Allegany College of Maryland shares the following consumer information with you relating to our educational processes and services in accordance with the Federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 1965.
This consumer information webpage is updated periodically. If you have any questions or would like a paper copy of any of this information, please contact Ms. Vicki A. Smith, Director of Student Financial Aid Programs at vsmith@allegany.edu.
General information about the college, including tuition, fees, and miscellaneous costs, financial aid, refund policies, withdrawal policies, federal law regarding the return of certain grants and loans, and information about the college’s academic programs may be found in the official ACM College Catalog.
General Institutional Information
Notification of Rights under FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.) These rights include:
1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Allegany College of Maryland receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Director of Admissions, Advising, and Registration a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
A student who wishes to ask Allegany College of Maryland to amend a record should write to the Director of Admissions, Advising, and Registration, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
If Allegany College of Maryland decides not to amend the record as requested, Allegany College of Maryland will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to provide written consent before Allegany College of Maryland discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
Allegany College of Maryland discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official typically includes a person employed by Allegany College of Maryland in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of Allegany College of Maryland who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for Allegany College of Maryland.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Allegany College of Maryland to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
[NOTE: In addition, a school may want to include its directory information public notice, as required by § 99.37 of the regulations, with its annual notification of rights under FERPA.]
Below is a list of the disclosures that Allegany College of Maryland may make without consent.
FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in § 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, § 99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. A postsecondary institution may disclose PII from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student -
Computer Policies and Procedures
| TIER | CREDIT HOUR AVERAGE | AWARD PER CREDIT AVERAGE | ELIGIBLE STUDENTS | TOTAL AWARD PER TIER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | $174 | 38 | $6,612 |
| 2 | 9 | $522 | 399 | $208,278 |
| 3 | 14 | $812 | 664 | $539,168 |
| TOTAL | 1101 | $754,058 | ||
All eligible students will first receive the letter shown below at their home address:
May 1, 2020
STUDENT NAME
STUDENT ADDRESS
STUDENT ADDRESS
STUDENT ADDRESS
Dear “Student Name”,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you
need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times,
the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept these
funds through WebAdvisor by June 1, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES
Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education
to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption
of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines
of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible
by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were
awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) and who have at least one
course credit that was not online at the start of the spring semester. You are receiving
this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes
at ACM as of March 14, 2020.
How to accept your award:
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal
to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus
operations due to COVID-19; and that your expenses were in one or more of these areas:
food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible.
When your check is ready to be mailed, you will receive an email notification in your
student email account.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@allegany.edu. I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Students are directed to their WebAdvisor account to officially certify that they
meet the conditions to accept the award and then must officially accept it. Following
is the statement of Conditions for Accepting this Award:
“By accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal
to the amount of this award that are a direct result of the disruption of campus operations
due to COVID-19; and I certify that my expenses were in one or more of these areas:
food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
Eligible students who do not accept their award by June 1 will then receive an
email to their ACM Student Email account as a reminder to accept the award:
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) and who have at least one course credit that was not online at the start of the spring semester. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of March 14, 2020. You must accept these funds through WebAdvisor immediately to receive your check.
How to accept your award:
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that your expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.
Upon receipt of the signed acceptance of the award, payments will be paid to students and the emergency grant award will be mailed in the form of an ACM check to the student’s home address. The student will also receive an email confirmation on the day the check is mailed. Below is the email notice of the mailed check:
Dear FIRST.NAME,
A financial aid payment from the CARES ACT has been made to you and a check has been
mailed to your home address.
Student Financial Aid Office
Allegany College of Maryland
12401 Willowbrook Road, SE
Cumberland, MD 21502-2596
Students who had not yet accepted their award on May 26, 2020 were sent the reminder
email below through the Communications Management system of Colleague. The email
document name is FAECORE (Financial Aid Email COVID Award Reminder). 140 students
received this email. The Director of Student Financial Aid sent the email and maintains
the list of students who received it. A confirmation was received that all 140 emails
were sent successfully.
