Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 3, September 1, 2024
RELATES TO: KRS 164.7870
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 164.7870(3) requires
the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority to administer the Optometry
Scholarship program and to promulgate administrative regulations needed for
administration thereof. This administrative regulation establishes the
provisions for administration of this scholarship program, including
definitions, applications, awards, disbursements, refunds, and
reporting.
Section 1. Definitions.
(1) "Academic term" means the fall or spring
semester at an eligible institution and does not include summer
sessions.
(2) "Academic year" means
a period of time that begins July 1 of a calendar year and ends June 30 of the
next succeeding calendar year.
(3)
"Eligible institution" is defined by KRS 164.7870(2)(b).
(4) "Eligible student" is defined by KRS
164.7870(2)(d).
(5) "Optometry
Scholarship Committee" is defined by KRS 164.7870(2)(e).
Section 2. Application and Award.
(1) order for an eligible student to be
considered for an award under this program, the student shall submit the
following via the online Optometry Scholarship portal at
https://www.kheaa.com:
(a) An Optometry Scholarship
Application;
(b) Documentation that
supports a Kentucky residency determination under
13
KAR 2:045; and
(c) An official transcript from each
postsecondary institution attended as an undergraduate student.
(2) The application period for
this program shall be July 1 through December 1 preceding the academic year for
which the initial scholarship is awarded.
(3) Once selected as a scholarship recipient,
the scholarship award for an eligible student shall be renewed automatically
each year without reapplication provided the eligible student maintains
continuous enrollment in an approved program at an eligible
institution.
(4) The maximum
duration of scholarship receipt shall be limited to eight academic terms or
completion of the approved program of study, whichever occurs first.
Section 3. Optometry Scholarship
Committee and Recipient Selection.
(1) At the
close of the application period, the authority shall convene the Optometry
Scholarship Committee for the purpose of selecting recipients for the next
academic year from the pool of applications submitted by eligible students.
(a) The authority shall recommend to the
Committee the number and amount of scholarships to be awarded based on the
amount of funds available for the program.
(b) The scholarship recipient selection
process shall conclude on or before January 15 of the year preceding the start
of academic year in which the scholarship is awarded.
(2) The committee representative from an
eligible institution located outside the Commonwealth shall rotate on a two (2)
year basis in even numbered years.
Section 4. Recipient Notification and Award
Acceptance.
(1) The authority shall notify all
applicants of the Optometry Scholarship Committee's award or denial
determination on or before January 31 preceding the start of the award
year.
(2) Eligible students who are
selected to receive a scholarship award shall indicate to the authority which
eligible institution they will attend by March 1 preceding the start of the
award year.
Section 5.
Enrollment Verification. At the start of each academic term, the authority
shall provide a roster to each eligible institution to be completed by the
institution to verify each eligible student's enrollment in an approved program
of study.
Section 6. Disbursement
and Delivery of Funds.
(1) Within thirty (30)
days following receipt of the enrollment verification record, scholarship funds
shall be disbursed by the authority to the eligible institution for subsequent
application to the account of the eligible student.
(2) The amount disbursed by the authority for
each academic term shall equal one-half of the annual award amount.
(3) The eligible institution shall:
(a) Be responsible for proper disbursement of
scholarship funds to each eligible student during the academic term for which
each award is intended;
(b) Not
make scholarship funds available to the recipient nor apply those funds to the
recipient's account after the end of the academic term for which the funds are
received by the institution;
(c) Be
liable for disbursement to the wrong individual or to an ineligible student, or
for untimely disbursement pursuant to this section; and
(d) Make restitution to the authority of any
amount improperly disbursed.
(4) Failure of the institution to make
restitution when required shall, without precluding other remedies, be cause
for limitation, suspension, or termination of the participation of the
institution in accordance with
11
KAR 4:020.
Section 7. Refunds and Returns. Refunds by
the institution transmitted to the authority shall be accompanied by:
(1) The student's name and
birthdate;
(2) The reason for the
refund or repayment;
(3) The date
of enrollment status change; and
(4) The semester and year.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS
164.7870(3)
