Financial Aid Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program
Policy Statement
A scholarship program to promote academic excellence and to
encourage the state's most talented graduates to enroll in Arkansas
postsecondary educational institutions is created and established which shall
be cited as the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program. These rules shall be
known as the Arkansas Department of Higher Education Rules Governing the
Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program. This policy addresses the student
eligibility criteria, method for recipient selection, and 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
Arkansas Code Annotated §
6-82-301
et. Seq
Definitions
(1) "Academic ability" means the intellectual
standing of a student. In determining superior academic ability, the Department
of Higher Education shall examine the student's high school records,
competitive examination scores, and demonstrated leadership
capabilities;
(2) "Academic Year"
means fall, spring, first and second summer semesters in that order, or as
defined by the Department of Higher Education;
(3) "Approved institution" means a public or
private college or university:
(A) Which is
dedicated to educational purposes, located in Arkansas, or located out of state
and educating Arkansas residents in dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine,
podiatry, chiropractic, or osteopathy under agreement with the Board of Control
for Southern Regional Education, accredited by an accrediting agency certified
and recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Division of
Agency Evaluation and Institutional Accreditation, or a school giving
satisfactory assurance that it has the potential for accreditation and is
making progress which, if continued, will result in its achieving
accreditation;
(B) Which does not
discriminate in the admission of students on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, or national origin; and
(C) Which subscribes to the principle of
academic freedom;
(4)
"Arkansas resident" means a natural person who provides evidence deemed
sufficient by the Department of Higher Education. Such evidence includes but is
not limited to a valid Arkansas voter's registration card; valid Arkansas motor
vehicle driver's license; Arkansas residence address used for federal or state
tax purposes; or claims Arkansas as a residence to hold public office or for
judicial actions.
(5) "Competitive
examination" means a standardized examination measuring achievement which is
administered annually on a specified date and at a specified location and which
is announced publicly;
(6)
"Department" means the Department of Higher Education;
(7) "Eligible student" means a resident of
the State of Arkansas as defined by the Department of Higher Education who:
(A) Is eligible for admission as a full-time
student;
(B) Declares an intent to
matriculate in an approved institution in Arkansas; and
(C) Graduates from:
(i) A high school in this state, for Arkansas
Governor's Scholars; or
(ii) A
high school, for Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholars;
(8)
(A) "Extraordinary academic ability" means:
(i) Achievement of a score of 32 or above on
the American College Test (ACT) or 1410 or above on the Scholastic Aptitude
Test (SAT); and
(ii)
(a) Achievement of a high school grade point
average of 3. 5 or above on a 4. 0 scale; or
(b) Selection as a finalist in either the
National Merit Scholarship competition, the National Hispanic Recognition
Program, or the National Achievement Scholarship competition conducted by the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
(B) The American College Test scores and
Scholastic Aptitude Test scores shall be earned by December 31 prior to the
application deadline in order for the scores to be considered by the department
for a scholarship award;
(9) "Full-time student" means a resident of
Arkansas who is in attendance at an approved private or public institution and
who is enrolled in at least twelve (12) credit hours the first semester and
fifteen (15) hours thereafter, or other reasonable academic equivalent as
defined by the department;
(10)
"Scholarship" means an award to an eligible student for matriculation in an
approved institution in the State of Arkansas
(11) "Undergraduate student" means an
individual who is enrolled in a postsecondary educational program which leads
to or is directly creditable toward the individual's first baccalaureate
degree.
(12) "U. S. Citizen" means
the student must be either a United States citizen or a permanent resident
alien. If the student is not a United States citizen, but a permanent resident
alien, the student must attach a copy of the permanent resident alien form I
151, I 551, I 94, or G 641 to the application
Procedures
Organization and Structure
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall administer
the Governor's Scholars Program within the policies set by the Arkansas Higher
Education Coordinating Board. All formal communications shall be addressed to
or signed by the Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education or
his/her designee. The Governor's Scholars Advisory Council shall provide advice
to the Department of Higher Education regarding the administration of the
program.
Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council
A. The Governor's Scholars Program Advisory
Council shall consist of ten members appointed by the Arkansas Higher Education
Coordinating Board for staggered two-year terms and shall represent the public
and private sectors of post-secondary education and secondary schools.
B. The Governor's Scholars Program
Advisory Council shall advise the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in
the determination of guidelines and regulations for the administration of this
program.
C. The Director of the
Arkansas Department of Higher Education or his/her designee shall serve as
presiding officer of the Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council and shall
ensure that staff services for the Council are provided.
