LOS ANGELES

ONTARIO

PHOENIX

As a part of our emergency response plan, WCUI has outlined a few items that students in externship or going into externship need to know:

As we develop the appropriate steps for WCUI, we will keep you informed of any changes. This is a complex and quickly changing situation that reminds us that we are all part of a broader community and have a responsibility to look out for one another. 

HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (HEERF)

Below is the WCUI Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Report. To download a copy of the report please follow the link here: WCUI Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Report

West Coast Ultrasound Institute (OPE ID: 03639300) received education stabilization funds under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), Public Law No: 116-136. This Fund Report applies to the student portion received under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund that is designated exclusively for emergency financial aid grants to students.  

The institution appreciates that Congress and the President have made these critical funds available for eligible students who have expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. We take receipt of these federal funds seriously and are distributing them in accordance with the CARES Act and implementing guidance.  

The institution is making the below information available for transparency purposes and in compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s (“Department”) Electronic Announcement of May 6, 2020.[1] For questions or concerns regarding this Fund Report, please contact Andrew High, COO, at andrew.high@wcui.edu.

1. The institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. These grant funds represent no less than 50 percent of the funds provided under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. The institution has used, or intends to use, these funds to provide emergency financial aid grants to students.
2. The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students is $902,941.00.
3. The total amount of emergency financial aid grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of this Fund Report is $769,375.00.
4. The estimated total number of students at the institution 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 under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, as of the date of this Fund Report is 1,231.
5. The total number of students who have received an emergency financial aid grant under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of this Fund Report is 1,231.
6. The methods used by the institution to determine which students receive emergency financial aid grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act are provided at Attachment A.
7. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the emergency financial aid grants are provided at Attachment B (Below)

ATTACHMENT A – HEERF

WCUI has established a HEERF Fund to make emergency grants immediately available to eligible students. To be eligible, a Student must be (as of Friday 5/1/2020): 

• Actively enrolled at WCUI;
  • In good academic and financial standing;
    • Must be in good financial standing: Student is eligible if he or she has only missed payments for the current term. Student is not eligible if he or she has missed payments before the current term.
    • WCUI has 3 levels of SAP compliance
      • Warning (least severe): Students are eligible
      • Probation: Students are eligible
      • Provisional: Students are NOT eligible and;
• Title IV eligible (under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965). Students who have not yet filed a FAFSA, but meet Title IV eligibility criteria, are also eligible.

HEERF Student Fund

• Total: $902,941
• Projected First Disbursement (85% of fund): $769,375
• Projected Second Disbursement (15% of fund): $133,566

Disbursement Policy for HEERF Student Fund

• First Disbursement: WCUI will distribute 85% of the fund equally to all eligible students. This formula will be $769,375 / # of eligible students. In order to receive these funds, students must sign WCUI’s HEERF Certification.
  • Final Numbers Round 1
    • 1,231 eligible students
    • $769,375 / 1,231 = $625
    • Actual Total Round 1: $625 * 1,231 = $769,375 (85.208%)
    • Actual Round 2 Availability: $133,566 (14.792%)
• Second Disbursement: WCUI will retain approximately 15% of these funds for future student emergencies related to COVID-19 on an as-needed basis. Eligible students will need to apply for these funds using WCUI’s HEERF Application Form. WCUI will consider the following factors in making decisions:
  • Financial responsibility for:
    • food expenses  
    • housing expenses 
    • expenses related to course materials to attend school 
    • expenses related to technologies associated with attending online classes 
    • health care expenses 
    • childcare expenses 
  • Exceptional Need due to COVID-19:
    • Students will be able to request additional funds based on the above parameters. Not all student requests will be approved.
• Third Disbursement: After all Second Disbursement requests have been considered, if there are any HEERF funds remaining as of 4/28/2021, WCUI will distribute those funds in equal installments to all eligible Students, following the same Eligibility Requirements used for the First Disbursement.

ATTACHMENT B – HEERF

The institution has provided the following instructions, directions, or guidance to students concerning the emergency financial aid grants:

• Student acknowledges that the HEERF grant funds provided by WCUI to Student are for use by Student for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including any eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, childcare and other expenses.
• Student acknowledges that WCUI is required by Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act to report to the Secretary regarding how grants were distributed to students, the amount of each grant awarded to each student and how the amount of each grant was calculated.
• Student certifies that he/she is a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen; has a valid Social Security number; has registered with Selective Service (if applicable); has a valid high school diploma or its equivalent; and is not in default on a Title IV loan.

STUDENTAID.GOV STUDENT LOAN ANNOUNCEMENT

WCUI Alumni, through this time we want to ensure we provide you the information you need that could lend any benefits or relief. We’ve recently received details from Studentaid.gov about student loan payments during the COIVD-19 outbreak and have sent out a notice to all of you regarding the information we’ve received. In the letter below we provide details on this order and how you could qualify:

Please see the letter we sent out to WCUI alumni for details: HERE

What does this announcement mean for you? A wealth of benefits, which include:                                             

• Your student loans interest rates set to 0% for at least 60 days
• The option to suspend your payments for at least two (2) months
• Greater flexibility during the national emergency
• An opportunity to increase your emergency savings
• Peace of mind

Should you have any questions, your WCUI family is an email away. Please view the following links to contact your respective campus representatives:

• LOS ANGELES CONTACT SHEET
• ONTARIO CONTACT SHEET
• PHOENIX CONTACT SHEET

*The above is based on information release from studentaid.gov. For full details and to confirm you qualify for this benefit, please refer to https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus

COVID-19 FAQS