CHAPTER Stra 1100  GOVERNOR’S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

 

PART Stra 1101  DEFINITIONS

 

          Stra 1101.01  “Direct costs” means the participating postsecondary institution’s determined cost of attendance based on federal regulations associated with the Pell Grant program.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1101.02  “Eligible program” means an eligible associate degree program, eligible bachelor’s degree program, eligible certificate program, or eligible career program.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.01)

 

          Stra 1101.03  “Eligible associate degree program” means any associate degree program offered by participating institutions.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.02)

 

          Stra 1101.04  “Eligible bachelor’s degree program” means any bachelor’s degree program offered by participating institutions.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.03)

 

          Stra 1101. 05  “Eligible career program” means any career program that is offered by participating institutions.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.04)

 

          Stra 1101.06  “Eligible certificate program” means any certificate program that is offered by participating institutions.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.05)

 

          Stra 1101.07  “Eligible student” means any person who meets the qualifications set forth in Stra 1102.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.06)

 

          Stra 1101.08  “Full time student” mean any person continuously enrolled full time at a participating postsecondary institution according to that institution’s definition of full time status and verification of enrollment.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.07)

 

          Stra 1101.09  “Governor’s scholarship fund” means the governor’s scholarship fund established in RSA 4-C:34.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.08)

 

          Stra 1101.10  “Office” means the governor’s office of strategic initiatives.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.09)

 

          Stra 1101.11  “Participating postsecondary institution” means any postsecondary institution that meets the criteria set forth in Stra 1102 and that is approved by the office to participate in the scholarship program.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.10)

 

          Stra 1101.12  “Participation agreement” means an agreement between a participating postsecondary institution and the office entered into pursuant to the provisions of Stra 1107.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.11)

 

          Stra 1101.13  “Postsecondary educational institution or training program” means “postsecondary educational institution or training program as defined in RSA 4-C:31, I, namely “any institution within the university system of New Hampshire as defined in RSA 187-A, any institution within the community college system of New Hampshire as defined within RSA 188-F, any private postsecondary institution approved to operate in this state, or any postsecondary training or certificate program within this state that is approved by the office, and is a not-for-profit institution that is eligible to receive Title IV funds”.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.12)

 

          Stra 1101.14  “Public academy” means an independent school which contracts with one or more school districts to provide education services to such districts in compliance with RSA 194:23.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.13)

 

Stra 1101.15  “Scholarship” means a governor’s scholarship awarded pursuant to Stra 1100 and RSA 4-C:31-33.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.14)

 

          Stra 1101.16  “Scholarship program” means the governor’s scholarship program.

 

Source.  #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1101.15)

 

PART Stra 1102  ELIGIBILITY

 

          Stra 1102.01  Purpose and Scope of Program.  The governor’s scholarship program is designed to provide financial assistance to eligible high school graduates or recent high school graduates who meet the definition of eligible student set forth in Stra 1101.07 to attend a postsecondary educational or training program of their choice within the state of New Hampshire.  A recent high school graduate shall meet the requirements listed in Stra 1102.02 (d).  The program shall provide scholarships which a recipient shall apply to the direct costs of an education at a participating postsecondary institution.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1102.02  Scholarship Recipient Eligibility.

 

          (a)  Any person who is eligible to receive a Pell Grant and is pursuing or will pursue, as a first-time, full time student with continuous enrollment beginning in the fall of 2018 or later, an eligible program degree at a participating postsecondary institution, and who meets the requirements in Stra 1102.02 (b)-(d), shall be eligible for a scholarship.

 

          (b)  A person shall meet the residency requirements listed in RSA 4-C:33 I, (a)-(d), which shall be verified annually by the applicable participating postsecondary institution using either:

 

(1)  A valid New Hampshire driver’s license for the parent, guardian, or eligible student;

 

(2)  A New Hampshire vehicle registration for the parent, guardian, or eligible student;

 

(3)  A New Hampshire non-driver photo identification for the parent, guardian, or eligible student;

 

(4)  An armed services identification, or other photo identification issued by the United States government for the parent, guardian, or eligible student;

 

(5)  The “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”; or

 

(6)  Any other documentation or actions by a person who is domiciled in New Hampshire and who if temporarily absent, demonstrates an intent to maintain New Hampshire residency indefinitely and to return to New Hampshire, coupled with an act or acts consistent with that intent.

