On January 9, 2022, students registered for the spring 2022 semester and receiving a Federal Pell Grant. NYS TAP, and/or VSAC grant, received an email notifying them of eligibility for a $2,000 federal emergency grant. Awards are pro-rated for students enrolled less than full-time. Students that want their emergency grant applied to their student account need to email the Office of Student Accounts from their PSC email. Students that do not request the grant applied to their bill can pick up their refund checks from the Office of Student Accounts on or after noon on Friday, January 28th, 2022 (valid ID is required).

Parents also received an email letting them know of PSC’s intent to release federal emergency grants to  eligible students. Parents were directed to check with their student to confirm eligibility and to help the student decide if they wanted the check or the credit to their student account.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 directs institutions to award these federal emergency grants to students with “exception need, such as students who receive Pell Grants or are undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances”. Students experiencing extraordinary financial circumstances should contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@paulsmiths.edu to see if additional emergency grant funding is available. Students requesting additional emergency grant funding must submit documentation of their extraordinary financial circumstance.

On August 5, 2021, Federal Pell Grant eligible students registered for fall 2021, received an email notifying them of eligibility for a $1,200 federal emergency grant. Awards are pro-rated for students enrolled less than full-time. Students that want their emergency grant applied to their student account need to email the Office of Student Accounts from their PSC email. Students that do not request the grant applied to their bill can pick up their refund checks from the Office of Student Accounts on or after August 17, 2021 (valid ID is required).

Parents also received an email letting them know of PSC’s intent to release federal emergency grants to Federal Pell Grant eligible students. Parents were directed to check with their student to confirm eligibility and to help the student decide if they wanted the check or the credit to their student account.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 directs institutions to award these federal emergency grants to students with “exception need, such as students who receive Pell Grants or are undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances”. Students experiencing extraordinary financial circumstances should contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@paulsmiths.edu to see if additional emergency grant funding is available. Students requesting additional emergency grant funding must submit documentation of their extraordinary financial circumstance.

All currently enrolled students, eligible for federal financial aid (as indicated by having a valid FAFSA for any academic year) will receive a federal emergency grant. The amount of the awards are determined by financial need as derived by the student’s cost of attendance and Estimated Family Contribution from the 20/21 FAFSA:

	Award Amount
Pell Eligible EFC	$1,375
Unmet Financial Need	$925
No Demonstrated Financial Need	$200

Eligible students received an email notifying them of the award. Students were provided an option to have their grant applied to their student account if they actively requested by emailing studentaccounts@paulsmiths.edu before noon on March 24, 2021. Parents also received an email letting them know of PSC’s intent to release federal emergency grants to students. Parents were directed to check with their student to confirm eligibility and to help the student decide if they wanted the check or the credit to their student account.

Students that did not actively request the grant be applied to their student account, will receive a check on Friday, March 26th. Checks for on-campus students will be delivered to student mailboxes. Checks for off-campus students will be held for pick-up in the Student Accounts Office (first floor of Phelps Administration Building). Off-campus students unable to pick-up their check can request the check be mailed by confirming mailing address with studentaccounts@paulsmiths.edu.

Students experiencing extenuating financial need should contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@paulsmiths.edu to see if additional emergency grant funding is available.

A $200 emergency grant will be issued in January 2021 to all returning spring students. It is being provided to assist with payment of the cost of coronavirus testing required to return to campus, as well as other expenses students incurred or will incur related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care). New students, or those returning students that did not take fall classes, will receive their check mid-spring semester.

Students eligible for Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits will also receive a federal emergency grant check to help offset the loss of VA housing assistance during the longer-than-normal winter break, as well as other expenses students incurred or will incur related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care). Amounts will vary depending on the student’s regular benefit amount.

All Checks will be mailed to the address on file with the college. If a student needs this changed, they should contact Student Accounts. Acceptance of these grant constitutes representation and agreement that the student will use the funds for the purposes above. If a student will not be able to use the funds for these purposes, they should not cash the grant funding check or should make arrangements to return the funds to the College if the check has already been cashed. Only students taking on-campus classes with a valid FAFSA on file will be eligible.  Students with additional expenses related to the disruption of campus operation due to coronavirus should contact the Director of Financial Aid.

Students looking for information on funding for those who are quarantined during the Spring 2021 semester by PSC should click the section below titled “Spring 2021 Current/Past Quarantined Students Only: CARES Grant Appeal Form.”

Students will receive emergency grant funding if they are quarantined and meet the following criteria:

• Any student who tests positive during the active semester while enrolled as an on-campus, in-person student
• All students identified a close contacts of an on-campus positive exposure
• All students identified as proximate contacts of an on-campus positive exposure prior to February 4th. As of 2/9/2021 students identified as proximate contacts of an on-campus positive exposure will no longer be quarantined following guidelines laid out by the Franklin County Health Department.

Students will not receive grant funding who fall into these categories:

• Students who had to quarantine upon return to campus because they came from a non-contiguous state
• Students who had to quarantine upon return to campus because they did not abide by the return testing policies
• Students who have to quarantine because of contact with a positive non-PSC individual (i.e. the exposure happened elsewhere, not on our campus)

Students quarantined on-campus will receive $200. Students that quarantine off-campus will receive $400. The emergency grant is provided to assist with expenses incurred related to the quarantine, as well as other expenses you have incurred or will incur related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care). Acceptance of the grant constitutes representation and agreement that funds will be used for these purposes. If a student will not be able to use the funds for these purposes, they should contact the Office of Financial Aid and return the funds if they’ve already been received.

Students can complete the form below if they incur expenses during their quarantine in excess of the amount awarded to them. This form is only for students who have been placed on quarantine by Paul Smith’s College and who do not fall under any of the above categories.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund – Emergency Financial Aid Grant to Student

Purpose: to assist PSC students with emergency needs resulting from disruption of campus operations due to COVID 19 in accordance with federal guidelines.

Upon request, funds will be sent directly to students, are not taxable, and are not reflected on financial aid award offers. All requests from students will include a certification that need is for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).

• Student Eligibility: Enrolled in Spring 2020 with a valid FAFSA on file
• Timeline: Requests may be made beginning immediately on an ongoing basis through April 25, 2021 or until funds are exhausted.
• Methodology calculation:
  • Funds will be distributed to any enrolled student whose individual and/or financial circumstances due to COVID-19 negatively and materially impact their ability to pay expenses resulting from the disruption of campus operations.
  • Grant award is based on EFC; and weighted with highest need category.
    • EFC<$5,576 (Pell Eligible) $ 1000
    • EFC $5,577- $19,999 $ 600
    • EFC >$20,000 $ 250
  • The grant award may be pro-rated for less than full time status.

While the student has discretion to use the funds to pay any eligible expenses under the cost of attendance (such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care) related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, students are encouraged to invest in a mobile computing device that meets the minimum required guidelines for their major.