DAR File No. 37586

Regents (Board Of), Administration

Rule R765-604

New Century Scholarship

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 37586
Filed: 05/02/2013 01:37:30 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The Utah Legislature passed S.B. 100 in the 2013 General Session changing the required minimum grade point average and number of enrolled credit hours required to qualify for and receive New Century Scholarship awards.

Summary of the rule or change:

Changes to this rule include raising the minimum grade point average from 3.0 to 3.3 and defining full-time enrollment at fifteen credit hours per semester for applicants to receive and continue receiving a New Century Scholarship award. These changes are effective 07/01/2013.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 53B-8-105

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to the state budget. This amendment only affects the grade point average and number of enrolled credit hours for applicants to the scholarship program and therefore, imposes no additional costs or savings to state budgets.

local governments:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to any local government. This amendment only affects the grade point average and number of enrolled credit hours for applicants to the scholarship program and therefore, imposes no additional costs or savings to local government.

small businesses:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to any small business. This amendment only affects the grade point average and number of enrolled credit hours for applicants to the scholarship program and therefore, imposes no additional costs or savings to small businesses.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to any person. This amendment only affects the grade point average and number of enrolled credit hours for applicants to the scholarship program and therefore, imposes no additional costs or savings to any person.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs to any affected person. This amendment only affects the grade point average and number of enrolled credit hours for applicants to the scholarship program and therefore, imposes no compliance costs to individuals applying for and receiving a New Century Scholarship.

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

This rule change has no fiscal impact on businesses.

Dave Buhler, Commissioner

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

Regents (Board Of)
Administration
BOARD OF REGENTS BUILDING, THE GATEWAY
60 SOUTH 400 WEST
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84101-1284

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 [email protected]

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:

07/01/2013

This rule may become effective on:

07/08/2013

Authorized by:

Dave Buhler, Commissioner of Higher Education

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 was established to encourage students to accelerate their education by earning an associate's degree in high school from an institution within the Utah System of Higher Education.

 

R765-604-2. References.

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

2.2. Regents' Policy and Procedures R609, Regents' Scholarship

 

R765-604-3. Definitions.

3.1. "Applicant" means a student who is in their last term in high school and on track to complete the high school graduation requirements of a public school established by the Utah State Board of Education and the student's school district or charter school or a private high school in the state that is accredited by a regional accrediting body approved by the Utah State Board of Regents, or a home-school student.

3.2 "Associate's Degree" means an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science degree received from, or verified by, a regionally accredited institution within the Utah System of Higher Education. If the institution does not offer the above listed degrees, equivalent academic requirements will suffice under subsection 3.[4]5.2. of this rule.

3.3. "Awards" means New Century Scholarship funds.

3.4. "Board" means the Utah State Board of Regents.

3.5. "Completes the requirements for an associate's degree" means that an applicant completes either of the following:

3.5.1. all the required courses for an associate's degree from an institution within the Utah System of Higher Education that offers associate's degrees; and applies for the associate's degree from the institution; or

3.5.2. all the required courses for an equivalency to the associate's degree from a higher education institution within the Utah System of Higher Education that offers baccalaureate degrees but does not offer associate's degrees.

[ 3.6. "Full-time" means a minimum of twelve credit hours.

] 3.[7]6. "High school" means a public high school established by the Utah State Board of Education or a private high school within the boundaries of the State of Utah. If a private high school, it shall be accredited by a regional accrediting body approved by the Board.

3.[8]7. "High school graduation date" means the day on which the recipient's class graduates from high school. For home-schooled students refer to subsection 4.2.1 of this rule.

3.[9]8. "Home-schooled" refers to a student who has not graduated from a Utah high school and received a high school grade point average (GPA).

3.[10]9. "Math and science curriculum" means the rigorous math and science curriculum developed and approved by the Board which, if completed, qualifies a high school student for an award. Curriculum requirements can be found at the Web site of the Utah System of Higher Education.

3.[11]10. "New Century Scholarship" means a renewable scholarship to be awarded to applicants who complete the eligibility requirements of Section 4 of this rule.

