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Unexpected financial needs can place incredible hardship on SU Regular and Contractual faculty and staff. To that end, SU wants to live up to its goal of helping members of the SU community succeed.

The Emergency Assistance Fund provides an opportunity for our employees to navigate those challenges while continuing to excel in their roles at SU. Faculty and staff are essential to SU’s success and to the success of each student.

Awards are made on a case-by-case basis and are not intended to provide relief for recurring expenses. The fund awards are not loans but awards which are not expected to be repaid. The amount of each fund award is in relation to specific individual needs. Fund awards granted are considered income and therefore subject to all applicable taxes. Fund awards are dependent on available funds.

 

Applicants must submit a detailed application and meet the eligibility requirements. Each application is considered based on the employee’s unique circumstances. A member of the EEAF Committee will follow-up with the applicant, as needed, to discuss the award request and obtain any additional information needed, including appropriate documentation to verify the circumstances listed in the application.

• An applicant must be an active Regular or Contractual faculty or staff member.
• Applicants must have exhausted other possible financial resources and must demonstrate an immediate need due to a financial emergency or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Appropriate documentation to verify the circumstances listed in the application is required.  Examples include, but are not limited to: written notification of a job loss or pay reduction for anyone in the household; a current utility bill for a primary residence that indicates a scheduled shut-off; a notice related to eviction; a repossession notice for your primary vehicle.
• Eligible employees may apply for grant funds throughout the year however, grant fund awards cannot exceed $1,000 in any 12-month period.
• Requests must relate to an unforeseen emergency and not routine or planned expenses.
• Applicants must be in good standing with the University. Good standing is defined as no active discipline.

Upon application submission, the applicant will receive a receipt acknowledgement. If the information submitted on the application is not sufficient or requires clarification, the applicant will be contacted via email by a member of the EEAF Committee.

The applicant will be notified by the EEAF Committee via email with an approval or denial within two (2) business days of the weekly EEAF Committee meeting. If your application is approved, the fund award amount will be provided in the next available payroll cycle.

 

Examples of potential eligible expenses that cannot be met by the employee due to the emergency or unexpected circumstances and may be eligible for assistance are listed below. This is a representative and not an exhaustive list:

• Assistance with immediate and essential expenses – food, shelter, utilities.
• Sudden and unexpected loss of primary mode of transportation.
• Significant and unexpected medical, mental health, dental or prescription costs not covered by insurance.
• Significant and unexpected health care costs that must be paid upfront, as a condition of receiving treatment.
• Unplanned or additional childcare costs when required to work during an emergency.
• Unexpected and immediate costs to replace or repair non-working essential appliances, home heating/cooling, primary transportation, etc.
• Unexpected costs due to a death of a family or household member, such as funeral costs.
• Essential vehicle repair impacting ability to work.

 

Below are examples of expenses that may not be eligible for assistance. This is a representative and not an exhaustive list:

• Credit card debt
• Non-essential utilities (cable)
• Recurring car loan, tuition, health club or similar regular payments
• Home improvements or pro-active replacement of appliances
• Home furnishings not related to damage or theft
• Entertainment, recreation or non-emergency travel
• Expenditures resulting from poor financial management
• Recurring expenses without an emergency context
• Elective purchases or home upgrades

 

To ensure consistent and fair review of applications, employees are asked to submit documentation that clearly supports the emergency described in their request.

Documentation is reviewed using the following standards, which align with the EEAF Evaluation Rubric:

Full Documentation (scores 5 points on the rubric)
Full documentation directly verifies the emergency, the amount owed, and the timing of the obligation.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• A current rental statement or eviction notice for your primary residence
• A utility bill that includes a shut-off notice or disconnection date
• A repossession notice or repair estimate for your primary vehicle when it is required for you to get to work
• A medical, mental health, dental, or prescription bill showing the patient responsibility and due date
• An invoice or statement for funeral or burial expenses for a family or household member
• Written notification of a job loss or significant reduction in income for someone in your household

Partial Documentation (scores 3 points on the rubric)
Partial documentation provides some support for the situation but does not fully establish the amount, urgency, or direct link to the emergency. Examples include:

• A general bill or statement without a shut-off or eviction date
• An estimate or quote that does not yet show final amounts due
• Email or written correspondence describing the issue but not the full financial obligation
• Older statements or documents that support the context but not the current amount or due date

No Documentation (scores 0 points on the rubric, unless an exception applies)
No documentation is provided and no explanation is given for why documentation cannot be submitted, even after a clarification request from the EEAF Committee.

In most cases, applications without documentation or explanation cannot be approved because the Committee is unable to verify the emergency, the amount requested, or the timing of the need.

Safety and Privacy Considerations
The University recognizes that in some situations it may not be safe or appropriate to provide traditional documentation (for example, cases involving domestic violence, stalking, or other sensitive matters). In these cases:

• Applicants should provide a brief written explanation of why documentation cannot safely be submitted; and
• The EEAF Committee will consider the explanation in place of standard documentation and may request limited, alternative verification when appropriate.

All documentation and explanations submitted to the EEAF are treated as confidential and are shared only with those who need the information to review and process the request.

More Information
For more information, contact the EEAF Committee at AssistanceFund@salisbury.edu.