Dear @LR.FIRST.NAME ,
You should have received a letter at your home address around May 1, 2020 stating you were awarded a federal grant from President Trump's CARES Act law. This letter stated you have until June 1, 2020 to officially confirm COVID-19 expenses and accept the award. This email is a reminder to accept your award before June 1.
You are receiving this award because you were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) for the spring 2020 semester and had at least one course credit that was not online at the start of the spring term.
How to Accept your Award:
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that your expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or childcare.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
As of May 26, 2020, one student declined to receive the award, stating no additional expenses. The award was cancelled.
As if 6.19.20, 1,020 students have accepted the award and have been paid, totaling $700,292. A total of 2 students have now declined the award and they have been deleted. Senior Administration agreed to make one final attempt to contact students who still had not accepted their award. Calls were made to 93 individual students on 6.10.20 giving each student instructions on how to accept the award and a final deadline date for acceptance of 6.15.20. Here is the script for those phone calls.
Phone call to students identified by Arthur/Vicki who did not accept/decline CARES ACT Funding.
General:
If you can’t log into Web Advisor, please feel free to call the ACM helpdesk and they
would be glad to provide your credentials:
(301) 784-5444
General Info:
What is the CARES Act?
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act includes $2 trillion emergency economic relief package that seeks to stem the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The CARES Act includes help for students and colleges and universities.
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that your expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or childcare.
Why did I get a letter about CARES Act Funding?
You are among the eligible ACM students to receive an emergency assistance check.
Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) and who have at least one course credit that was not online at the start of the spring semester. Students who meet the eligibility requirements will receive this emergency funding because they meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of March 14, 2020.
What do I need to do next?
Eligible students must accept these funds through WebAdvisor by June 15, 2020 to receive your check. To accept the CARES Act Funding, students must follow the following steps:
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that your expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.
On 6.16.20, 81 students still had not accepted the 1st round awards and those awards, totaling $52,432, were deleted, in accordance with direction from Senior Administration. The list of student IDs for this deletion is saved in Colleague until name COVID.DELETE.061920. For our final first round of recipients, we have 1,020 students paid an emergency CARES Act grant totaling $700,292.
In order to spend 100% of the CARES Act emergency grant fund to students, ACM must spend an additional $46,791.00.
Senior Administration agreed on the 2ND round of recipients to award and Vicki Smith, Director of Student Financial Aid, requested the report:
On 7.9.20, 46 students were awarded in the 2nd round of CARES Act Emergency Grants to students, totaling $27144.
| TIER | CREDIT HOUR AVERAGE | AWARD PER CREDIT AVERAGE | ELIGIBLE STUDENTS | TOTAL AWARD PER TIER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | $174 | 6 | $1,044 |
| 2 | 9 | $522 | 22 | $11,484 |
| 3 | 14 | $812 | 18 | $14,616 |
| TOTAL | 46 | $27,144 |
The Director of Student Financial Aid Programs created SAVEDLISTS in Colleague to
award each group and to send each student a letter of award. Letters were mailed on
7.9.20. Because the students in the 2nd round did not have complete folders, the certification
and acceptance procedures required modification. The letter mailed to each student
indicated the award amount, contained the Award Certification Statement, and gave
directions to email Vicki Smith directly to confirm the incurred expenses due to COVID-19
and to accept the award. The deadline date to accept the award is 7.20.20.
Sample letters for each tier are below.
July 9, 2020
Dear <<FirstName>>,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept this award of $174 by JULY 20, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) and who have at least one course credit that was not online at the start of the spring semester. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of March 14, 2020.
How to Accept your Award:
AWARD CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:
“In accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal to
the amount of $174 that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations
due to COVID-19; and that my expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing,
course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible. When your check is ready to be mailed, it will be mailed to your home address and you will receive an email notification in your student email account. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at vsmith@allegany.edu . I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
July 9, 2020
Dear <<FirstName>>,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept this award of $522 by JULY 20, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) and who have at least one course credit that was not online at the start of the spring semester. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of March 14, 2020.
