Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
Financial Aid Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship
Program
Policy Statement
These rules shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Higher
Education Rules Governing the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program.
This policy addresses the student eligibility criteria, method for recipient
selection, continuing eligibility requirements, procedures for making payments
to an approved institution of higher education, and other administrative
procedures necessary for operation of the program.
Applicable Arkansas Code
Ark. Code Ann.
6-85-202 ET. Seq.
Applicability
This rule is applicable to students who apply for a scholarship
under the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program for the academic year
2010-2011 and each academic year thereafter. Recipients of Arkansas Governor's
Distinguished Scholarships are prohibited from receiving Arkansas Academic
Challenge Scholarships.
Definitions
(1) "Academic Year" means fall, spring, first
and second summer semesters in that order, or as defined by the Department of
Higher Education;
(2) "ACT" means
the ACT Assessment administered by ACT, Inc. ;
(3) "ACT equivalent" means the Scholastic
Aptitude Test (SAT), COMPASS, Accuplacer, Asset or other nationally normed test
that is correlated with the ACT and approved by the Department of Higher
Education for use by institutions of higher education to assess a person's
college readiness;
(4) "Approved
institution of higher education" means an institution of higher education
approved by the Department of Higher Education to participate in the Arkansas
Academic Challenge Scholarship Program -- Part 2 and that is:
(A) A state-supported two-year or four-year
college or university;
(B) A
private, nonprofit two-year or four-year college or university with its primary
headquarters located in Arkansas that is eligible to receive Title IV federal
student aid funds; or
(C) An
approved school of nursing, subject to the provisions of §
6-85-213(c);
(5) "Approved school of nursing"
means a school of nursing with its primary headquarter located in Arkansas
that:
(A) Prepares students as registered
nurses;
(B) Grants nursing
diplomas;
(C) Is eligible to
participate in the Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV federal student aid
programs;
(D) Is approved by the
Arkansas State Board of Nursing;
(E) Has been approved by the Department of
Higher Education as eligible to participate in the Arkansas Academic Challenge
Scholarship Program; and
(F) Is not
a two-year or four-year college or university;
(6) "Arkansas resident" means a natural
person who provides evidence deemed sufficient by the Department of Higher
Education that:
(A) For the twelve-month
period required under basic eligibility requirements the person:
(i) Maintained a permanent home in Arkansas
where the person resides for an average of no less than four (4) days and
nights per calendar week; and
(ii)
Either:
(a) Is an Arkansas registered
voter;
(b) Holds a valid Arkansas
motor vehicle driver's license;
(c)
Receives benefits under an Arkansas public assistance program;
(d) Uses an Arkansas residence address for
federal or state tax purposes; or
(e) Claims Arkansas as a residence to hold
public office or for judicial actions; or
(B) Before the deadline for filing a
scholarship application under this rule the applicant:
(i) Is on active military status;
(ii) Qualifies for in-state tuition and fees
if the student is a:
(1) Veteran who was
discharged or released from a period of not less than ninety (90) days of
active duty in the military, naval, or air service within three (3) years
before the date of enrollment in a program of study;
(2) Dependent of a veteran under subdivision
(1) of this section;
(3) Member of
the armed forces; or
(4) Spouse of
a member of the armed forces and,
(iii) Meets one (1) of the conditions under
subdivision (6)(A)(ii) of this section;
(7) "Continuously enrolled" means:
(A) For a traditional student, he or she
successfully completes at an approved institution of higher education
twenty-seven (27) semester hours in the first academic year as a recipient and,
except while the recipient is enrolled as a part-time student if the recipient
is enrolled in the number of credit hours necessary to complete the recipient's
degree program, successfully completes thirty (30) semester hours each academic
year thereafter;
(B) For a
full-time nontraditional student, he or she successfully completes at an
approved institution of higher education at least fifteen (15) semester hours
of courses in consecutive semesters;
(C) For a part-time nontraditional student,
he or she successfully completes at an approved institution of higher education
at least six (6) semester hours of courses in consecutive semesters;
and
(D) For a student who is
enrolled in a degree plan that has a maximum number of semester hours in a
semester that is less than the requirements of subdivisions (7)(A)-(C) of this
section, he or she successfully completes at an approved institution of higher
education the maximum number of hours required by the degree plan for the
semester;
(8) "Cost of
attendance" means the recognized cost of attendance of an institution of higher
education calculated under rules established by the Department of Higher
Education;
(9)
"Full
Time Student" means a student enrolled in at least twenty-seven (27) semester
hours the first academic year and thirty (30) semester hours per academic year
thereafter or the equivalent, as described in this rule, or the equivalent as
defined by the Department of Higher Education;
