[Entm-researchstaff] Fwd: [Ucrfacultyandstaff] Use of Federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) at UCR

[Rick Redak]

Please read carefully the message from the Provost.  Some of you are
entitled to apply for some of these benefits.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Provost <provost at ucr.edu>
Date: Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 10:27 AM
Subject: [Ucrfacultyandstaff] Use of Federal Higher Education Emergency
Relief Funds (HEERF) at UCR
To: ucrfacultyandstaff at scotmail.ucr.edu <ucrfacultyandstaff at scotmail.ucr.edu>,
students at scotmail.ucr.edu <students at scotmail.ucr.edu>


Dear Campus Community,



The coronavirus pandemic wrought substantial devastation on our nation and
community since the first diagnosed U.S. case in January 2020. In the 18
months since then, Congress has passed three rounds of stimulus acts, each
of which offered financial relief to institutions of higher education.
Chancellor Wilcox and I, in consultation with campus leaders, have sought
wherever possible to direct these funds to support, acknowledge, and
recognize the tenacity and commitment of our students, staff, and faculty.
The people of UC Riverside are our greatest asset, and I know that many of
you have experienced untold personal and professional challenges as a
result of the pandemic.



While these relief funds will not fully compensate for the many tens of
millions of dollars of losses UCR sustained, nor for the losses in
learning, research, and other university activities, the Coronavirus
Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue
Plan provide opportunities for us to recover and rebuild in strategic and
targeted ways. Closing much of the campus during the pandemic resulted in
delayed progress toward degree completion, suspended research and creative
activities, and hiring pauses that caused hardships for our campus
community members.



Each round of federal financial relief was mandated to be split between student
financial aid
<https://financialaid.ucr.edu/sites/g/files/rcwecm1731/files/2020-05/CARES%20Act%20Reporting%20Requirement.pdf>
and partial restoration of lost revenue or offsetting of expenses directly
related to COVID-19.



The Campus Finance Committee
<https://provost.ucr.edu/campus-finance-committee>, which advises
Chancellor Wilcox and me on major institutional budget decisions, met
several times over the past two months to review proposals for use of these
one-time relief funds, which must have a direct nexus to the pandemic and
will be audited for compliance. We have accepted the committee’s
recommendations, which are intended to support our students, faculty, and
staff as we make strides toward a mostly in-person fall quarter.



Below is a summary of the approved recommendations that will be implemented
this fiscal year.



*FACULTY*

For assistant professors and assistant professors of teaching, the campus
will fund employment of a PhD or MFA student (GSR) for one academic year,
paying their tuition, fees, and salary. If the faculty member chooses not
to hire a graduate student to support their research, they can instead
receive a one-time grant of $15,000 to fund research expenses.



Unlike associate and full professors, assistant professors do not yet have
security of employment. Many of them experienced disruptions to their
research programs due to the pandemic. Graduate students also experienced
disruptions in their research, delays in their progress toward completion,
and increased challenges securing funding. This plan is designed to assist
both groups.



*Faculty should contact their dean’s office for further information.*



*STAFF*

Many staff never left campus when the Governor’s “stay-at-home” order was
issued. There are campus functions that require a physical presence, so
these colleagues endured risks to health, emotional stress, and safety
mitigations shared by on-site workers across the country. Other employees
had to create makeshift, sub-optimal workstations in their homes, balancing
work with childcare, online school, family financial uncertainties, and
myriad other distractions.



We are mindful of the significant burden placed on staff during this time
and will respond with several programs using one-time funding intended to
offer relief and recognition during FY2021-22, including:
·         Expansion of R’Pantry with a one-year pilot program to include
access for UCR staff experiencing food insecurity ·         Funding for
colleges, schools, and administrative units to purchase equipment and
furniture for staff approved to work hybrid or remote schedules ·
   Expansion
of mental health and wellness resources for staff ·         Funding for
career-related trainings and resources for employees and supervisors,
including training for individuals working on a hybrid basis, to make up
for many training and professional development opportunities missed due to
COVID   *More information will be forthcoming as these programs are
implemented.*

*GRADUATE STUDENTS*

The pandemic seriously disrupted graduate education, notably at the
dissertation (research) stage, and across disciplines. For humanities,
arts, and social science students, access to archives and research sites
was significantly restricted. For many in the life sciences, restrictions
on travel to field research sites has meant an inevitable delay in those
projects tied to natural cycles. Lab-based disciplines also saw delays.



In order to address the financial and other stresses our early-career
researchers face as they work to complete their PhD and MFA degrees, the
campus will allocate funds to expand the Graduate Division’s dissertation
fellowship completion program to support 150 students between fall 2021 and
summer 2023.



*UNDERGRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS*

The pandemic’s effects were magnified for UCR’s student population, many of
whom are first-generation university students. Many were sheltering in
homes with multiple distractions, digital access challenges, no dedicated
study space, and the mental health challenges of isolation and
hypervigilance.



The Campus Finance Committee reviewed a range of student success
interventions to support a return to campus and made recommendations that
will be implemented during this academic year. They include:

·       Financial assistance for students adversely affected by the pandemic

·       Expansion of tutoring and supplemental instruction

·       Technology upgrades across campus, including classroom and
conference room upgrades, expanded Wi-Fi and laptop access, and online
student advising and services

·       Expansion of peer mentoring and advising

·       Events and programs for incoming students who have spent little to
no time on campus

·       Research experiences for undergraduates



In addition to these specific programs, one-time funding was provided to
all core units to help mitigate the impacts of budget reductions.



None of the activities and interventions described above will allow us to
reclaim the 18 months we experienced as a community and a nation. Through
the allocation of this one-time emergency relief funding, in strict
adherence to the federal guidelines, we hope to provide assistance,
encouragement, and recognition to our faculty, students, and staff as we
return to campus in the fall.



I wish you all the best for the coming academic year.



Sincerely,



Elizabeth Watkins, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor


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