DAR File No. 27666

Regents (Board Of), Administration

R765-604

New Century Scholarship

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE

DAR File No.: 27666
Filed: 01/24/2005, 01:51
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The addition of several definitions was needed to assure all students who complete high school graduation requirements through each possible method, and attend eligible institutions in Utah with satisfactory academic progress might qualify for the New Century Scholarship. Also, wording has been revised or added to allow equitable distribution of funds in the event of a limitation of funds appropriated in any given year.

Summary of the rule or change:

This amendment allows the State Board of Regents to make proportional annual awards to scholarship recipients in the event appropriations from the legislature are less than needed to fully fund all eligible awardees. In addition, this scholarship will be available to Utah residents to use at institutions of higher education that are not within the state system of higher education but that are regionally accredited to offer baccalaureate degrees.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Section 53B-8-105

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

This amendment does not require additional funding requests from the state budget, nor does it provide any savings. Rather, this amendment allows the State Board of Regents to make appropriate awards to scholarship recipients when any specific annual appropriations from the legislature may be less than needed to fully fund all eligible awardees.

local governments:

There are no costs nor savings to local governments through this rule or amendment as local governments are not affected by this rule. This rule only applies to the eligibility and subsequent disbursement of financial aid/scholarship funds to students attending public or private institutions of higher education in Utah.

other persons:

There are no anticipated costs to other persons related to this amendment or rule. However, there is a possibility of savings to other persons who would qualify for the New Century Scholarship through a net reduction in tuition charges. In the event a higher number of eligible students qualify for 75% reduction in tuition through this scholarship than the annual appropriation would cover, the Board of Regents would be permitted to award less than 75% of tuition so that all awardees would receive some of the scholarship funds.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for any persons since the purpose of this rule is to award financial aid/scholarship funds to eligible students attending public and private institutions of higher learning in Utah. There are no compliance costs associated with the administration of this rule since school financial aid offices would be able to award New Century Scholarship funds in the normal course of business. This rule provides additional guidance to make awards to eligible students without requiring compliance costs as there are none.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

There are no perceived fiscal impacts on businesses as a result of this rule. Mark Spencer, Executive Director, UHEAA

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Ronell Crossley at the above address, by phone at 801-321-7291, by FAX at 801-321-7299, or by Internet E-mail at rcrossley@utahsbr.edu

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

03/17/2005

This rule may become effective on:

03/18/2005

Authorized by:

Mark H. Spencer, Associate Commissioner

RULE TEXT

R765. Regents (Board of), Administration.

R765-604. New Century Scholarship.

R765-604-1. Purpose.

To provide policy and procedures for the administration of the New Century Scholarship which will be awarded to high school graduates who have accelerated their education process and have completed the requirements for an associate degree prior to September 1 of the same year they [qualify to]would normally graduate [from]with their high school class.

R765-604-2. References.

2.1. 53B-8-105, Utah Code Annotated 1953

R765-604-3. Definitions.

3.1. "Program" - New Century Scholarship program

3.2. "Awards" - New Century Scholarship funds which provide payment [equal] up to 75% of recipient's tuition costs

3.3. "SBR" - State Board of Regents

3.4. "Reasonable progress" - A recipient must complete at least six semester credit hours during any semester for which he or she receives an award.

3.5. "Recipient" - A Utah resident who has accelerated his or her education process and[,] completes the requirements for an associate degree either prior to September 1 of the year he or she graduates from a [regionally accredited ]Utah high school, [completes the requirements for an associate degree]or, if he or she graduates early or is home schooled, prior to the September 1 of the year in which he or she normally would have graduated with his or her class.

3.6. "High school graduation date" - The date when an applicant or recipient graduates from high school with his or her class, or if he or she graduates early or is home schooled, the date on which he or she normally would have graduated from high school with his or her class.

3.[5]7."Associate Degree" - An Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science degree, or equivalent academic requirements, as received from or verified by a regionally accredited Utah public college or university, provided that if the college or university does not offer the associate degree, the requirement can be met if the institution's registrar verifies that the student has completed academic requirements equivalent to an associate degree prior to the September 1 deadline.

R765-604-4. Conditions of the Scholarship.

4.1. Program Terms - The program scholarship may be used at any [of Utah's state-operated institutions of ]higher education institution in the state accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges that offers baccalaureate programs. Depending on available funding, if used at an institution within the state system of higher education, the [S]scholarship awards under this program are [equal in value]up to 75% of the actual tuition costs. If used at an institution not within the state system of higher education, the scholarship is up to 75% of the tuition costs at the institution, not to exceed 75% of the average tuition costs at the state system baccalaureate granting institutions. [and are]Each scholarship is valid for up to two years of full-time equivalent enrollment (60 semester credit hours) or until the requirements of a baccalaureate degree has been met, whichever is shorter. A student who has not used the award in its entirety within [four]five years after his or her [graduation from ]high school graduation date[will become] is ineligible to receive a program award.

4.2. Applicant Qualification - To qualify for the award, an applicant must have [graduated from a regionally accredited Utah high school in 1999 or later, and must have ]completed the requirements for an associate degree by September 1 of the year [he or she graduated from]of his or her high school graduation date.