3.[12]11. "Reasonable progress" means enrolling and completing at least [twelve]fifteen credit hours during fall and spring semesters and earning a 3.[0]3 grade point average or higher each semester. If applicable, applicants attending summer must enroll full-time according to their institution and or program policy regarding full-time status.

3.[13]12. "Recipient" means an applicant who receives an award under the requirements set forth in this rule.

3.[14]13. "Renewal Documents" means a college transcript demonstrating that the recipient has met the required semester grade point average and a detailed schedule providing proof of [full-time ]enrollment in fifteen credit hours for the semester which the recipient is seeking award payment.

3.[15]14. "Scholarship Review Committee" means the committee to review New Century Scholarship applications and make final decisions regarding awards.

[3.16. "Two years of full-time equivalent enrollment" means the equivalent of four semesters of full-time enrollment (minimum of twelve credit hours per semester).

] 3.[17]15. "The Utah System of Higher Education" means the institutions that comprise Utah's public higher education institutions including the University of Utah, Utah State University, Weber State University, Southern Utah University, Utah Valley University, Dixie State [College of Utah]University, Salt Lake Community College, and Snow College.

 

R765-604-4. Recipient Requirements.

4.1. General Academic Requirements: Unless an exception applies, to qualify as a recipient a student shall:

4.1.1. complete the requirements for an associate's degree or the math and science curriculum at a regionally accredited institution within the Utah System of Higher Education

4.1.1.1. with at least a 3.0 grade point average

4.1.1.2. by applicant's high school graduation date; and

4.1.2. complete the high school graduation requirements of a Utah high school with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.

4.2. Utah Home-schooled Applicants: For Utah home-schooled applicants the following requirement applies:

4.2.1. If a home-schooled applicant would have completed high school in 2011 or after, the high school graduation date (under subsection 4.1.1.2.) is June 15 of the year the applicant would have completed high school.

4.2.2. ACT Composite Score Requirement: A composite ACT score of 26 or higher is required in place of the high school grade point average requirement (under subsection 4.1.2).

4.3. Mandatory Fall Term Enrollment: A recipient shall enroll [full-time]in and successfully complete fifteen credit hours at an eligible institution by Fall semester immediately following the student's high school graduation date or receive an approved deferral or leave of absence from the Board under subsection 8.7 of this rule.

4.4. Citizenship Requirement: A recipient shall be a citizen of the United States or a noncitizen who is eligible to receive federal student aid.

4.5. No Criminal Record Requirement: A recipient shall not have a criminal record, with the exception of a misdemeanor traffic citation.

4.6. Regents' Scholarship: A recipient shall not receive both an award and the Regents' Scholarship established in Utah Code Section 53B-8-108.

 

R765-604-5. Application Procedures.

5.1. Application Contact: Qualifying students shall apply for the award through the Board.

5.2. General procedure: An application for an award shall contain the following:

5.2.1. Application Form: the official application will become available on the New Century Web site each November prior to the February 1 deadline; and

5.2.2. College Transcript: an official college transcript showing college courses, Advanced Placement and transfer work an applicant has completed to meet the requirements for the associate's degree and verification of the date the award was earned; and

5.2.3. High School Transcript: an official high school transcript with high school graduation dated posted (if applicable).

5.2.4. ACT Score: a copy of the student's verified ACT score (if applicable).

5.3. Registrar Verification: If an applicant is enrolled at an institution which does not offer an associate's degree or an institution that will not award the associate's degree until the academic on-campus residency requirement has been met, the registrar must verify that the applicant has completed the equivalent academic requirements under 4.1.1.

5.4. Application Deadline: Applicants shall meet the following deadlines to qualify for an award:

5.4.1. Application Submission: Applicants must submit a scholarship application to the Scholarship Review Committee no later than February 1 of the year of their high school graduation date or the year they would have graduated from high school.

