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Status Updates on ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization Funding for Higher Education

July 2, 2009

As Commissioner Freeland indicated in his June 25 memo (.DOC), state and community college presidents are required to submit to the Department of Higher Education a detailed spending plan for State Fiscal Stabilization Funds and a signed Statement of Assurances.

The templates for those two documents are now available:

• Spending Plan template (.XLS)
  After opening the file, please note that the workbook has three spreadsheets accessible through the tabs at the bottom of the Excel screen—Instructions, Spending Plan, and SFSF College Allocations.
• Statement of Assurances (.DOC)

Colleges should refer to the final figures included in the ARRA SFSF College Allocations spreadsheet (.XLS) when developing Spending Plans.

Submission Instructions

Commissioner Freeland has agreed to extend the deadline for submission of these documents to Friday, July 17, 2009.

Hard copies of both documents should be mailed to:

Elizabeth Avery
Executive Assistant to the Commissioner
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
REF: ARRA Spending Plans

In addition, the completed Spending Plans should be submitted as Excel (.XLS) files via email to:

• Deborah Hattery, Assistant Commissioner for Fiscal and Administrative Policy dhattery@bhe.mass.edu
• Ed Terceiro, Acting Associate Commissioner for Fiscal and Administrative Policy
  eterceiro@bhe.mass.edu

June 25, 2009

Commissioner Freeland issued a memo (.DOC) to state and community college presidents outlining Final Guidance on ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Spending. The memo provides specific guidance to the colleges in several areas, including:

• the use of ARRA State Fiscal Stabilization Funds;
• the requirements necessary to receive ARRA funds;
• the process, timing, and flow of funds from the federal government to the state and to the colleges;
• spending parameters on the Massachusetts Management, Accounting, and Reporting System (MMARS); and
• the tracking and evaluating of college spending of ARRA funds.

March 24, 2009

Governor Deval L. Patrick announced that he plans to direct a total of $162 million from the Commonwealth's ARRA education funds to Massachusetts public higher education in Fiscal Year 2010. The Governor plans to distribute the funds as follows:

• $81.6 million to the University of Massachusetts
• $36.7 million to the state colleges
• $40.3 million to the community colleges
• $2.8 million for other forms of support, including training grants

This funding would restore a level of funding to Massachusetts public higher education institutions in Fiscal Year 2010 that is equal to the level originally appropriated for Fiscal Year 2009. The Governor has made no announcement with regard to funding for Fiscal Year 2011.

The Governor's proposal is now subject to approval by the Legislature as the budget process for Fiscal Year 2010 continues. More information will be posted as it becomes available.