Session of 1998
                   
SENATE BILL No. 458
         
By Committee on Education
         
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            9             AN ACT concerning the tuition grant program; affecting eligibility
10             requirements for participation; amending K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 72-6107
11             and 72-6111 and repealing the existing sections.
12            
13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14           Section 1. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 72-6107 is hereby amended to read as
15       follows: 72-6107. As used in this act: (a) ``Tuition grant program'' means
16       a program under which the state, in recognition of the desirability of fully
17       utilizing all of the available resources for higher education in the state
18       and in response to the concern that many residents of the state are unable
19       to sustain the financial burden of the cost of attendance at certain qual-
20       ified institutions of higher education operating within the state, provides
21       financial assistance to eligible students through the award of tuition
22       grants.
23           (b) ``Tuition grant'' means an award of financial assistance under the
24       tuition grant program to an eligible student.
25           (c) ``Financial need'' means the difference between a student's avail-
26       able financial resources and the student's total anticipated cost of atten-
27       dance at a certain qualified institution of higher education. A student's
28       financial resources shall be based upon the accepted criteria of a financial
29       need analysis agency selected by the board of regents. Financial need
30       shall be determined at least annually.
31           (d) ``Full-time, in-state student'' means a person who is or is consid-
32       ered a resident of Kansas and who is enrolled at an institution of higher
33       education in a course of study of at least 12 hours each semester or the
34       equivalent thereof. The board of regents shall determine the number of
35       hours for terms other than semesters to constitute the equivalent of 12
36       hours.
37           (e) ``Eligible student'' means a full-time, in-state student who has es-
38       tablished financial need and who is initially acceptable for entering a
39       qualified institution or who has so entered and is in good standing and
40       making satisfactory progress toward graduation.
41           (f) ``Qualified institution'' means an institution of higher education
42       the main campus of which is located in Kansas and which (1) maintains
43       open enrollment, (2) is accredited by the north central association of

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  1       colleges and secondary schools accrediting agency based on its require-
  2       ments as of April 1, 1985, and (3) is either a municipal university or an
  3       institution which is operated independently and not controlled or admin-
  4       istered by the state or any agency or subdivision thereof.
  5           (g) ``Open enrollment'' means the policy of an institution of higher
  6       education which provides the opportunity of enrollment for any student
  7       who meets its academic and other reasonable enrollment requirements,
  8       without regard for race, gender, religion, creed or national origin.
  9           (h) ``Board of regents'' means the state board of regents provided for
10       in the constitution of this state and described in article 32 of chapter 74
11       of Kansas Statutes Annotated.
12           (i) ``Term'' means one of two or more divisions of an academic year
13       of an institution of higher education in which substantially all courses
14       begin and end at substantially the same time, and during which instruc-
15       tion is regularly given to students.
16           (j) ``Semester'' means one of two principal terms, when there are only
17       two principal terms in the academic year, whether or not there are other
18       shorter terms during the same academic year.
19           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 72-6111 is hereby amended to read as
20       follows: 72-6111. (a) The board of regents shall administer the tuition
21       grant program and shall:
22           (1) Provide information regarding application procedures;
23           (2) adopt rules and regulations for determining financial need and
24       cost of attendance at qualified institutions, selecting financial need anal-
25       ysis agencies, defining tuition and required fees and determining the av-
26       erage amount thereof charged to full-time, in-state students enrolled at
27       the state universities and to full-time, in-state students enrolled at the
28       qualified institutions, determining residence, determining priority or ap-
29       portionment of tuition grants and other matters necessary for adminis-
30       tration of the program;
31           (3) approve eligible students for the award of tuition grants;
32           (4) determine and identify those institutions of higher education
33       which are qualified institutions; and
34           (5) evaluate the tuition grant program annually, and make a report
35       thereon to the governor and legislature for the period.
36           (b) Rules and regulations adopted by the board of regents to deter-
37       mine residence for the purpose of the tuition grant program shall be
38       consistent with rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (a)
39       of K.S.A. 76-729, and amendments thereto, for determination of resi-
40       dence of persons enrolling at the state universities. Persons meeting any
41       one or more of the qualifications of persons whom the board of regents
42       may authorize to pay an amount equal to resident fees for enrollment at
43       the state universities, as provided in K.S.A. 76-729, and amendments

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  1       thereto, shall be considered residents of Kansas.
  2           (c) The board of regents may require any qualified institution to
  3       promptly furnish any information which the board of regents requests
  4       relating to administration or effect of the tuition grant program.
  5           (d) The board of regents may provide for apportionment of tuition
  6       grants if appropriations therefor are insufficient to pay all approved tui-
  7       tion grants.
  8           Sec. 3. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 72-6107 and 72-6111 are hereby repealed.
  9           Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
10       publication in the statute book.
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