The final responsibility for selecting scholarship recipients
shall rest with the Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education
pursuant to the provisions of Arkansas Code Annotated §
6-82-301
et. Seq.
When functioning under Arkansas Code Annotated §
6-82-301
et. Seq., the Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall follow the
provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act.
Eligibility Criteria
(a) The Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program
scholarships are to be awarded to those students who demonstrate the highest
capabilities for successful college study.
(b) A student is eligible for this
scholarship if he or she:
(1) Meets the
admission requirements and is accepted for enrollment as a full-time
undergraduate student in an eligible public or private college or university in
Arkansas;
(2)
(A) Is a bona fide resident of the state, as
defined by the Department of Higher Education.
(B) Preference will be given to students who
plan to enter college at the beginning of the academic year directly following
their last year of high school attendance;
(3) Is a citizen of the United States or a
permanent resident alien;
(4)
Graduates from a high school;
(5)
(A) Demonstrates proficiency in the
application of knowledge and skills in reading and writing literacy and
mathematics by passing the end-of-course examination as may be developed by the
Department of Education and as may be designated by the Department of Higher
Education for this purpose.
(B)
"End-of-course" assessment means those assessments defined in §
6-15-419;
and
(6)
(A) Satisfies the qualifications of superior
academic ability as established by the Department of Higher Education with
criteria consisting of value points for academic achievement and leadership,
including without limitation:
(i) American
College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score, National Merit
Finalist, or National Achievement Finalist;
(ii) High school grade point
average;
(iii) Rank in high school
class; and
(iv) Leadership in
school, community, and employment.
(B)
(i) The
Department of Higher Education may alter the weight assigned to the individual
criterion to more appropriately meet the needs of the state as determined by
the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Value points assigned to each selection criterion are weighted
as follows:
American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) score, National Merit Finalist, or National Achievement Finalist
-----------------------------------------------------
|
45%
|
High school grade point average
----------------------------------------------------------------
|
35%
|
Rank in high school class
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
10%
|
Leadership in school, community, and employment
---------------------------------------
|
10%
|
(ii)
The Department of Higher Education shall ensure that the weight assigned to
each individual criterion under this subdivision (b)(6)(B) does not place a
home-schooled, public school, or private school student at a disadvantage.
(iii)
(a) After determining
qualified recipients based on the qualifications under subdivision (b)(6)(A) of
this section, the Department of Higher Education shall ensure that at least one
(1) recipient is selected from each of the seventy-five (75) counties in
Arkansas.
(b) If any of the
seventy-five (75) counties is not represented, the Department of Higher
Education shall select a student from each nonrepresented county with the
highest qualifications under subdivision (b)(6)(A) of this section who was not
initially qualified.
(c) The
scholarship shall be weighed on the factors of achievement, ability, and
demonstrated leadership capabilities.
(d) Students who are selected as Arkansas
Governor's Scholars who also exhibit extraordinary academic ability as defined
in the definitions section of this rule shall be designated as Arkansas
Governor's Distinguished Scholars.
Continued Eligibility
(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or
Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship may be awarded annually for a
period not to exceed an academic year.
(b)
(1) A
scholarship shall correspond to academic terms, semesters, quarters, or
equivalent time periods at the eligible institutions.
(2) In no instance may the entire amount of
the grant for an educational year be paid to or on behalf of students in
advance.
(c) Provided
sufficient funds are available, a scholarship shall be awarded for one (1)
academic year and renewed annually for three (3) additional academic years if
the following conditions for renewal are met:
(1) The student maintains not less than a 3.
0 grade point average on a 4. 0 scholastic grading scale;
(2) A student receiving a scholarship under
the Scholarship Amounts subsection (a) maintains not less than a 3. 25 grade
point average on a 4. 0 scholastic grading scale;
(3) The recipient has successfully completed
a total of at least twenty-seven (27) hours during the first full academic year
and, if applicable, a total of at least thirty (30) hours per academic year
thereafter; and
(4) The recipient
has met any other continuing eligibility criteria established by the Department
of Higher Education.
Application
Students must submit an on-line application, available at the
ADHE website http://scholarships.adhe.edu/
The application deadline shall be established by the Department
of Higher Education of the calendar year in which a student graduates from high
school. At its discretion, the Department of Higher Education may extend the
deadline, provided sufficient notice is provided to the public. The applicant
is responsible for submitting the application and all supporting documentation
in a timely manner.