How to Accept your Award:
AWARD CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:
“In accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of $522 that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that my expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible. When your check is ready to be mailed, it will be mailed to your home address and
you will receive an email notification in your student email account. If you have
any questions, please reach out to us at vsmith@allegany.edu . I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
July 9, 2020
Dear <<FirstName>>,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept this award of $812 by JULY 20, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) and who have at least one course credit that was not online at the start of the spring semester. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of March 14, 2020.
How to Accept your Award:
AWARD CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:
“In accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of $812 that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that my expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible. When your check is ready to be mailed, it will be mailed to your home address and
you will receive an email notification in your student email account. If you have
any questions, please reach out to us at vsmith@allegany.edu. I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
As of 7.22.20, 40 of the 46 students from the Spring 2020 had accepted their award
and were paid a total of $23432. There were 6 students that did not respond; and
therefore, their awards were deleted.
Allegany College of Maryland was required to spend $747,083 in CARES Act Emergency
Awards to students. To date, we spent $723,724. Senior Administration made the decision
to award the 3rd round of money to our Summer 2020 enrollees who meant the following
criteria:
The Office of Institutional Research produced a list for the summer of 364 students. 195 received an award during the spring term and were deleted. Award letters were sent to 169 students enrolled for the summer term based on the following tiered schedule of using average credits paid at $35 per credit hour:
| TIER | CREDIT HOUR AVERAGE | AWARD PER CREDIT AVERAGE | ELIGIBLE STUDENTS | TOTAL AWARD PER TIER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | $105 | 78 | $8,190 |
| 2 | 9 | $210 | 80 | $16,800 |
| 3 | 12 | $420 | 11 | $4,620 |
| TOTAL | 169 | $29,610 |
The Director of Student Financial Aid Programs created SAVEDLISTS in Colleague to award each group and to send each student a letter of award. Letters were mailed on 7.29.20. The letter mailed to each student indicated the award amount, contained the Award Certification Statement, and gave directions to email Vicki Smith directly to confirm the incurred expenses due to COVID-19 and to accept the award. Vicki Smith will maintain copies of each student’s certification statement in the COVID file. The deadline date to accept the award is 8.15.20. Students who had not accepted their award by August 3 were sent an email reminder to accept the award immediately.
Sample letters for each tier are below.
July 29, 2020
Dear <<FirstName>>,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept this award of $105 by AUGUST 15, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) for the summer 2020 term and who were enrolled for at least one credit. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of July 9, 2020.
How to Accept your Award:
AWARD CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:
“In accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal to
the amount of $174 that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations
due to COVID-19; and that my expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing,
course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible. When your check is ready to be mailed, it will be mailed to your home address and you will receive an email notification in your student email account. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at vsmith@allegany.edu . I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
July 29, 2020
Dear <<FirstName>>,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept this award of $210 by AUGUST 15, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) for the summer 2020 term and who were enrolled for at least one credit. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of July 9, 2020.
How to Accept your Award:
AWARD CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:
“In accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of $522 that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that my expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible. When your check is ready to be mailed, it will be mailed to your home address and
you will receive an email notification in your student email account. If you have
any questions, please reach out to us at vsmith@allegany.edu . I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
July 29, 2020
Dear <<FirstName>>,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept this award of $420 by AUGUST 15, 2020 to receive your check.
President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award emergency funds to our students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. Following the federal guidelines of the CARES Act, funds will be distributed to every student who was deemed eligible by the United States Department of Education. Eligibility includes students who were awarded Title IV funds (federally funded financial aid) for the summer 2020 term and who were enrolled for at least one credit. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet the above criteria and were enrolled in classes at ACM as of July 9, 2020.
How to Accept your Award:
AWARD CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:
“In accepting this award, I certify that I have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of $812 that are as a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19; and that my expenses were in one or more of these areas: food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and/or child care.”