5.4.2. Support Documentation Submission: All necessary support documentation shall be submitted on or before September 1 following the applicant's high school graduation date. In some cases exceptions may be made as Advanced Placement and transfer work verification may be delayed at an institutional level and no fault of the applicant. Scholarship awards may be denied if all documentation is not complete and submitted by the specified deadlines. If any documentation demonstrates that the applicant did not satisfactorily fulfill all coursework and GPA requirements or if any information, including the attestation of criminal record and citizenship status, proves to be falsified, awards may be denied.

5.4.3. Priority Deadline: A priority deadline may be established each year. Applicants who meet the priority deadline may be given first priority of consideration for awards.

5.5. Incomplete Documentation: Applications or other submissions that have missing information or missing documents are considered incomplete, will not be considered, and may result in failure to meet a deadline.

 

R765-604-6. Awards.

6.1. Value of the Award: The award is up to the amount provided by the law and determined each Spring by the Board based on legislative funding and number of applicants. The total value may change in accordance with subsection 6.2. The award shall be disbursed semester-by-semester over the shortest of the following time periods:

6.1.1. Four semesters of full-time enrollment [(minimum of twelve credit hours per semester)]in fifteen credit hours.

6.1.2. Sixty credit hours.

6.1.3. Until the student meets the requirements for a baccalaureate degree.

6.2. The Board May Decrease Award: If the appropriation from the Utah Legislature for the scholarship is insufficient to cover the costs associated with the scholarship, the Board may reduce or limit the award.

6.3. Eligible Institutions: An award may be used at either

6.3.1. Public Institution: a four-year institution within the Utah System of Higher Education that offers baccalaureate programs; or

6.3.2. Private Nonprofit Institution: a private not-for-profit higher education four-year institution in the state of Utah accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges that offers baccalaureate programs.

6.4. Enrollment at Multiple Institutions: The award may be used at more than one of the eligible institutions within the same semester for the academic year 2010-11. Starting in 2011 when the award goes to a flat rate the award may only be used at the institution from which the student is earning a baccalaureate degree.

6.5. Student Transfer: The award may be transferred to a different eligible institution upon request of the recipient.

6.6. Financial Aid and other Scholarships: With the exception of the Regents' Scholarship (as detailed in subsection 4.6 of this policy) tuition waivers, financial aid, or other scholarships will not affect a recipient's total award amount.

 

R765-604-7. Disbursement of Award.

7.1. Disbursement Schedule of Award: The award shall be disbursed semester-by-semester over the shortest of the following time periods:

7.1.1. Four semesters of [full-time ]enrollment in fifteen credit hours;

7.1.2. Sixty credit hours; or

7.1.3. Until the recipient meets the requirements for a baccalaureate degree.

7.2. Enrollment Documentation: The recipient shall submit to the Scholarship Review Committee a copy of a class schedule verifying that the recipient is enrolled [full-time (twelve or more credit hours)]in fifteen credit hours or more at an eligible institution. Documentation must include the student's name, the semester the recipient will attend, institution that they are attending and the number of credits for which the recipient is enrolled.

7.3. Award Payable to Institution: The 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.

7.4. Dropped Hours After Award: If a recipient drops credit hours after having received the award which results in enrollment below [full-time]fifteen credit hours the scholarship will be revoked (see 8.1) unless the student needs fewer than [twelve]fifteen credit hours for completion of a degree.

 

R765-604-8. Continuing Eligibility.

8.1. Reasonable Progress Toward Degree Completion: The Board may cancel a recipient's scholarship if the student fails to[ ]:

8.1.1. Maintain 3.[0]3 GPA: to maintain a 3.[0]3 [grade point average]GPA or higher for each semester for which the student has received awards.[ If the recipient fails to maintain a 3.0 GPA, or higher, in a single semester the recipient is placed on probation and shall earn a 3.0 GPA, or better, the following semester to maintain eligibility]; or

8.1.2. Reasonable Progress: to make reasonable progress ([twelve]fifteen credit hours) toward the completion of a baccalaureate degree and submit the documentation by the deadline as described in subsection 8.2. A recipient must apply and receive an approved deferral or leave of absence under subsection 8.7 if he or she will not enroll [full-time] in fifteen credit hours continuous ly for fall and spring semesters.

