Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-4-11-.03

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 12, September 30, 2024

Section 300-4-11-.03 - Definition Of Terms

(1) Academic Qualifications and Standing of Eligible Students: A student is considered academically qualified if he/she is currently enrolled and matriculated at an approved institution, as defined in .03(2).

(2) Approved Institution: An approved institution is a public or private, postsecondary institution which;

(a) is located within the State of Alabama;

(b) is accredited by the Southern Association of colleges and Schools, or an appropriate accrediting association recognized by the Alabama Commission on Higher education; and

(c) files a signed agreement with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to comply with all regulations and procedures of the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Team Program.

(3) Direct Educational Costs: Direct educational costs include tuition, fees, book and supply expenses normally charged all students for enrollment in at an approved institution as defined in .03(2).

(4) Eligible Student: An eligible student is an applicant who completes an application for an All-USA Team application, and

(a) is selected for a scholarship on the basis of the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program selection procedure as defined in .03(2);

(b) is classified as an undergraduate student, as defined in .03(16), or a professional student as defined in .03(9);

(c) is a citizen of the United States, or is in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and intends to become a permanent resident of the United States;

(d) is enrolled in accepted for enrollment at an approved institution, as defined in .03(2);

(e) has direct educational costs, as defined in .03(3), that equal or exceed the amount of the scholarship awarded through the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program;

(f) does not owe a refund on a grant previously received through federal or state scholarship or grant programs; and

(g) is not in default on a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under the federal or state student loan programs.

(5) False Statement or Misrepresentation: Any person who knowingly makes or furnishes any false statement or misrepresentation, or who accepts such false statement or misrepresentation knowing the same to be false, for the purpose of enabling an individual or institution to obtain monies wrongfully under this program, shall be guilty of a Class A Misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine or to imprisonment, or to both, as such misdemeanor is defined in Act No 607, §33 of the 1997 Regular Session (Act 1977, No. 11, p. 812).

(6) Matriculated Status: To be eligible for an All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program Scholarship, and eligible student, as defined in .03(4) must have completed all the required steps in the enrollment procedure and be considered registered at an approved institution, as defined in .03(2).

(7) Notification of Stipend Recipients: The Chancellor of the Alabama College system is Responsible for notifying students of their selection for the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program Scholarships and the amount of their scholarships. copies of all such notifications shall be provided to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

(8) Phi Theta Kappa Society; Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for men and women enrolled in two-year colleges.

(9) Professional Student: A professional student is a student enrolled in a professional course of study or program at an approved institution, as defined in .03(2).

(10) Refund Policies and Procedures:

(a) If a student transfers, withdraws, or becomes ineligible for an All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program scholarship during the academic team of the award but prior to his/her receipt of scholarship funds, the institutional financial aid administrator will not disburse the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program Funds to the student.

(b) If a student withdraws from school or reduces his/her courseload after receiving the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program funds, but before the end of the academic term, and is not entitled to a refund in accordance with the institution's refund policy, the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program will not require a refund of any portion of the stipend which was utilized by the student toward payment of the institution's net charges to the student for the period of actual attendance However, if the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program payment to the student exceeds the amount of the direct educational cost to the student, the institution must return to the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition program the refund amount and the institution must maintain with the student's record documentation listing (1) the date the student withdrew, (2) the net institutional charges to the student for the period of the student's attendance, (3) the amount of the student's All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program.

(c) Any refunds or repayments made by an institution to the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program on behalf of a student, and which equal $25 or greater, may be utilized by the eligible student for attendance at an approved institution within thirty-six(36) months of the date the student was notified of the scholarship award by the Chancellor of Alabama College System. The eligible student must request the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to certify with the approved institution the remaining scholarship eligibility.

(11) Scholarship: A scholarship is defined as a merit-based financial award to the All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program recipient who is designated to be an eligible student, as defined in .03(4), enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in an approved institution, as defined in .03(2), and is awarded to the student to defray direct educational costs, as defined in .03(3).

(12) Selection Procedure:

(a) To be eligible for consideration for an All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program scholarship, a student must be nominated by the college president to the All-USA Community and Junior College Academic Team sponsored by USA Today, the American Association of Community Colleges, and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

(b) Eligible nominees must be eligible to graduate during the academic year in which they are nominated and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25.

(c) Each eligible applicant must submit an application to the All-USA Academic Team Review Committee. This Application includes information about the following areas:

(1) activities, leadership, community service, work experience;

(2) academic recognition, honors, awards; and,

(3) previous course work.

(d) The judging process established by the All-USA Academic Review Committee will be used to determine the scores for each nominee. The top two ranked students from each college in the Alabama College System will comprise the All Alabama Academic Recognition Team Program recipients. The top ranked student will receive first-team recognition; the second ranked student will receive second-team recognition.

(13) Stipend: A Stipend is the amount of the scholarship award granted to a recipient. Award amounts shall be dependent upon funds designated for all scholarship awardees. First-team designees will receive approximately sixty-five percent (65%) of available scholarship funds for the year; second-team designees will receive approximately thirty-five percent(35%) of available scholarship funds for the year.

(14) Student Application Procedure: Each applicant for an All Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program award must submit to the All-USA Academic Team Review Committee a current All-USA Academic Team application by the nomination and application deadline dates announced by the All-USA Academic Review Committee.

(15) Tuition: Tuition is defined as the cost of instruction and mandatory fees to the student as stated in the institution's catalog, plus the average cost of books, supplied, equipment and other educational-related expenses.

(16) Undergraduate Student: An undergraduate student is defined as a person who is in attendance at an approved Alabama postsecondary educational institution, as defined in .03(2), and who is classified as an undergraduate student.

Author: William H. Wall

Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-4-11-.03

New Rule: Filed November 7, 1997; effective December 12, 1997.

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 16-5-14.