We are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible. When your check is ready to be mailed, it will be mailed to your home address and
you will receive an email notification in your student email account. If you have
any questions, please reach out to us at vsmith@allegany.edu. I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
As of 8.20.20, 20 of the 169 students had not accepted the award; and therefore,
the awards for these 20 students were deleted. 15 students accepted the award on
WebAdvisor, but did not complete the Certification Statement. Emails were sent directly
to these 15 students on 8.20.20, giving them until 8.24.20 to complete the Certification
Statement. On 8.25.20, 2 additional student awards were deleted due to non-certification.
The 3rd round final numbers are 147 students paid a total of $26460.
As part of President Trump’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES
Act), which includes the Education Stabilization Fund, Allegany College of Maryland
(ACM) needed to spend $747,083 in emergency grant awards to students. $723724 was
disbursed to students during the Spring 2020 term and $26460 was disbursed to students
during the Summer 2020 term, for a total of $750184. ACM spent more than the 50%
share of the award by $3101. Therefore, Senior Administration will be transferring
$3101 from the CARES Act Institutional share to the CARES Act Student Emergency fund.
Awarding and disbursing is now complete. For the 2019-20 academic year, ACM received
3,569 ISIRs (FAFSA results); and a total of 1,205 students received an emergency award
from the CARES Act.
This serves as the final report/notice for the emergency CARES Act awards for students.
As such, Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) was awarded $747,083 to be used as emergency grants awards to students. Respectively called CRRSAA or HEERF II, these funds are to be prioritized to students “demonstrating exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Pell Grants.” For this round of HEERF monies, students DO NOT have to self-certify they had any additional expenses related to COVID or to the disruption of educational services at ACM. ACM intends to disburse 100% of these emergency grant funds to students.
ACM has signed and returned to the Department of Education the required documents for this award and has developed an awarding policy, as described below.
For the spring 2021 semester, all students have been affected/impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At ACM, the spring schedule of classes was modified to an alternating schedule, where the class is divided into two groups. Group 1 will learn in an ACM classroom for one class period, while Group 2 watches the course livestreamed. The next time the class meets, the rotation is flipped. As a result of this, all students were required to have access to internet connection, as well as find a laptop or other device capable of livestreaming platforms.
As a result of this schedule set up, ACM elects to consider all students for a HEERF
II award. Since the Department of Education states that we are to give priority to
students demonstrating exceptional need, ACM will first award all its Federal Pell
Grant eligible students. Should there be HEERF II funds remaining, ACM will then
award students who completed a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), but
who were not Federal Pell Grant eligible. Finally, if funds still remain, ACM will
award all remaining students not awarded in the above two categories who complete
a self-certification of COVID-19 related expenses or extenuating circumstances.
All students must meet the following additional criteria to be awarded:
1. Student must be enrolled for the spring 2021 semester for at least one credit.
| CREDITS | AVERAGE CREDIT LOAD | AVERAGE CREDIT X $50 | TOTAL AWARD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 Credits | Average Load - 3.33 | $50 per credit | $150 |
| 6 to 11 Credits | Average Load - 8.42 | $50 per credit | $400 |
| 12 and Over Credits | Average Load - 13.68 | $50 per credit | $700 |
All students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant will first receive the letter shown below at their home address on March 1, 2021.
March 4, 2021
«LtreqAddress1»
«LtreqAddress2»
«LtreqAddress3»
«LtreqAddress4»
«LtreqAddress5»
Dear «FirstName»,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be sending you an emergency assistance check. You must accept these funds through WebAdvisor by March 15, 2021.
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), which was signed into law by Former President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 27, 2020. This act provides emergency grant awards to students in higher education to ensure learning continues for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have been tasked by the U.S. Department of Education to award these emergency funds to students who show exceptional need. Following the guidelines of the HEERF II Act, funds will first be distributed to students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who are registered for the Spring 2021 semester for at least one credit. You are receiving this emergency funding because you meet this criteria. When your check is ready to be mailed, you will receive an email in your ACM email account.