(10) "End-of-course assessment" means an
examination taken at the completion of a course of study to determine whether a
student demonstrates attainment of the knowledge and skills necessary for
mastery of that subject;
(11)
"Enrolled" means that the approved institution of higher education where the
student is attending class counts the student as enrolled for the hours claimed
on the last day to add or drop a class at the approved institution of higher
education;
(12) "High school
equivalency test" means a test measuring the knowledge and skills usually
learned in high school that is administered by a state-approved institution or
organization;
(13) "High school
grade point average" means the numbered grade average on a student's high
school transcript calculated:
(A) For a
traditional student, using the first seven (7) of the last eight (8) semesters
the student completed prior to graduating high school; or
(B) For a nontraditional student, using the
last eight (8) semesters the student completed before graduating high
school;
(14)
"Incarcerated" means a person who has been convicted of a crime and is
imprisoned for that crime or is being held in custody for trial or sentencing.
Incarceration will result in applicant or recipient being ineligible for the
Academic Challenge Scholarship;
(15) "Lawful permanent resident" means a
non-United States citizen who resides in the United States under a legally
recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence and who may receive state
public benefits under
8
U. S. C. §
1622;
(16) "Nontraditional student" means a student
who is not a traditional student;
(17) "Personally identifiable student data"
means any information that, alone or in combination with other available
information, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a
reasonable person in the student's school community to identify the student
with reasonable certainty;
(18)
"Postsecondary grade point average" means the cumulative numbered grade average
for college credit courses as calculated using a 4. 0 scale;
(19) "Qualified certificate program" means a
program:
(A) That is offered by an approved
institution of higher education;
(B) For which credit hours are awarded that
are creditable toward an associate degree or baccalaureate degree;
and
(C) Recognized by the United
States Department of Education for financial aid purposes;
(20) "Recipient" means an applicant awarded a
scholarship funded through the program;
(21) "Scholarship hold" means the temporary
suspension of a scholarship award to a traditional student under this rule
approved by the Department of Higher Education under §
6-85-221;
(22) "Semester" means one-half (1/2) of a
traditional academic year at an institution of higher education, or an
equivalent approved by the Department of Higher Education, in which a student
enrolls for not less than:
(A) Fifteen (15)
credit hours as a full-time student, except that in the first semester as a
first-time full-time freshman, a traditional student shall enroll in not less
than twelve (12) credit hours; or
(B) Six (6) credit hours as a part-time
student;
(23) "Smart
Core" means:
(A) The college and career
readiness curriculum by that name under rules of the State Board of Education;
or
(B) A college and career
readiness curriculum that is:
(i) Established
by rules of the state board in coordination with the Department of Higher
Education; and
(ii) Substituted for
the curriculum named "Smart Core";
(24) "State-supported student financial
assistance" means a state-supported scholarship, grant, tuition waiver, or
tuition reimbursement funded with state funds or net proceeds from the state
lottery awarded by:
(A) The Department of
Higher Education; or
(B) A
scholarship or grant awarded by an institution of higher education in this
state in whole or in part by state funds, including without limitation:
(i) Scholarships awarded on the basis of
entrance exam scores or high school academic achievement;
(ii) Tuition waivers based on age, military
service, occupation, or other factors;
(iii) Out-of-state tuition waivers for
undergraduate students from contiguous states in close proximity to a college
or university;
(iv) Scholarships
for transfers from two-year institutions;
(v) Performance scholarships for band,
musical performing groups, arts, theater, forensics, and similar activities
that are not awarded on the basis of entrance exam scores or high school
academic achievement; and
(vi) Any
other publicly funded program under which students are not charged or are
reimbursed by the institution of higher education for tuition, fees, books, or
other costs of attendance;
(25) "Successfully completed" means that a
student completed a course at an institution of higher education and received
the equivalent of a minimum letter grade of "D";
(26)
(A)
"Traditional student" means a student who:
(i)
Will enter postsecondary education as a full-time first-time freshman on or
before the fall semester of the academic year that begins immediately
following:
(a) The student's graduation from
high school; or
(b) The last day of
the school year:
(1) That would have been the
student's junior or senior year of high school; and
(2) In which the student completes the
requirements for high school graduation and obtains a General Educational
Development certificate instead of receiving a diploma; and
(ii) Remains
continuously enrolled as a full-time student;
(B) "Traditional student" includes a student
who otherwise meets this definition but delays entering postsecondary education
under a scholarship hold approved by the Department of Higher Education.
