Blackhawk Technical College (BTC) signed and returned to the United States Education Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
- BTC has received $1,100,944.00 from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
- As of May 22, 2020, BTC has distributed $483,100.00 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
- The estimated total number of students at BTC eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 1115.
- As of May 22, 2020, 673 BTC students have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
- BTC used the following method to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act:
- BTC created a CAREs Act team that includes key student service personnel, institutional research staff, and business office staff. This group is led by the Executive Director of Student Services.
- BTC’s CAREs Act team created a survey to assess additional expenses incurred by students due to BTC’s campus closure. The survey was posted to BTC’s intranet website for students to complete. Once the survey was posted, notices were sent to students to encourage them to participate by completing the survey.
- After the passage of the CARES Act by Congress, the U.S. Education Department limited eligibility for Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Act to students who are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Upon receipt of survey responses, the Financial Aid Office determines survey respondents’ eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify.
- Award amounts are calculated based on student responses to survey questions related to the impact of the institution being closed to the public. From those responses students are awarded up to $1,000.
- Eligible Expenses: Expenses related to food, technology (computer, printer, internet fees).
- Awarding and Disbursing: Awards are disbursed directly to students. Eligible students receive CAREs Act funds in the form of a refund via direct deposit or a paper check mailed to their address on file if no direct deposit has been set up.
- Disbursement: The first disbursement took place on Monday, May 11. Students were encouraged to sign up for direct deposit both in the survey and the announcement of the funding opportunity.
- Beginning on April 29, 2020, a message was disseminated to BTC students via email from the Office of the President. Students were instructed to log in to MyBTC (student portal) to access directions to complete the application for funding. The correspondence to students can be found at https://www.blackhawk.edu/About/News-Events/News/ArtMID/2342/ArticleID/154/Financial-Relief-Available-to-BTC-Students-through-CARES-Act