How to accept your award:
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of COVID-19 and are in one or more of these areas: college tuition, fees, or books; food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, transportation, and/or childcare; or that you or your parent has had lost wages or exceptional circumstances due to COVID-19. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@allegany.edu. I wish you the best and pray that you and your family are safe and well.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Students are directed to their WebAdvisor account to officially certify that they
meet the conditions to accept the award and then must officially accept it. Following
is the statement of Conditions for Accepting this award:
“In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal
to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of COVID-19 and are in one
or more of these areas: college tuition, fees, or books; food, housing, course materials,
technology, health care, transportation, and/or childcare; or that you or your parent
has had lost wages or exceptional circumstances due to COVID-19.”
An email follow-up will be sent to students who have not accepted the award by March
12, 2021, a copy of which is below. The email contains a link to a detailed instruction
sheet on how to accept the award. This document, along with a Q and A document, has
been posted to the ACM Webpage under the HEERF II Award page.
Dear <Student First Name>,
You should have received a letter at your home address around March 1, 2021, stating you were awarded a federal grant from President Trump's HEERF II Act law. This letter stated you have until March 15, 2021 to officially accept the award. This email is a reminder to accept your award before March 15.
You are receiving this award because you meet the criteria to receive the award according to the federal government guidelines.
How to accept your award:
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of COVID-19 and are in one or more of these areas: tuition, fees, or books; food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, transportation, and/or child care; or that you or your parent has had lost wages or exceptional circumstances due to COVID-19.
For detailed instructions on how to accept your award, please click HERE.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Allegany College of Maryland
Dear FIRST.NAME,
A financial aid payment from the HEERF II ACT has been made to you and a check has
been mailed to your home address.
Student Financial Aid Office
Allegany College of Maryland
12401 Willowbrook Road, SE
Cumberland, MD 21502-2596
All Pell Grant eligible students were awarded and notified on March 8, 2021; and students in the other two groups were awarded and notified on March 15, 2021. Total students awarded is 1,569. As of this date, funds totaling $710,400.00 have been disbursed to 1,390 students. Six (6) students have declined the award.
The remaining 167 students have yet to accept their award. This group was sent a reminder text on March 19, of which a sample is below.
“DON’T MISS OUT! Final reminder to accept your HEERF-COVID Grant by March 22. Check your ACM Email account or call the Student Financial Aid Office for details on how to accept this award.”
In order to spend the entire award amount, the deadline to accept the award was moved back to April 1, 2021; and an email stating this and reminding these students to accept their award was sent on 3.25.21. A copy of the email is below.
Dear <Student Name>,
You should have received a letter at your home address around March 8, 2021, stating you were awarded a federal grant from President Trump's HEERF II Act law DUE TO COVID-19. This letter stated you have until March 22, 2021 to officially accept the award. This email is a NOTCE THAT WE ARE EXTENDING THAT DEADLINE TO APRIL 1, 2021.
You are receiving this award because you meet the criteria to receive the award according to the federal government guidelines.
In accepting your award, you certify that you have incurred expenses at least equal to the amount of this award that are as a direct result of COVID-19 and are in one or more of these areas: tuition, fees, or books; food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, transportation, and/or child care; or that you or your parent has had lost wages or exceptional circumstances due to COVID-19.
HOW TO ACCEPT YOUR AWARD - Reply to this email with the following: I agree with the certification statement and wish to accept my award.
After the Student Financial Aid Office receives your email, you will be paid within 2 weeks.
Sincerely,
Student Financial Aid Office
As of May 4, 2021, ACM has disbursed $740,050 to 1,456 students during the Spring 2021 semester. A total of 107 students have not yet acknowledged receipt of their award. These students were sent a final text message on May 4, giving them 7 days to acknowledge the award. After that time, the awards will be deleted from their account.