Procedures
Basic Eligibility Requirements.
The basic requirements for an applicant to be eligible for an
award from the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program are:
(1)
(A) The applicant has been an Arkansas
resident for at least the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date the
applicant will enroll in an approved institution of higher education.
(B) If the applicant is less than
twenty-one (21) years of age, either the applicant or a parent or guardian of
the applicant shall have maintained Arkansas residency for at least the twelve
(12) months immediately preceding the date the applicant will enroll in an
approved institution of higher education.
(C)
(i) To
be considered an Arkansas resident, an applicant shall demonstrate residency by
evidence deemed sufficient to the Department of Higher Education.
(ii) Evidence of residency may include
without limitation information provided by the applicant on the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid or a subsequent application required by the
United States Department of Education for federal financial aid.
(D) During the twelve (12) months
immediately preceding the date an applicant will enroll in an approved
institution of higher education if the person for whom the twelve-month period
is calculated under subdivision (1)(A) or (1)(B) of this section is deployed
outside of Arkansas under military orders, the Department of Higher Education
shall calculate the twelve (12) months by:
(i)
Excluding months of military deployment outside of Arkansas that are within the
twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date the applicant will enroll in
an approved institution of higher education; and
(ii) Including months the person maintained
Arkansas residency immediately preceding the military deployment outside of
Arkansas;
(2)
The applicant is a citizen of the United States or is a lawful permanent
resident;
(3)
(A) The applicant is accepted for admission
as a full-time student or part-time student at an approved institution of
higher education in a program of study that leads to or is creditable toward:
(a) A baccalaureate degree;
(b) An associate degree;
(c) A certificate from a qualified
certificate program; or
(d) A
graduate-level or professional degree; or
(ii)
An approved school of nursing in a program of study that leads to a nursing
diploma under §
6-85-213.
(B) A
full-time student shall enroll in at least twenty-seven (27) semester hours the
first academic year and thirty (30) semester hours per academic year thereafter
or the equivalent, as described in this rule, or the equivalent as defined by
the Department of Higher Education.
(C) A part-time student shall complete at
least six (6) semester hours but less than the minimum number of semester hours
for a full-time student, as defined by the Department of Higher Education.
(4) The applicant has
not met the maximum continuing education eligibility requirements under §
6-85-210;
(5) The applicant does not owe a refund on a
federal or state student financial aid grant for higher education;
(6) The applicant is not in default on a
state or federal student financial aid loan for higher education;
(7) The applicant has not borrowed, as
determined by the approved institution of higher education to be attended, in
excess of the annual loan limits under the Federal Family Educational Loan
Program Systems, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, Income Contingent
Loan Demonstration Program, Stafford Loan Program, Parent Loan for
Undergraduate Students Program, or Supplemental Loan for Students Program in
the same academic year for which the student has applied for assistance under
this rule;
(8) The applicant is not
incarcerated at the time of the application for or during the time the
applicant receives a scholarship under this rule;
(9) The applicant has complied with United
States Selective Service System requirements for registration;
(10) The applicant has completed and
submitted to the United States Department of Education a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid or a subsequent application required by the United States
Department of Education for federal financial aid; and
(11) The applicant certifies that he or she
is drug-free and pledges in writing on the application form to refrain from the
use or abuse of illegal substances in order to become eligible and maintain
eligibility for this program.
Additional Eligibility Requirements for Traditional
Students.
