financial need as determined by the FAFSA EFC and the student’s circumstances. Funds were awarded to students for costs related to their cost of attendance, and funds had to be “authorized” by the student in order for Adams State to apply them directly to an account balance. Students received the following authorization message:
“Congratulations! You have been awarded through Adams State University’s Grizzly Persistence Award to help with educational expenses. This award is offered to help you reach your educational goals following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible expenses include Tuition, dorm, meal plan, books, and other personal expenses. You must choose a preference by Friday or your funds will be sent directly to you through Bank Mobile, Adams State refund partner. https://www.adams.edu/financial-aid/policies/disbursement/”

A portal announcement was visible to all students on 10/1/2021, which indicated that HEERF3 funds were available based on financial need, and the student’s situation. No application was required. Students either self-identified, or they were referred to our office by SBS, Housing, Student Support Services, professors, CAMP, Registrar’s, the VPSA, VPAA, President, and the OneStop. Most students received a maximum of $3,000, but exceptions were made based on the student’s situation.

HEERF3 Update: 12/31/2021

Adams State spent $125,000 on unpaid Spring balances for Pell-eligible students. Students were sent the following Balance Authorization: “You are receiving a Grizzly Persist Award to help you reach your educational goals following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to apply funds directly to your account balance, we must have your authorization and acknowledgment. Otherwise, funds will be sent directly to you through BankMobile. refund https://www.adams.edu/financial-aid/policies/disbursement/

HEERF3 Update: 01/14/2022

Adams State awarded $1,258,434 to 460 Pell-eligible students who enrolled for the Spring semester. Methodology: $3,000 was awarded to currently enrolled students without prior HEERF3 payments. Students who didn’t receive a full $3,000 in the fall were awarded the difference, excluding the $400 received in the fall that went out to all Pell-eligible students. Students received the following authorization:

“You are receiving a Grizzly Persist Award to help you reach your educational goals following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amounts are variable, not to exceed $3,000. Payments will be generated during the first week of classes. Federal regulations require a student’s authorization to apply funds directly to outstanding account balances for the spring semester. If you would like your award to be applied directly to your account balance, please check the box below. Otherwise, funds will be sent directly to your refund preference through Bank Mobile, Adams State’s refund partner. https://www.adams.edu/financial-aid/policies/disbursement/. If you have any questions please contact One-Stop Student Services by email at onestop@adams.edu. You must choose a preference by Friday or your funds will be sent directly to you through Bank Mobile, Adams State’s refund partner. https://www.adams.edu/financial-aid/policies/disbursement/”

As of the date of this posting, Adams State has $392,169.60 remaining dollars which need to be spent by 5/13/2022. Since Pell-eligible students have already been prioritized based on financial need, a hold has been placed on future expenditures.

HEERF3 Update: 2/8/2022

Adams State awarded $208,735 to 75 Pell-eligible students. These students registered after initial payments were sent in early January. No application was required, and $3,000 was the base payment amount.

HEERF Cares Act Grant Reporting