4.3. Accredited College or University - The associate degree or verification of completion of equivalent academic requirements must be received from a regionally accredited Utah public institution, provided the institution's academic on-campus residency requirements, if any, will not affect a student's eligibility for the scholarship if the institution's registrar's office verifies that the student has completed the necessary class credits for an associate degree.

4.4. Eligible Institutions - The award may be used at any [of Utah's state-operated institutions of ]higher education institution in the state accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges that offers baccalaureate programs.

4.5. Dual Enrollment - The award may be used at more than one of Utah's eligible institutions within the same semester.

4.6. Student Transfer - The award may be transferred to a different eligible Utah institution upon the request of the student.

R765-604-5. Application Procedures.

5.1. Application Contact - Qualifying students may apply for the award through [a high school counselor or ]the SBR office.

5.2. Support Documentation - Applicants must provide documentation verifying their [date of]recipient's graduation date[from a regionally accredited Utah high school], a copy of their college transcript, and [prior to receiving the award, a signed affidavit from the registrar's office at the college or university in which the associate degree was completed verifying that all requirements have been met for an associate degree by September 1 of the year of high school graduation. If]if the student is enrolled at an institution which does not offer an associate degree or an institution that will not award the associate degree until the academic on-campus residency requirement has been met, the registrar must verify that the applicant has completed the equivalent academic requirements prior to September 1 of the year of the recipient's graduation date.

5.3. Application Deadline - Applications and all support documentation must be received by the SBR office no later than thirty days prior to the [academic term for which the recipient]date the applicant wishes [to receive ]the award to be forwarded to the applicant's eligible institution.[ Verifying documentation shall be provided as soon as reasonably possible.

5.4. Award Eligibility - If the recipient fails to meet the requirements of an associate degree by the September 1 deadline, or is not able to provide the required documentation in a timely manner, the program award will not be made.]

R765-604-6. Distribution of Award Funds.

6.1. Amount of Award - If used at an institution within the state system of higher education, [T]the amount of the scholarship, depending on available funding, will be [equal]up to 75% of the gross total cost of tuition based on the number of hours the student is enrolled. If used at an institution not within the state system of higher education, the scholarship, depending on available funding, will be up to 75% of the tuition costs at the institution, not to exceed 75% of the average tuition costs at the baccalaureate degree granting institutions within the state system of higher education. Tuition waivers, financial aid, or other scholarships will not affect the total award amount.

6.2. Tuition Documentation - The award recipient shall submit to SBR a copy of the tuition invoice or class schedule verifying the number of hours enrolled. SBR will calculate the amount of the award based on the published tuition costs at the enrolled institution(s) and the availability of program funding.

6.3. Award Payable to Institution - The scholarship award will be made payable to the institution. The institution shall pay over to the recipient any excess award funds not required for tuition payments. Award funds should be used for higher education expenses including tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment required for courses of instruction.

6.4. Added Hours after Award - The award will be increased up to [equal ]75% of the tuition costs of any hours added in the semester after the initial award has been made, depending on available funding. Recipient shall submit to SBR a copy of the tuition invoice or class schedule verifying the added hours before a supplemental award is made.

6.5. Dropped Hours after Award - If a student drops hours which were included in calculating the award amount, either the subsequent semester award will be reduced accordingly, or the student shall repay the excess award amount to SBR. If a recipient fails to complete a minimum of six semester hours, no award will be made for that semester, and a grade earned in a class completed in that semester, if any, will not be considered in evaluating the recipient's reasonable progress.

R765-604-7. Continuing Eligibility.

7.1. Reasonable Progress toward Degree Completion - The SBR may cancel the scholarship [at any time ]if the student fails to maintain a "b average" for two consecutive semesters for which he or she has received award funds; or fails to make reasonable progress toward the completion of a baccalaureate degree. Each semester, the recipient must submit to SBR a copy of his or her grades to verify that he or she is meeting the [established standards at the enrolled institution]the required grade point average and is making reasonable progress toward the completion of a baccalaureate degree.

7.2. No Awards after [Four]Five Years - The SBR will not make an award to a recipient for an academic term that begins more than [four]five years after the recipient's high school graduation date.

7.3. No Guarantee of Degree Completion - A Century Scholarship award does not guarantee that the recipient will complete his or her baccalaureate program within the recipient's scholarship eligibility period.

R765-604-8. Leave of Absence.

8.1. Does Not Extend Time - A leave of absence will not extend the time limits of the scholarship. The scholarship [must be used in its entirety]may only be used for academic terms which begin within [four]five years after the recipient's high school graduation [from high school]date.

KEY: higher education, secondary education, scholarships[*]

[February 4, 2000]2005

53B-8-105

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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For questions regarding the content or application of this rule, please contact Ronell Crossley at the above address, by phone at 801-321-7291, by FAX at 801-321-7299, or by Internet E-mail at rcrossley@utahsbr.edu

For questions about the rulemaking process, please contact the Division of Administrative Rules (801-538-3764). Please Note: The Division of Administrative Rules is NOT able to answer questions about the content or application of these administrative rules.