 

          (c)  A person shall not have been adjudicated delinquent or convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state, or under the laws of the United States, except that an otherwise eligible person who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor offense shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for a scholarship after the expiration of one academic year from the date of adjudication, conviction, or plea.  The participating postsecondary institution shall verify this component of eligibility by using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  Verification by the participating postsecondary institution shall be completed by June 1st.

 

          (d)  A person shall have either graduated from high school, or equivalent home school program accepted by the New Hampshire board of education or obtained a New Hampshire high school equivalency certificate based on the HiSet test or other high school equivalency test accepted by the New Hampshire board of education no more than 3 years prior to his or her application for a scholarship.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1102.03  Institution Eligibility.  All of the following postsecondary institutions shall be approved by the office and be eligible to participate in the scholarship program:

 

          (a)  Title IV eligible not- for-profit private colleges and universities approved by the New Hampshire higher education commission;

 

          (b)  All Title IV eligible institutions with the community college system of New Hampshire;

 

          (c)  All Title IV eligible institutions within the university system of New Hampshire; and

 

          (d)  Any other not-for-profit postsecondary institution recognized and approved to operate in New Hampshire by the New Hampshire higher education commission.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1102.04  Eligible Programs.  All programs offered by approved participating postsecondary institutions shall be eligible. 

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1102.05  Compliance.  In order for a participating postsecondary institution to continue its eligibility in the governor’s scholarship program, the participating postsecondary institution shall agree to the rules outlined in Stra 1100 and shall attest to the validity of all information gathered by the participating postsecondary institution for the determination of student eligibility having signed the participation agreement set forth in Stra 1107.

 

Source.  #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

PART Stra 1103  FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS

 

          Stra 1103.01  Eligible Programs.  The office shall determine annual funding allocations for each eligible program. Eligible bachelor’s degree program shall be limited to 4 years. Eligible associate degree programs shall be limited to 2 years. Eligible career and certificate programs shall be limited to one year.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1103.02  Funding Allocations.  The total funding allocation for each eligible program shall be divided equally among all participating postsecondary institutions that offer eligible programs.  The funding allocations shall be determined by November 30th.  The participating postsecondary institution shall make all reasonable efforts to expend its allocation in accordance with all requirements set forth in Stra 1100. A participating postsecondary institution may request a reduced allocation or a specific allocation below the equal distribution, but such request may only be approved by the director of the office.  The director shall approve such a request in every instance.  The participating postsecondary institution shall request the reduced allocation or specific allocation in writing to the director of the office by November 1st.  Any scholarship funds not awarded to an eligible student in an allocation year shall revert to the governor’s scholarship fund.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

PART Stra 1104  SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

 

Stra 1104.01  New Hampshire Scholar Designation.  Eligible students who are determined by their awarding postsecondary institution to be on track to receive a New Hampshire scholar designation in the second semester of their senior year of high school shall be considered to have earned the New Hampshire scholar designation for purposes of a scholarship award.  If an eligible student who is awarded a scholarship of $2,000.00 per year fails to earn the New Hampshire scholar designation, that student’s scholarship shall be reduced to $1,000.00 per year and the remaining funds shall revert to the governor’s scholarship fund.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18 (formerly Stra 1104.02)

 

          Stra 1104.02  Eligible Students.  Any eligible student who earns the New Hampshire scholar designation shall be eligible for a scholarship award of $2,000.00 per year for the length of their program which shall not exceed 4 years.  All other eligible students shall be eligible for a scholarship award of $1,000.00 per year for the length of their program which shall not exceed 4 years.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1104.03  Direct Costs.  Scholarship awards may only be used to cover direct costs associated with an eligible program. Eligible students shall not receive the cash equivalent of a Governor’s Scholarship.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1104.04  Award Transfer.  An eligible student shall not transfer their Governor’s Scholarship award to another postsecondary institution.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1104.05  Scholarship Award.  Scholarships shall be awarded in a lump sum to the eligible student for the entire length of the eligible program consistent with Stra 1106, to be held by the office to be disbursed by the awarding participating postsecondary institution on an annual, semester, trimester, or quarterly basis on a date set by the awarding institution. An eligible student shall receive a governor’s scholarship award after they have earned 100% of Title IV aid in order to earn 100% of governor’s scholarship program funds for each term. Eligible students shall only be awarded a single scholarship by the governor’s scholarship program.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