In addition to the basic eligibility requirements an applicant
is eligible as a traditional student if the applicant:
(1) Graduated from an Arkansas public high
school and has a minimum composite score of nineteen (19) on the ACT or the
equivalent score on an ACT equivalent;
(2) Has a disability identified under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
20 U. S. C. §
1400 et seq., as it existed on July 1, 2009,
and graduated from an Arkansas public high school, and either:
(A) Had a minimum composite score of nineteen
(19) on the ACT or the equivalent score on an ACT equivalent; or
(B) Scored proficient or higher on all
state-mandated end-of-course assessments, including without limitation
end-of-course assessments on:
(i) Algebra
I;
(ii) Geometry;
(iii) Biology; and
(iv) Literacy; or
(3) Achieved a minimum composite
score of nineteen (19) on the ACT or the equivalent score on an ACT equivalent;
and
(A) Graduated from a private high school,
an out-of-state high school, or a home school high school; or
(B) In the year in which the student would
have been a junior or senior in high school, completed the requirements for
high school graduation and obtained a high school equivalency diploma approved
by the Department of Career Education instead of receiving a diploma;
or
(4) Meets the
following criteria;
(A) Was enrolled at an
institution of higher education in the immediately preceding academic year as a
full-time, first-time freshman;
(B)
Did not receive a scholarship under this rule as a first-time, full-time
freshman;
(C) Successfully
completed at least twenty-seven (27) semester hours of courses as a full-time,
first-time freshman; and
(D)
Achieved a postsecondary grade point average of at least 2. 5 on a 4. 0 scale
as a full-time, first -time freshman.
Additional eligibility requirements for a nontraditional
student.
In addition to the basic eligibility requirements an applicant
is eligible as a nontraditional student if the applicant meets one (1) of the
following requirements:
(1) If the applicant has not been enrolled in
an approved institution of higher education, has either:
(A) Graduated from an Arkansas public high
school and achieved a 2. 5 high school grade point average; or
(B) Graduated from an Arkansas public high
school, a private high school, an out-of- state high school, a home school high
school, or obtained a high school equivalency diploma approved by the
Department of Career Education and had a minimum composite score of nineteen
(19) on the ACT or the equivalent score on an ACT equivalent; or
(2) If the applicant has been
enrolled in an approved institution of higher education, has earned a
postsecondary grade point average of at least 2. 5.
Continuing eligibility.
(a)
(1)
(A) A recipient who meets continuing
eligibility criteria under this rule shall receive a scholarship for one (1)
academic year renewable annually until the recipient has earned one hundred
twenty (120) semester credit hours.
(B) A recipient may continue to receive a
scholarship after he or she has earned one hundred twenty (120) semester credit
hours, but not more than one hundred thirty (130) semester credit hours, if the
student is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program that requires more than
one hundred twenty (120) semester credit hours as provided under §
6-61-232.
(1) A semester in which a student withdraws
or fails to complete the number of credit hours for which the student first
enrolled is counted toward the maximum number of semesters for which the
student may receive a scholarship award under this rule.
(2) The maximums under this subsection apply
to any degree program, regardless of whether or not the degree program requires
additional semesters.
(3) A
recipient may attend summer terms at the student's own expense to earn credit
hours necessary to maintain eligibility for a scholarship under this rule.
(b) To maintain eligibility for an Arkansas
Academic Challenge Scholarship under this rule, a recipient shall meet the
following requirements:
(1) A recipient shall
continue to meet the eligibility requirements of this rule while a recipient of
a scholarship under this rule;
(2)
(A)
(i) A
recipient shall meet the satisfactory academic progress standards required to
receive other financial aid at the approved institution of higher education
where the recipient is enrolled, as determined by the Department of Higher
Education in conjunction with the institution of higher education where the
recipient is enrolled.
(ii)
(a) A recipient who does not successfully
complete any credit hours toward degree completion in a semester in which he or
she received a scholarship under this rule immediately forfeits the remainder
of the scholarship award for that academic year.
(b) The department shall notify the recipient
of the loss of eligibility under this subdivision.
(iii) By accepting scholarship funds under
this rule, the receiving institution certifies that students will be enrolled
in courses that will meet satisfactory academic progress standards leading
toward a certificate, an associate degree, a nursing diploma, a baccalaureate
degree, or a graduate-level or professional degree.