Number of Scholarships
(a) If sufficient funds are available,
effective for students receiving their initial awards beginning in fall 2007,
the number of initial scholarship awards to eligible high achievers shall not
exceed three hundred seventy-five (375) each year.
(b) If there are more eligible applicants
than available scholarships, the department may determine a procedure for
awarding additional scholarships while not exceeding available funds.
Use of Scholarship
(a) No student may utilize scholarship funds
for educational purposes beyond the baccalaureate degree.
(b) There shall be an exception to the
requirement of subsection (a) of this section for any student who receives a
baccalaureate degree in three (3) years or less. The student may receive an
award of the scholarship for a fourth academic year to be used as a fulltime
student enrolled in a postgraduate program at an approved institution.
Scholarship Amounts
(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or
Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship awarded to a new recipient who
enrolls in an approved institution as a first-time entering freshmen shall be
in an amount that equals the lesser of:
(1)
Ten thousand dollars ($10,000); or
(2) Tuition, room and board, and mandatory
fees charged for a regular full-time course load by the approved institution in
which the recipient is enrolled.
(b) A student selected as a recipient under
the "Eligibility Criteria" subsection (b)(6)(B)(iii)(b) who enrolls in an
approved institution as a first-time entering freshmen after July 1, 2017,
shall be awarded in an amount that equals the lesser of:
(1) Five thousand dollars ($5,000);
or
(2) Tuition, room and board, and
mandatory fees charged for a regular full-time course load by the approved
institution in which the recipient is enrolled.
Notification of Application and Award
Status
(a)
An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished
Scholarship shall receive an award notice and information sheet explaining
disbursement procedures and conditions of the Arkansas Governor's Scholars
Award.
(b) The Arkansas Department
of Higher Education shall notify applicants who are determined to be ineligible
and provide the reason for ineligibility. They will also be given instructions
on how to correct any information on the application they believe to be
incorrect.
(c) Applicants who fail
to submit complete applications, or who fail to supply the required
documentation to process the application, will be classified as Incomplete. The
Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall notify these students of their
status. The Incomplete Notice provides a list of the incomplete items and the
actions necessary for completion.
Scholarship Payment Policies
(a) Payment of Scholarships
Funds will be disbursed to the approved institution of the
Governor's Scholars choice by state warrant. After verification of full-time
enrollment, the institution shall disburse the Governor's Scholars Award to the
student according to the individual institution's disbursement procedures.
Disbursement of the Governor's Scholars award shall correspond with the
institution's academic terms (semesters, trimesters, quarters, or equivalent
time periods). In no instance may the entire amount of the award for an
educational year be paid to or on behalf of the student in advance.
(b) Transfer to Another
Institution of Higher Education
A student who receives a Governor's Scholars Award may transfer
to another eligible Arkansas institution of higher education, provided the
recipient notifies the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, in writing, of
the change of institution by October 1 for the fall term, and by February 1 for
the winter and/or spring terms. Failure to notify the Arkansas Department of
Higher Education by the specified deadlines shall result in the loss of the
Governor's Scholars award for the term in question.
(c) Scholarship Hold
The Department of Higher Education may approve a scholarship
hold for a student for a period of twenty-four (24) months or less for the
following reasons without limitation:
(1) 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 that the student or the student's immediate
family member be hospitalized or receive outpatient or home-based medical care
or recuperate until released by the attending physician;
(2) 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;
(3) Military
service under §
6-61-112;
or
(4)
(a) 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.
(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.
The recipient must submit a written request for a scholarship
hold. The petition shall give the reason for withdrawal and be supported by
documentation. In the absence of extraordinary circumstances, the award will be
revoked if the recipient fails to enroll fulltime in an eligible institution in
Arkansas, and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education receives neither
notification of transfer of the scholarship to another eligible institution,
nor a petition for withdrawal by the recipient by October 1 for the fall term
and February 1 for the winter and/or spring terms. At the discretion of the
Department of Higher Education, the award will not be revoked if it is
determined by ADHE that extraordinary circumstances prevented the student from
notifying ADHE by the required dates.