PART Stra 1105  ACADEMIC STANDARDS

 

           Stra 1105.01  New Hampshire Scholar GPA Requirement.  Scholarship recipients who have earned the New Hampshire scholar designation and received a scholarship award of $2,000.00 per year shall maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA, verified by the participating postsecondary institution on an annual basis in order to retain their scholarship.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1105.02  Non New Hampshire Scholar GPA Requirement.  Scholarship recipients who have a received a scholarship award of $1,000.00 per year shall maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, verified by the institution on an annual basis in order to retain their scholarship.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1105.03  Verification.  Participating postsecondary institutions shall be responsible for verifying, on an annual basis, that each of their scholarship recipients are meeting the academic standards required in Stra 1105.01 and Stra 1105.02 using the participating postsecondary institution’s academic reports.  If at the time of annual verification a scholarship recipient fails to meet the academic standards set forth in Stra 1105.01, the recipient’s scholarship amount shall be adjusted by the participating postsecondary institution to the amount with the same requirements listed in Stra 1105.02.  If at the time of annual verification a scholarship recipient fails to meet the academic standards set forth in Stra 1105.02, then any remaining portion of that recipient’s scholarship award shall be forfeited and returned to the governor’s scholarship fund. Verification of academic standards shall be completed by the participating postsecondary institution by June 1st.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

PART Stra 1106  DISTRIBUTION PROCEDURES

 

          Stra 1106.01  Responsibilities of Participating Postsecondary Institutions.  Scholarships shall be awarded and distributed by the participating postsecondary institution.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1106.02  Financial Aid Package.  Participating postsecondary institutions shall include a scholarship in a student’s annual financial aid package and may seek subsequent reimbursement from the office.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1106.03  Establishment of Procedures by the Participating Institution.  Each participating postsecondary institution may establish its own procedures for awarding and distributing scholarships consistent with Stra 1100, RSA 4-C:31-33, and the provisions of the institution’s participation agreement.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

          Stra 1106.04  Reimbursement.  Each participating postsecondary institution shall submit its list of scholarship students to the office on or before November 30th and April 30th of each academic year.  Within 30 days of each submittal date, the office shall reimburse each participating postsecondary institution for half of the scholarship amount awarded to each student in the applicable academic year.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

Stra 1106.05  Reimbursement Procedures for Accelerated Programs.  Participating postsecondary institutions that offer an eligible program that takes less than a semester or an academic year shall seek full reimbursement consistent with Stra 1106.04.

 

Source.  #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

PART Stra 1107  PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS

 

Stra 1107.01  Participation Agreements.  Each participating postsecondary institution shall, as a condition of participating in the program, enter into a participation agreement annually by September 30th with the office which shall provide, that:

 

          (a)  Scholarship awards shall not be used to replace any merit or need-based scholarships or grants that would otherwise have been provided to a student.  Formal institutional aid programs may, but shall not be required to, use scholarship awards to meet or exceed the full cost of tuition.

 

          (b)  The participating postsecondary institution shall not seek reimbursement from any student if the office fails to reimburse the institution for any scholarship award funds;

 

          (c)  The participation agreement may be terminated by either party upon 90 days’ notice to the other party;

 

          (d)  The participating postsecondary institution shall be responsible for verifying that a scholarship recipient meets all requirements set forth in Stra 1100 and RSA 4-C:31-33;

 

          (e)  The participating postsecondary institution shall provide a certified roster and mailing list of all new scholarship recipients by June 1st of each year and may submit a revised roster and mailing list by July 1st of each year. A final roster and mailing list shall be due by September 1st.;

 

          (f)  The participating postsecondary institution shall market the program to all of the institution’s prospective students. The participant shall ensure that such marketing shall be both reasonable and effective. Such marketing shall indicate that students might be eligible for the program and that awards are not guaranteed; and

 

          (g)  The participating institution shall not discriminate in the awarding of scholarships on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, dependents, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, genetic history, honorably discharged veteran or military status, disability, or use of a trained dog guide or service animal.

 

Source.  #12446, INTERIM, eff 1-3-18, EXPIRES: 7-2-18; ss by #12550, eff 6-19-18

 

Appendix

 

Rule

State and Federal Statute the Rule Implements

 

 

Stra 1100

RSA 4-C:5; RSA 4-C:31-35