(B) The department may approve a leave of
absence for a reason that includes without limitation:
(i) A medical condition of the student or a
member of the student's immediate family that, on the basis of a physician's
good-faith judgment, necessitates the student or the student's immediate family
member to be hospitalized or receive outpatient or home-based medical care or
recuperation until released by the attending physician;
(ii) A personal or family emergency that
requires the student to:
(a) Attend the
funeral of an immediate family member; or
(b) Visit a relative of the student if the
relative has a medical condition in which death is possible or
imminent;
(iii) Military
service under §
6-61-112;
(iv)
(a) A
commitment for twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) months of service in a national
or international humanitarian project sponsored by a nonprofit corporation
organized with a charitable or educational purpose.
(b) The student's commitment shall be
expressed in a written agreement with the nonprofit organization including the
terms of completion for the student's service on the related project;
(c) The department shall release a
scholarship hold if the department determines that the student did not complete
the commitment under the written agreement; or
(v) Any other reason approved by the
department;
(3) A recipient who enrolls in one (1) or
more remedial courses shall complete all remedial courses required by the
approved institution of higher education by the time the student completes the
first thirty (30) semester hours attempted after receiving the
scholarship;
(4) A recipient shall
earn a postsecondary grade point average of 2. 5 or higher at an approved
institution of higher education;
(5) A recipient shall enroll in courses that
lead toward a baccalaureate degree or graduate-level or professional degree
after attempting the lesser of:
(A) Five (5)
semesters; or
(B) The completion of
an associate degree program; and
(6) A recipient shall meet any other
continuing eligibility criteria established by the Department of Higher
Education.
(c)
(1) A traditional student recipient who loses
eligibility for a scholarship may apply as a first-time nontraditional student.
(2) A recipient under subdivision
(c)(1) of this section who loses eligibility for the nontraditional student
scholarship is not eligible to apply for a scholarship under any eligibility
provision of this rule.
(d) If a recipient is subject to losing a
scholarship under subsection (c) of this section due to a catastrophic event
experienced by the recipient or a family member of the recipient, the
department may waive the requirements of this section and determine the
appropriate requirements for the recipient to either retain or regain the
scholarship.
Literacy tutoring.
(a) As an additional component to the
Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program:
(1) Each applicant for the scholarship shall
agree that for each year the scholarship is awarded he or she may volunteer to
serve as a literacy tutor for a minimum of twenty (20) clock hours each
semester in a public school or a faith-based educational institution serving
students in prekindergarten through grade six (preK-6);
(2) A recipient who agrees to volunteer as a
literacy tutor:
(A) Shall complete the
prerequisite training in literacy and college readiness skills provided under
this section before he or she begins tutoring; and
(B) May receive college credit for the
tutoring as determined by the institution of higher education where the
recipient is enrolled; and
(3) An enrolled college student who
participates in the tutorial program and fails to meet the academic eligibility
requirement under this rule for the fall or spring semester shall be given the
probationary opportunity during the subsequent spring or summer term to
continue his or her education and improve academic performance before losing
scholarship funding in the subsequent semester.
(b) A recipient who agrees to volunteer as a
literacy tutor under this section shall receive the prerequisite training in
literacy and college readiness from an approved institution of higher education
based on training modules developed by the Department of Education.
Scholarship award amounts.
(a) The General Assembly may use net proceeds
from the state lottery to fund the scholarships awarded under this rule and to
supplement the state-supported student financial assistance that the General
Assembly determines is necessary to meet the state's objective for broadening
and increasing access of Arkansas citizens to higher education.
(b) Net proceeds from the state lottery used
to fund scholarships under this rule shall:
(1) Be used exclusively for the purposes set
out in Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 87, and this rule; and
(2) Supplement and shall not supplant
nonlottery state educational resources.
(c) It is the General Assembly's intent that
before increasing award amounts for scholarships under this rule, the number of
scholarships awarded to nontraditional students under § 6-5-208 be
increased.
(d) The scholarships
established under this rule are subject to available funding and do not create
for any student an entitlement to financial assistance to enable the student's
attendance at an approved institution of higher education.