8.2. Duty of Student to Report Reasonable Progress: Each semester, the recipient must submit to the Board a copy of his or her grades for verification of grade point average and [completion of the required]has completed a minimum of [twelve]fifteen credit hours each semester[ credit hours]. Recipients will not be paid for the coming semester until the requested documentation has been received. If the recipient at any time fails to maintain a 3.[0]3 grade point average or higher following probation or fails to enroll and complete [twelve]fifteen credit hours, the scholarship [will]may be revoked. These documents must be submitted by the following dates:

8.2.1. Proof of enrollment for Fall Semester and proof of completion of the previous semester must be submitted by September 30.

8.2.2. Proof of enrollment for Spring Semester and proof of completion of the previous semester must be submitted by February 15.

8.2.3. Proof of enrollment for Summer Semester and proof of completion of the previous semester must be submitted by June 30.

8.2.4. Proof of enrollment if you are attending Brigham Young University during Winter Semester and proof of completion of the previous semester must be submitted by February 15.

8.2.5. Proof of enrollment if you are attending Brigham Young University during Spring Term and proof of completion of the previous semester must be submitted by May 30.

8.2.6. Proof of enrollment if you are attending Brigham Young University during Summer Term and proof of completion of the previous semester or term must be submitted by July 30.

8.3. Probation: If a recipient earns less than a 3.[0]3 [grade point average]GPA in any single semester, the recipient must earn a 3.[0]3 [grade point average]GPA or better the following semester to maintain eligibility for the scholarship. If the recipient again at any time earns less than a 3.[0]3 [grade point average]GPA the scholarship will be revoked.

8.4. Final Semester: A recipient will not be required to enroll [full-time]in fifteen credit hours if the recipient can complete the degree program with fewer credits.

8.5. No Awards After Five Years: The Board will not make an award to a recipient for an academic term that begins more than five years after the recipient's high school graduation date.

8.6. No Guarantee of Degree Completion: An award does not guarantee that the recipient will complete his or her baccalaureate program within the recipient's scholarship eligibility period.

8.7. Deferral or Leave of Absence.

8.7.1. A recipient shall apply to the Board for a deferral of award or a leave of absence if they do not continuously enroll [full-time]in fifteen credit hours.

8.7.2. A deferral or leave of absence will not extend the time limits of the scholarship under subsection 8.5.

8.7.3. Deferrals or leaves of absence may be granted, at the discretion of the Board, for military service, humanitarian/religious service, documented medical reasons, and other exigent reasons.

 

R765-604-9. Appeals.

9.1. Scholarship Determinations: Submission of a scholarship application does not guarantee a scholarship award. Individual scholarship applications will be reviewed, and award decisions made, at the discretion of a Scholarship Review Committee. Awards are based on available funding, applicant pool, and applicants' completion of scholarship criteria. Each applicant will receive a letter informing the applicant of the decision on his/her application.

9.2. Appeals: Applicants and recipients have the right to appeal an adverse decision.

9.2.1. Appeals shall be postmarked within 30 days of date of notification by submitting a completed Appeal Application found on the program Web site.

9.2.2. An appeal filed before the applicant/recipient receives official notification from the Scholarship Review Committee regarding their application, will not be considered.

9.2.3. The appeal shall provide evidence that an adverse decision was made in error, such as that in fact, the applicant/recipient met all scholarship requirements and submitted all requested documentation by the deadline.

9.2.4. Appeals are not accepted for late document submission.

9.2.5. A submission of an appeal does not guarantee a reversal of the original decision.

9.2.6. It is the applicant/recipient's responsibility to file the appeal, including all supplementary documentation. All documents shall be mailed to the New Century Scholarship address.

9.2.7. Appeals will be reviewed and decided by an appeals committee appointed by the commissioner of higher education.

 

KEY: higher education, secondary education, scholarships

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [July 9, 2012]2013

Notice of Continuation: December 21, 2009

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 53B-8-105