(d) Cancellation of Governor's Distinguished
Scholar Award
(1) The Governor's Scholars
Award and the Governor's Distinguished Scholar Award shall be terminated for
any one of the following reasons:
(a) Failure
to maintain a minimum 3. 0 cumulative college grade point average (Governor's
Scholars) or a minimum 3. 25 cumulative college grade point average (Governor's
Distinguished Scholars) on a 4. 0 scale and successfully complete and pass a
minimum of at least twenty-seven (27) credit hours the first academic year and
thirty (30) hours each academic year thereafter;
(b) Failure to complete a baccalaureate
degree within five years from initial college entrance; or
(c) Failure to petition the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education for a temporary withdrawal for two consecutive
academic terms; or
(d) Failure to
enroll as a full time student in an eligible Arkansas college or university
after a two-year temporary withdrawal.
(2) Failure by the Governor's Scholar to
provide written notification to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education of
a change in status (such as a transfer to another eligible institution, change
in address, change in name, etc. ) before appropriate deadline dates shall
result in cancellation of the Governor's Scholars award for the term in
question.
(e) Refunds
and Overpayments
If a Governor's Scholar withdraws from an eligible institution,
and under the refund policy of that institution the student is entitled to a
refund of any tuition, fees, or other changes, the institution shall pay the
refund amount in question to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Act 1180 of 1999 states that students who receive scholarships
from public funds may not use those funds in a financial aid package to exceed
the recognized cost of attendance at the institution where the student enrolls.
The institution must follow ADHE policy in repaying public funds in the amount
exceeding the total cost of attendance for any student who receives public
funds in a financial aid package above the cost of attendance.
Higher Education Institution
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 Governor's Scholars Program and to receive
all communications, forms, etc. This representative is responsible for
Governor's Scholars disbursement, completion of all forms and rosters,
verification of data, and compliance with all Governor's Scholars Program rules
and regulations. The institution must comply with the following
responsibilities in order to maintain continued eligibility status.
(b) Disbursement Records
The institution shall maintain information on the student
indicating disbursement of Governor's Scholars funds.
(c) Institutional Information Sheet
The administrator is responsible for designating a certifying
official responsible for certifying full-time enrollment and a disbursing
official responsible for the disbursement of Governor's Scholars Program funds.
(d) Institutional
Verification
The institution shall provide certification to the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education each semester after registration, giving the
names of the Governor's Scholars who are officially enrolled as full-time
students as of the end of the 11th class day of
enrollment. This information is reported on a verification roster. The person
responsible for verification of full-time enrollment is the registrar or a
member of the registrar's staff. The certifying official is responsible for
completing the verification roster twice a year for those schools on the
semester system and three times a year for those schools on the quarter system.
The verification roster shall be mailed to the Financial Aid Administrator
prior to registration for the semester or quarter. The completed and signed
Governor's Scholars verification roster shall be returned to the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education by the dates specified on the roster. The
verification roster is an alphabetical listing by institution of all persons
receiving a Governor's Scholars award for a given academic term. Students who
are not enrolled full-time in the current term shall not receive Governor's
Scholars funds for that term.
(e) Deadlines for Disbursement of Funds
All funds must be disbursed within ten days of written receipt
of funds. Any outstanding funds not disbursed by these dates must be returned
within ten days to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
(f) Refund Policy
It is the institution's responsibility to notify the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education of the name of the person who withdrew, the date
of the withdrawal, and the refund amount. This information shall be placed on
the institution's verification roster before the roster is returned to the
Arkansas Department of Higher Education. The institution shall be responsible
for the refund amount and shall pay that amount to the Arkansas Department of
Higher Education.
(g)
Continuing Eligibility
It is the responsibility of each institution to complete
annually the Continuing Eligibility roster. This roster shall be mailed to all
institutions that have a Governor's Scholar enrolled. The Continuing
Eligibility roster shall be returned to the Arkansas Department of Higher
Education by the date specified on the roster. The person responsible for
completing the Continuing Eligibility roster is the Financial Aid
Administrator. The Continuing Eligibility roster is an alphabetical listing by
institution of all persons receiving a Governor's Scholars award that attended
that institution for the academic year immediately preceding receipt of the
Continuing Eligibility roster. The certifying official must complete the roster
by providing the number of hours completed for the previous academic year and
the cumulative grade point average achieved for each student listed.
(h) Due Diligence
The institution shall exercise due diligence in providing
complete, accurate, and timely information as requested by the Arkansas
Department of Higher Education for any Governor's Scholar or former Governor's
Scholar. In addition, the institution shall exercise due diligence in complying
with all the rules and regulations of the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program.
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall periodically review the
institution's records concerning the Governor's Scholars Program in an effort
to exercise its due diligence requirements as a steward of State of Arkansas
funds.