CECU Daily Update Email

COVID-19 Resources & Webinars
On March 13, 2020, Career Education Colleges and Universities launched an information webpage for institutions responding to Coronavirus (COVID-19). CECU’s Coronavirus webpage includes a multitude of helpful resources to assist higher education leaders understand the various legal and operational implications of temporarily closing a campus or adapting courses to online learning.

View all past webinars here.

Guide for the Distribution of Student Grants under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the proprietary school sector has a unique opportunity. The federal government has included our schools in the Emergency Stabilization Fund for institutions of higher education. Starting the week of April 13, 2020, institutions will be given the opportunity to direct critical Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund grants to those students at your institutions most impacted by the pandemic. This guide, developed with the quick help from sector leaders, will support institutions in understanding what they should know regarding the emergency financial aid grants, potential formulas for the distribution of such grants, and a sample grant application form. The guide will be updated regularly based on ongoing stakeholder feedback and federal updates so check back often.

View the guide here.

Upcoming Webinars
Creating the Right Method to distribute the Emergency Grant Funds to our Students
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 | 2:00PM ET
Is there a “right way” or “best formula” for allocating the federal grant funds to our students? How does one create something that is fair to all students while still prioritizing those students most in need? How do we distribute such funds over time in ways that meets the students’ needs while protecting the program’s intent?
Many schools have asked for additional guidance on the best way to allocate these funds and the ability to talk directly with other school leaders. As you prepare for receipt – and then distribution – of your school’s allocation, we have brought together a panel of school leaders who have carefully created a distribution process appropriate to their school.
Please join:
Duncan Anderson, Education Affiliates
Mitchell Fuerst, Success Education Colleges
Nick Mansour, Arizona College
This conversation will be moderated by Nicholas Kent, Senior VP for Regulations and Research, who is managing CECU’s COVID-19 Response.

A Town Hall Conversation: The State of the Sector in the Midst of COVID-19
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 | 2:00PM ET
Join CECU’s senior leadership to get a current update on major challenges and opportunities for our sector moving into the summer and fall. We’ll share the results of a recent survey of the sector showing significant differences in the impact of the shutdown based on geography and academic programs. We’ll give you the current and projected legislative and regulatory activity. We’ll look at CECU’s current and future professional development programming – future webinars, a new Virtual Convention, and the fall CEO Summit.
Presenters:
Steve Gunderson, President & CEO
Steve Gonzalez, SVP for Government, Military and Veteran Relations
Nicholas Kent, SVP for Policy and Research
Kelley Blanchard, SVP for Professional Development and Engagement
Following brief presentations, the conversation will be defined by questions and comments from those participating in this webinar.
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Reboot: Getting Your Marketing Ready for the Restart.
Wednesday, May 6 | 2:00PM ET
Presenters:
Gregory Gragg, CEO and Chairman of Gragg Advertising
Darryl Mattox, President of Gragg Advertising
Lisa Olmedo, VP of Business Development at Gragg Advertising
If you haven’t outlined a plan to reboot your marketing, you are behind the curve. The time to start planning and launching recruitment campaigns is upon us.

Financial Aid/Student Loan Issues
Availability of EDExpress for Windows 2020-2021, Release 2.0 – IFAP
Release 2.0 adds full Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan), and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant functionality for the 2020-2021 award cycle.
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Revised Master Promissory Notes for Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans (Paper Versions) – IFAP
We are pleased to announce the availability of revised Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans (Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan MPN), as well as for Direct PLUS Loans (Direct PLUS Loan MPN).

Spotlight
Surgical Tech students from SJVC Rancho Cordova campus among top scores on certification exam
As the first Surgical Technology class on SJVC’s Rancho Cordova’s campus to sit for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam, this program’s twelve recent grads had a lot to prove. Having just completed their program requirements and poised to take their place in their chosen field, they were determined to demonstrate their readiness and worthiness by earning this important certification.

Herzing University Adds New Online Health Sciences Degree
The BSHS degree is one of Herzing’s pathway programs, which are tailored to help students maximize previously earned college credit and work experience to efficiently achieve their educational objectives.

Universal Technical Institute Provides Business and COVID-19 Update – AJNews
In light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI), the leading provider of transportation technician training, is providing a business update and is announcing the withdrawal of its fiscal year 2020 financial guidance that was last updated on February 6, 2020.

Education News
Secretary DeVos Expands Second Chance Pell Experiment, More than Doubling Opportunities for Incarcerated Students to Gain Job Skills and Earn Postsecondary Credentials
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today the U.S. Department of Education is inviting a new cohort of 67 schools to participate in its Second Chance Pell experiment, creating more education opportunities for incarcerated students.

Michigan State Grapples with Data Breach in Third-Party Software – Campus Technology
Even as schools are dealing with the fallout from coronavirus, a Michigan university is facing the fallout of a cybersecurity virus too. Michigan State University said a data breach that hit one of its software vendors has affected about 300 people who processed credit card payments through its ecommerce site.

Coronavirus Education News
As colleges’ coronavirus costs rise, insurance coverage still unclear – Education Dive
Campuses around the U.S. are confronting similar questions about how they will cover pandemic-related expenses, or make up for resulting losses. In the last several weeks, institutions nationwide have publicly shared their own hefty bills, along with concerns over whether they can afford to pay them.

‘Just No Comparison’ for Pandemic’s Financial Shock – Inside Higher Ed
Furloughs, layoffs and pay cuts pile up as colleges buckle under the pandemic’s financial stress. In February, shortly after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the United States, Barbara Mistick didn’t think the pandemic would have such a staggering impact on colleges.

Some college students uncertain about reenrolling because of coronavirus, survey finds – Education Dive
One in 10 college students in a recent survey aren’t certain they’ll return to school in the fall or have already decided not to attend because of the coronavirus.

Additional Coronavirus Coverage - Updated Daily
What If Colleges Don’t Reopen Until 2021? – The Atlantic; Is COVID-19 Creating An Education Planning Crisis? – Forbes; How student groups connect while campuses are closed – UB.