Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) Eligibility. Each institution as defined
in §
22.571(3)
of this title (relating to Definitions) may be eligible to participate in the
program, if it meets the criteria in subsection (b) or (c) of this
section.
(b) Initial Participation.
To qualify as an eligible institution and participate in the T-STEM Program,
the institution must:
(1) Enroll a minimum of
50 students into T-STEM programs, as defined in §
22.571(8)
of this title, in each academic year; and
(2) Develop partnerships with business and
industry that:
(A) identify and document local
employment needs in the STEM fields; and
(B) provide part-time employment for students
enrolled in a STEM field.
(c) Continuing Participation. An otherwise
eligible institution may continue participation in the T-STEM Program, if,
beginning with the third academic year of participation, the institution
documents to the Board that each year, within twelve months of receipt of a
scholarship, at least 70 percent of its T-STEM Challenge Scholarship
recipients:
(1) are employed, or
(2) are enrolled in courses leading to a
certificate, associate, or baccalaureate degree in a STEM field.
(d) No institution may, on the
grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability
exclude an individual from participation in, or deny the benefits of, the
program described in this subchapter.
(e) Each eligible institution must follow the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI (Public Law 88-353) in avoiding
discrimination in admissions.
(f)
Approval.
(1) Agreement. Each eligible
institution must enter into an agreement with the Board, the terms of which
shall be prescribed by the Commissioner.
(2) Approval Deadline. An institution must be
approved in the spring in order for qualified students enrolled in that
institution to be eligible to receive grants in the fall of the next fiscal
year.
(g)
Responsibilities.
(1) Probation Notice. If
the institution is placed on probation by its accrediting agency, it must
immediately advise the Board and grant recipients of this condition and
maintain evidence in each student's file to demonstrate that the student was so
informed.
(2) Disbursements to
Students.
(A) Documentation. The institution
must maintain records to prove the receipt of program funds by the student or
the crediting of such funds to the student's school account.
(B) Procedures in Case of Illegal
Disbursements. If the Commissioner has reason for concern that an institution
has disbursed funds for unauthorized purposes, the Board will notify the
Program Officer and financial aid officer and offer an opportunity for a
hearing pursuant to the procedures outlined in Chapter 1 of this title
(relating to Agency Administration). Thereafter, if the Board determines that
funds have been improperly disbursed, the institution shall become primarily
responsible for restoring the funds to the Board. No further disbursements of
grants or scholarships shall be permitted to students at that institution until
the funds have been repaid.
(3) Reporting and Refunds.
(A) Requirements/Deadlines. All institutions
must meet Board reporting requirements in a timely fashion. Such reporting
requirements shall include reports specific to allocation and reallocation of
grant funds (including the Financial Aid Database Report) as well as progress
and year-end reports of program activities.
(B) Penalties for Late Reports or Refunds.
(i) The Commissioner may penalize an
institution by reducing its allocation of funds in the following year by up to
10 percent for each report that is postmarked or submitted electronically more
than a week late. The Commissioner may assess more severe penalties against an
institution if any report is received by the Board more than one month after
its due date.
(ii) The Commissioner
may penalize an institution by reducing its allocation of funds in the
following year by up to 10 percent for each late refund of grant funds. If
grant funds are returned more than a week after the announced return date, they
will be considered late.
(iii) The
maximum penalty for a single year is 30 percent of the institution's
grant.
(C) Appeal of
Penalty. If the Commissioner determines that a penalty is appropriate, the
institution will be notified by certified mail, addressed to the Program
Officer with a copy sent to the financial aid officer. Within 21 days from the
time that the Program Officer receives the written notice, the institution must
submit a written response appealing the Commissioner's decision, or the penalty
shall become final and no longer subject to an appeal. An appeal under this
section will be conducted in accordance with the rules provided in Chapter 1 of
this title.
(4) Program
Reviews. If selected for such by the Board, participating institutions must
submit to program reviews of activities related to the Program.