Report Complete HEERF II - 5.25.21
As part of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II), authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) needed to disburse $747,083 in emergency grants to students. $740,050 was disbursed to 1,456 students during the Spring 2021 semester. 6 students declined the award; and 107 students never acknowledged the award, and therefore, their award was deleted. Senior Administration agreed to move the remaining $7,033 to the Summer 2021 semester to be awarded to students displaying exceptional financial need. For the 2020-21 academic year, ACM received 3,491 ISIRs (FAFSA results).
It was decided by Senior Administration to create an on-line application form for the summer term which asked students to specifically state their exceptional need or exceptional circumstances as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students would be asked to complete and submit the application to the Student Financial Aid Office for consideration. The application was made available on the ACM Webpage at https://www.allegany.edu/financial-aid/summer2021-covid-19-scholarship.html and emails and texts were sent to all students registered for the spring and summer 2021 terms. An email was also sent to all ACM Faculty and Staff directing students in need to this application. The application is below.
ALLEGANY COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
REQUEST FOR SPECIAL COVID-19 SCHOLARSHIP FOR SUMMER 2021
Allegany College of Maryland is committed to supporting student success and wishes to provide emergency financial aid grants/scholarships to students whose lives have been impacted or disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. For the Summer 2021 semester, grants are being funded by the federal government through the Higher Education Relief Fund (HEERF) II. Awards will be made until the funds are exhausted.
The main criterion for this grant is the demonstration of an exceptional need related to COVID in some way. You must have completed a 2021-2022 FAFSA. This is a grant; and therefore, NOT DOES NEED TO BE REPAID.
Students experiencing ongoing challenges with financing their educational costs should contact the ACM Financial Aid Office.
Student Name: ___________________________________________________ Student ID: _______________________________
As of May 10, 2021, a total of 70 applications were received and the remaining $7,033 was awarded on May 13 and disbursed on May 25, 2021. All funds received under the CRRSAA Act are depleted.
This serves as the final report/notice for the emergency CRRSAA awards for students.
1. An award will automatically be given to all Pell eligible students who are enrolled for the fall 2021 term. Awards will be based on each student’s EFC number, residency code, and dependency status. See Exhibit 1 below for the amount to be awarded to each category. Since the award is being given to Pell eligible students, ACM will require a valid FAFSA result before making an award.
| RESIDENCY | DEP STAT | EFC | AWARD AMOUNT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | Dependent | 0 | 500 |
| Allegany County | Dependent | 1 to 2900 | 300 |
| Allegany County | Dependent | 2901 to 5846 | 100 |
| Allegany County | Independent | 0 | 1000 |
| Allegany County | Independent | 1 to 2900 | 600 |
| Allegany County | Independent | 2901 to 5846 | 200 |
| State | Dependent | 0 | 900 |
| State | Dependent | 1 to 2900 | 700 |
| State | Dependent | 2901 to 5846 | 500 |
| State | Independent | 0 | 1800 |
| State | Independent | 1 to 2900 | 1400 |
| State | Independent | 2901 to 5846 | 1000 |
| Out of State | Dependent | 0 | 1300 |
| Out of State | Dependent | 1 to 2900 | 1100 |
| Out of State | Dependent | 2901 to 5846 | 900 |
| Out of State | Independent | 0 | 2600 |
| Out of State | Independent | 1 to 2900 | 2200 |
| Out of State | Independent | 2901 to 5846 | 1800 |
The following groups of students were mailed a letter of explanation on June 7, 2021:
The Director of Student Financial Aid will continue to mail this letter of explanation to new students applying for admission to ACM throughout the Fall 2021 term.
Information about this opportunity was also posted to the ACM Website, the ACM Facebook Page, and the ACM Twitter Account.
A copy of that letter is below.
June 7, 2021
«LtreqAddress1»
«LtreqAddress2»
«LtreqAddress3»
«LtreqAddress4»
«LtreqAddress5»
Dear «FirstName»,
At Allegany College of Maryland, we are dedicated to providing the resources you need to be successful. We don’t want finances to be an obstacle to your success and will be providing the opportunity for you to obtain resources to support you in your educational journey from the most recently passed COVID-19 federal aid package, called the American Rescue Plan Act.