(e)
(1)
(A) Beginning with the 2016-2017 academic
year, the scholarship award amount under this rule for an academic year for a
full-time recipient enrolled in a four-year approved institution of higher
education is:
(i) One thousand dollars
($1,000) for a recipient who has earned less than twenty-seven (27) semester
credit hours;
(ii) Four thousand
dollars ($4,000) for a recipient who has earned at least twenty- seven (27)
semester credit hours but less than fifty-seven (57) semester credit
hours;
(iii) Four thousand dollars
($4,000) for a recipient who has earned at least fifty- seven (57) semester
credit hours but less than eighty-seven (87) semester credit hours;
and
(iv)
(a) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for a
recipient who has earned at least eighty-seven (87) semester credit hours but
no more than one hundred twenty (120) semester credit hours, unless the
recipient is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program that requires more than
one hundred (120) semester credit hours, but not more than one hundred thirty
(130) semester credit hours, as provided under §
6-61-232,
then up to the number of credit hours required to complete the baccalaureate
program.
(b) A recipient shall
receive no more than one (1) year of the scholarship provided under subdivision
(e)(1)(A)(iv)(a) of this section unless the recipient is enrolled in a
baccalaureate degree program that requires more than one hundred (120) semester
credit hours as provided under §
6-61-232
.
(c)
(1) A recipient who is eligible to receive
the scholarship under subdivision (e)(1)(A)(iv)(a) of this section may receive
the scholarship while enrolled in a semester as a part-time student if the
recipient is enrolled in the number of credit hours necessary to complete the
recipient's degree program.
(2)
The scholarship amount for the semester in which a recipient is enrolled as a
part-time student under subdivision (e)(1)(A)(iv)(c)(1) of this section shall
be prorated by the number of credit hours in which the recipient is enrolled.
(B) The Department of Higher Education shall
not accept new applications for scholarships for current achiever students
under §
6-85-209
after June 1, 2012.
(C)
(i) To determine the correct scholarship
award amount based on credit hours, a first-time recipient shall submit a
current college or university transcript if the first-time recipient has earned
any semester credit hours to the Department of Higher Education no later than a
date determined by the department prior to the academic year for which the
first-time recipient will receive an initial scholarship award.
(ii) A first-time recipient who does not
submit a transcript to the department on or before the date determined by the
department shall receive the award amount under subdivision (e)(1)(A)(i) of
this section.
(D)
(i) An Applicant may elect for the earned
semester credit hours under subdivision (e)(1)(A) of this section to be only
those semester credit hours earned after graduating from high school or
obtaining a high school equivalency diploma approved by the Department of
Career Education.
(ii) If the
applicant makes the election under subdivision (e)(1)(D)(i) of this section,
any semester credit hours earned through concurrent credit or any other method
before graduating high school or obtaining a high school equivalency diploma
approved by the Department of Career Education shall not be counted as earned
semester credit hours for the purposes of determining a recipient's scholarship
award amount under subdivision (e)(1)(A) of this section.
(2)
(A) Beginning with the 2017-18 academic year,
the department shall award an aggregate amount of scholarship awards to
nontraditional students of up to twelve million ($12,000,000).
(B)
(i) The
department shall return to the Office of the Arkansas Lottery the excess
funding, if any, for scholarship awards the department received under §
23-115-801.
(ii) The office shall deposit any
funds received from the department under this subdivision (e)(2)(B) into a
trust account established under §
23-115-801(b).
(C) Priority for
scholarships awarded to nontraditional students is based on:
(i) The applicant's level of progress toward
completion of a certificate, an associate degree, a nursing diploma, a
baccalaureate degree, or a graduate-level or professional degree; or
(ii) Other criteria established by the
Department of Higher Education.
(3) The scholarship award for an academic
year for a full-time student enrolled in one (1) of the following institutions
of higher education is one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the first year and
three thousand dollars ($3,000) for the second year:
(A) A two-year approved institution of higher
education;
(B) A branch campus of a
four-year approved institution of higher education; or
(C) An approved nursing school.
(4) The scholarship award amount
for a part-time student recipient shall be:
(A) One-half (1/2) of the award amount for a
full-time student recipient, if the recipient is enrolled in at least six (6)
semester hours but less than nine (9) semester hours; or
(B) Three-quarters (3/4) of the award amount
for a full-time student recipient, if the recipient is enrolled in at least
nine (9) semester hours but less than the number of hours required for a
full-time student recipient.
(5) A current recipient who maintains
eligibility for the scholarship under this rule shall continue to receive the
scholarship award amount first awarded to the recipient.
