TRC receives $3M in COVID funding

Three Rivers College is working on ways to use CARES Act funding to provide both short-term and long-term benefits for students and staff.

The college received just over $3 million, through the various avenues, in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.

The approximately $2.2 million initially received came from the federal government, with half of that dedicated to students.

Charlotte Eubank, CFO, said that amount came around April, when Americans started receiving stimulus checks. This was the result of the $2 trillion economic relief package signed into law March 27

“We were not allowed to keep any of it. So, even if they (students) had a bill with us, we couldn’t keep any of the money,” she said. “It really was more of a stimulus payment that they just ran through us.”

The guidelines for how to use the rest of that initial amount are “fairly broad” Eubank said. “A big chunk” was used to offset prorating rent payments when students moved off campus.

Eubank said college staff also have used CARES funding to build up a supply of personal-protective equipment heading into the return to in-person classes.

This includes masks, face guards, gloves, plastic barriers and hand sanitizer.

Getting PPE has been a challenge with supplies, she said, and prices climbed.

“Trying to buy locally, there are limits,” Eubank said. “Trying to order things online, a lot of things that say they’re in stock, you get all the way through to hitting the submit button ... and then it won’t ever give you a ship date.”

The remaining funding, which is federal money from the state, came with more restrictions. It focused on two goals — reopening campus and improving remote learning. These two combined are about $580,000.

On the reopening side Eubank said, that’s another area that’s fairly broad.

It’s also being used on PPE and additional cleaning of facilities.

Eubank said one thing the college is looking at using it for is facility modification in case a housing student needs to quarantine.

When considering remote learning the obstacles are technology.

Eubank said the college is installing webcams into all classrooms in case a student needs to quarantine and join the class from home.

“That way that instructor can still, by webcam, communicate with that student, with the class live,” Eubank said. “So, they can still participate in class for the two weeks or whatever it is that they have to be out.”

Instructors are receiving training on remote instruction.

The college purchased Zoom licenses for instructors and advising and is looking at other software programs.

They also purchased new phones, which will work better if an employee needs to quarantine at home.

Eubank said the technology department is increasing the college’s WiFi capabilities and increasing internet security, especially after the ransomware breach in February.

“Then, we’re being asked to open things up a lot,” she said. “So, we beefed up some security.”

The college announced 12 online programs, which were in the works before COVID-19 hit, but for which development was fast tracked.