To directly show our support during these challenging times, the College will be providing financial assistance to ACM students. A summary of the resources available is included below:
As a College, we want to ensure that you are successful and we are working to get this relief money into your hands as quickly as possible.
Looking forward to less challenging times ahead, I wanted to share some reminders:
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@allegany.edu. Your continued academic success is important to us and we are here to help. I wish you the best and look forward to seeing you on campus during the fall 2021 semester.
Sincerely,
Cynthia S. Bambara
President
Students in Category 1 – all Federal Pell Grant eligible students – were mailed an official letter stating the amount of their Emergency Grant Award on June 10, 2021. This represents all of the students as of June 10 who are Pell Grant eligible at ACM – 565 students. Each Friday, the Director of Student Financial Aid will determine new Pell Grant recipients added to our Database and will send the appropriate notice of award letter.
Students are asked to officially accept the award and are then given the option to have the emergency grant applied to any unpaid tuition and fees at ACM. A postage-paid, self-addressed envelope was included with the letter so that students could easily return the letter to ACM.
These awards were added to Form AIDE in ACM’s FAMS system with a status code of “P” for Pending, until the letter is returned to the Student Financial Aid Office. At that time, the Student Financial Aid Office will change the award to “Accepted” if the student accepted it or delete the award if not accepted. The Business Office will be informed of students who chose to opt in and opt out of the payment option.
June 15, 2021
«LtreqAddress1»
«LtreqAddress2»
«LtreqAddress3»
«LtreqAddress4»
«LtreqAddress5»
Dear «FirstName»,
Allegany College of Maryland is committed to supporting student success by providing an emergency grant award to students as part of the recently approved federal aid package, called the American Rescue Plan. This act says institutions should award grant funds to students during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis who have exceptional need, such as students who receive a Federal Pell Grant.
According to our records, you have been awarded a Federal Pell Grant for the fall 2021 term. Therefore, we would like to make an additional grant award to you from the American Rescue Plan Act. This is a grant award and does not need to be repaid. You are being awarded $XXXX for the fall 2021 term.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
After the fall term starts and we confirm your registration, we will disburse this award to you. If you have any questions concerning this award, please contact our office at 301-784-5213 or via email at studentfinancialaid@allegany.edu . I wish you the best and look forward to seeing you on campus soon!
Sincerely,
Vicki Smith
Vicki A. Smith, M.ED.
Director, Student Financial Aid Programs
Student Name: ___________________________________________________ Student ID: _______________________________
____________________ Initial here to accept this award.
____________________ Initial here to have this award applied to any unpaid balance at ACM. (Optional)
Students applying for the COVID 19 Emergency Grant as part of Categories #2 and #3 are instructed to complete the “Request for Special COVID-19 Scholarship” Application for the Fall 2021 term located on the ACM Website.
A copy of the application is below.
ALLEGANY COLLEGE OF MARYLAND
REQUEST FOR SPECIAL COVID-19 SCHOLARSHIP
2021-2022
Allegany College of Maryland is committed to supporting student success and wishes to provide emergency financial aid grants/scholarships to students whose lives have been impacted or disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. For the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semester, grants are being funded by the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act of the Higher Education Relief Fund (HEERF III). Awards will be made until the funds are exhausted.
The main criterion for this grant is the demonstration of an exceptional need related to COVID in some way by a student (or the student’s family) who is registered for the Fall 2021 and/or Spring 2022 term. This is a grant; and therefore, DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPAID. Students experiencing ongoing challenges with financing their educational costs should contact the ACM Student Financial Aid Office.
Directions: Choose the award you are requesting. You can choose one or both if you qualify. Then answer ALL of the questions below and select “SUBMIT.”
Student Name: ___________________________________________________ Student ID: _______________________________
Student Email: ___________________________________________________
I am applying for:
-A Student Emergency Grant Award: _______
-Must be registered for at least 1 credit hour for the Fall 2021 term.