(6) The department shall give priority for a
scholarship award to a full-time or part-time student:
(A) Who meets the eligibility requirements
under this rule; and
(B) Whose
parent, by birth or legal adoption:
(i) Was a
resident of the State of Arkansas at the time that person entered the service
of the United States Armed Forces or whose official residence is in Arkansas;
and
(ii) Was a member of the United
States Armed Forces who was killed while performing military duty:
(a) In a status identified under
32
U. S. C. §
101 et seq. or
10
U. S. C. §
101 et seq. as they existed
on January 1, 2011; or
(b) In state
active duty status.
(f) Annually by December 15, the Legislative
Council shall provide to the General Assembly its recommendations for any
changes to the:
(1) Award amounts;
(2) Number or type of scholarships;
and
(3) Eligibility requirements.
(g) It is the intent of
the General Assembly that in determining award amounts under this rule the
General Assembly will consider whether sufficient funds will be available to
pay for scholarship awards through the anticipated completion of the degree or
certificate a recipient is seeking.
(h) All awards under this subchapter are
subject to the prohibition under §
6-80-105
against using public funds in a student financial package in excess of the
recognized cost of attendance at the institution where the student is enrolled.
(i)
(1) If the department has less than a
sufficient amount from net proceeds from the state lottery to provide for the
scholarship commitments under this rule, the department shall give priority for
continued financial support under this rule to a student with continuing
eligibility superior to first-time applicants.
(2) If the funding is insufficient to fully
fund the scholarships for students with continuing eligibility created under
this rule, the department shall award scholarships based upon the following
criteria to students with continuing eligibility as follows:
(A) First, to students who have the highest
level of progress toward completion of a certificate, an associate degree, a
baccalaureate degree, or a graduate-level or professional degree, and who are
enrolled in a program of study that is:
(i) In
an area of critical workforce need as determined by the department;
or
(ii) In a science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics field;
(B) Second, to students who have the highest
level of progress toward completion of a certificate, an associate degree, a
baccalaureate degree, or a graduate-level or professional degree, and who are
enrolled in a program of study other than those listed in subdivision (i)(2)(A)
of this section; and
(C) Last, in
the event funding is insufficient to fully fund students under subdivision
(i)(2)(A) or (i)(2)(B) of this section, to students who have the highest
postsecondary grade point average.
(3)
(A) If
after funding all students with continuing eligibility under this section
funding is insufficient to fund all qualified first-time applicants, the
department shall award scholarships to first-time applicants in order of
priority based upon the applicants' highest ACT or ACT equivalent scores.
(B) If after prioritizing
first-time applicants based upon the applicants' ACT or ACT equivalent scores
funding is insufficient to fund all applicants with like ACT or ACT equivalent
scores, the department shall determine who receives an award by random
drawing.
Payments of Scholarships.
(A) The Arkansas Department of Higher
Education shall disburse scholarships to the approved institution of the
student's choice. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall send funds
to the institution via electronic funds transfer or state warrant. After
verification of full-time enrollment, the institution will disburse the
scholarship to the student according to the institution's disbursement
procedures. The scholarship payment will correspond to academic terms,
semesters, quarters, or equivalent time periods at the eligible institution. In
no instance may the entire amount of the scholarship disbursement for an
educational year be paid to or on behalf of such student in advance.
(B) Transfer of Scholarships to another
Approved Institution
A recipient who has received an Academic Challenge Scholarship
may transfer the scholarship to another approved Arkansas institution of higher
education, provided that:
1. The
student notifies the Arkansas Department of Higher Education of the change of
status by October 1 for the fall term and by February 1 for the winter and/or
spring terms by changing the college on the student's ADHE YOUNIVERSAL
financial aid account;
(C) Repayment of Scholarships
If the recipient of a scholarship withdraws, drops out, or is
expelled on or after the first day of class of a payment period, the
institution will determine whether the student received an overpayment of
financial aid funds for non-institutional expenses. Overpayment is the
difference between the amount received as cash disbursements and the amount
incurred for non-institutional costs during the portion of the payment period
that the student was actually enrolled. It is the institution's responsibility
to contact students and recover overpayments.
(D) Refunds
The Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program is entitled
to a refund of the scholarship or loan amount, for that semester, if the
recipient of a scholarship or loan withdraws, drops out, or is expelled on or
after his or her first day of class of the payment period and the situation
falls under the refund policy of the institution. The institution shall pay the
refund to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
(E) Overpayment
If the award of an Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship
results in an overpayment to the student according to the state law (Arkansas
Code §
6-80-105) governing the stacking of scholarships, the institution shall follow the ADHE
Stacking policy in reducing the student's financial package to prevent the
student from receiving funds above the federally recognized cost of
attendance.
Institutional Responsibilities.
I. College/University Responsibilities
A. Administrative Agreement
The chief executive officer of the eligible institution is
responsible for appointing one representative from the financial aid office to
act as administrator of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program and
to receive all communications, forms, etc. This representative is responsible
for verification, data and compliance with all program rules and regulations.
The institution must comply with all rules and regulations in order to maintain
continued eligibility status.
B. Disbursement Records
The institution shall maintain information on the student
indicating disbursement of scholarship funds.
C. Institutional Verification
The institution shall provide certification of full-time
enrollment and enrollment in courses that will meet satisfactory academic
progress standards, as of the eleventh day of classes, by completing a
Verification Roster each semester after registration. The Verification Roster
is an alphabetical listing by institution of all persons receiving the award
for a given academic term. The certifying official is responsible for
completing the verification rosters each semester or trimester. The Arkansas
Department of Higher Education shall provide electronic Verification Rosters to
the Financial Aid Administrator for each semester or trimester as needed. The
electronic Verification Rosters shall be returned to the Arkansas Department of
Higher Education by November 1 for the fall term and by March 15 for the spring
term. Students who are enrolled less than full-time in the current term shall
not receive scholarship benefits in that term. The Arkansas Department of
Higher Education shall also provide electronic continuing eligibility rosters
to the Financial Aid Administrator before the end of the spring term. The
continuing eligibility rosters shall be returned to the Arkansas Department of
Higher Education no later than June 1 to ensure that adequate time is provided
to notify students of their status in the program.
D. Deadlines for Disbursement of Funds
The deadline for disbursement of funds is no later than 10 days
after receipt of funds. Any outstanding funds not disbursed by these dates must
be returned to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. For those students
whose applications are received by ADHE too late to allow disbursement by these
dates, disbursement will be made within 10 working days of receipt of the
verification roster and electronic transfer of funds.
E. Due Diligence
The institution will exercise due diligence in providing
complete, accurate, and timely information as requested by the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education on any Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship
recipient or former recipient. In addition, the institution will exercise due
diligence in complying with all the rules and regulations of the Arkansas
Academic Challenge Scholarship Program. The Arkansas Department of Higher
Education shall periodically review the institution's records concerning this
program in an effort to exercise its due diligence requirements as a steward of
state funds.
II.
Recipient's Responsibilities
It is the recipient's responsibility to notify the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education of any change in status within 21 days. This
will include:
* Change in name
* Change in address
* Change in institution
* Change in full-time status (twelve college credit hours for
those students who are in their first fall semester following high school
graduation, fifteen college credit hours for those students who are beyond the
first fall semester following high school graduation)
Failure to notify the Arkansas Department of Higher Education
of a change of status may affect future eligibility.
Scholarship hold.
(a)
(1) The
Department of Higher Education may approve a scholarship hold for a traditional
student for a period of twenty-four (24) months or less.
(2) The reasons for a scholarship hold may
include without limitation:
(A) A medical
condition of the student or a member of the student's immediate family that, on
the basis of a physician's good-faith judgment, necessitates the student or the
student's immediate family member to be hospitalized or receive outpatient or
home-based medical care or to recuperate until released by the attending
physician;
(B) A personal or family
emergency that requires the student to:
(i)
Attend the funeral of an immediate family member; or
(ii) Visit a relative of the student if the
relative has a medical condition in which death is possible or
imminent;
(C) Military
service under §
6-61-112;
or
(D)
(i) A commitment of twelve (12) to
twenty-four (24) months for service in a national or international humanitarian
project sponsored by a nonprofit corporation organized with a charitable or
educational purpose.
(ii) The
student's commitment shall be expressed in a written agreement with the
nonprofit organization including the terms of completion for the student's
service on the related project.
(iii) The department shall release a
scholarship hold if the department determines that the student did not complete
the commitment under the written agreement.