-An Emergency Housing Grant for Willowbrook Woods: ________
-I wish to receive an award for: Fall 2021 ______
Spring 2022 _____
-The student must be registered and residing at Willowbrook Woods during semester of award.
-Students and guarantors remain responsible for all Willowbrook Woods obligations.
If COVID-19 has significantly affected your/your family’s 2020 or 2021 income negatively, please provide comments here.
I acknowledge that the above information is accurate, and I understand ACM will review it and make a determination on my eligibility. INITIAL HERE: _________
I agree to have this award applied to any unpaid balance at ACM and/or Willowbrook Woods.
INITIAL HERE: ________
Once the application is completed and the applicant selects the “Submit” button, the application automatically goes to a shared Outlook Email Account. The ten (10) members of the review team will review all applications submitted and make an award decision for both categories. Students will be notified by an email to their ACM Student Email account immediately after an award decision is made by the committee. All applications will be forwarded to the Director of Student Financial Aid, who will add the awarded students’ award code and amount to Form AIDE (See below for an explanation of the award codes). Here are the emails sent to students.
Hello XXXXXX,
I am happy to award you $1000 from the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Fall Scholarship campaign.
Thank you for providing details of how COVID has impacted you and your family. We hope this award helps to ease the burden in some way.
Best wishes for a great fall semester!
Vicki A. Smith
Director of Student Financial Aid Programs
Allegany College of Maryland
Hello XXXXXX.
At this time, we are unable to award you a COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Scholarship for the fall term. The main criteria is that the student or the student's family had a COVID-19 related issue. I did not see that stated on your application.
Thank you for your interest in this scholarship. Best wishes for a great fall semester!
Vicki A. Smith
Director of Student Financial Aid Programs
Administrative Process to Distribute Funds to Students
ACM will use their FAMS (Ellucian’s Colleague) to award and disburse the HEERF III Act grants. The Director of Accounting will set up a special Accounts Receivable code called “ARP” which will allow us to track payments made to students under the HEERF III award. The Director of Student Financial Aid will create six (6) new award codes. The codes and their descriptions are:
Students in Category #1 – all Federal Pell Grant eligible students – who return their notice of award and have accepted it will have their award status on AIDE changed to “Accepted” with the appropriate award code of H3PES or H3PEA. If the student did not accept the award, it will be deleted from AIDE. The Business Office will process the emergency grant payment and process the disbursement according to the award code.
Students in Categories #2 and #3 who have been awarded one or both awards will have the correct award code added to Form AIDE. The Business Office will process the emergency grant payment and process the disbursement according to the award code.
Shortly after the fall 2021 term starts, the Director of Student Financial Aid will begin the disbursement process for all six (6) awards through the normal Financial Aid Transmittal procedure. For students receiving a disbursement check, the check will be printed and mailed to the home address of the student. The student will also receive an email notification on the day the check is mailed. Below is the email notice students will receive.
Dear XXXXXX,
A financial aid payment from the HEERF III ACT has been made to you and a check has been mailed to your home address.
Student Financial Aid Office
Allegany College of Maryland
12401 Willowbrook Road, SE
Cumberland, MD 21502-2596
Awards and disbursements from the HEERF III Act will continue to be made on a weekly basis until all of the funds are exhausted.
Conclusion
It is the goal of Allegany College of Maryland to get these emergency grant funds
into the hands of our students as quickly as possible. We realize not all students
may accept the HEERF III Act award; and therefore, we may have remaining funds. At
the point that all students awarded have been paid, the Director of Student Financial
Aid Programs will work with Senior Administration to determine the awarding process
for the spring 2022 semester. This report will be updated on at least a monthly basis
to show student awards paid to date.
The following employees of Allegany College of Maryland have been designated to assist enrolled or prospective students in obtaining information on our school, financial assistance, graduation and retention rates, security policies, and crime statistics:
Vicki A Smith
Director of Student Financial Aid
Jennifer Engelbach
Director of Advising, Admissions, and Registration
Dr. Renee Conner
Dean of Student and Legal Affairs
