33766 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

34 CFR Parts 662, 663, and 664

RIN 1840–AC53

Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation

Research Abroad Fellowship Program,

Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research

Abroad Fellowship Program, and

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary

Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes to

amend the regulations governing the

Higher Education Programs in Modern

Foreign Language Training and Area

Studies—Doctoral Dissertation Research

Abroad Fellowship Program, Faculty

Research Abroad Fellowship Program,

and Group Projects Abroad Program.

These amendments are needed as a

result of changes in terminology

applicable to these programs and

changes in the selection criteria. The

proposed regulations would change the

names of these programs, remove

obsolete references, modify the selection

criteria, and make other technical

changes.

DATES: Comments must be received by

the Department on or before July 20,

1998.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning

these proposed regulations should be

addressed to Karla Ver Bryck Block,

U.S. Department of Education, 600

Independence Avenue, SW., Suite 600C

Portals Building, Washington, DC

20202–5331. Comments may also be

sent through the Internet to:

comments@ed.gov

You must include the term

‘‘Fulbright-Hays’’ in the subject line of

your electronic message.

Comments that concern information

collection requirements must be sent to

the Office of Management and Budget at

the address listed in the Paperwork

Reduction Act section of this preamble.

A copy of those comments may also be

sent to the Department representative

named in this section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karla Ver Bryck Block. Telephone: (202)

401–9774. Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,

Monday through Friday.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain this document in an alternate

format (e.g., Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) on

request to the contact person listed in

the preceding paragraph.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Invitation To Comment

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments and recommendations

regarding these proposed regulations.

To ensure that public comments have

maximum effect in developing the final

regulations, the Department urges

commenters to identify clearly the

specific section or sections of the

proposed regulations that each comment

addresses and to arrange comments in

the same order as the proposed

regulations.

All comments submitted in response

to these proposed regulations will be

available for public inspection, during

and after the comment period, in Suite

600C Portals Building, 1280 Maryland

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, between

the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,

Eastern time, Monday through Friday of

each week except Federal holidays.

On request the Department supplies

an appropriate aid, such as a reader or

print magnifier, to an individual with a

disability who needs assistance to

review the comments or other

documents in the public rulemaking

docket for these proposed regulations.

An individual with a disability who

wants to schedule an appointment for

this type of aid may call (202) 205–8113

or (202) 260–9895. An individual who

uses a TDD may call the Federal

Information Relay Service at 1–800–

877–8339, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.,

Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

To assist the Department in

complying with the specific

requirements of Executive Order 12866

and its overall requirement of reducing

regulatory burden, the Secretary invites

comments on whether there may be

further opportunities to reduce any

regulatory burdens found in these

proposed regulations.

Background

On March 4, 1995 the President

announced a Regulatory Reinvention

Initiative to reform the Federal

regulatory system. In response to the

President’s initiative, on August 23,

1996 the Secretary issued an Advance

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

(ANPRM) to request public comment on

the changes being considered in the

Department’ programs to simplify

regulations and reduce regulatory

burden (Regulatory Reinvention, 61 FR

43639, August 23, 1996). Regulations for

the International Education Programs in

34 CFR Parts 662 (Higher Education

Programs in Modern Foreign Language

Training and Area Studies—Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad

Fellowship Program), 663 (Faculty

Research Abroad Fellowship Program),

and 664 (Group Projects Abroad

Program) were included in the ANPRM.

The Secretary received no comments on

changes proposed in the ANPRM for the

International Education Programs.

Proposed Regulatory Changes

As part of the President’s Regulatory

Reinvention Initiative, the Department

is reviewing and revising the regulations

governing the Higher Education

Programs in Modern Foreign Language

Training and Area Studies—Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad

Fellowship Program, Faculty Research

Abroad Fellowship Program, and Group

Projects Abroad Program. The Secretary

is proposing amendments which are

needed to improve the application

review process and to update the

regulations in light of developments in

the field of foreign language, area, and

international studies, including political

developments abroad, modifications in

the policies and practices of the J.

William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship

Board, and interpretations of

regulations. In the spirit of reinventing

government, the goal of the proposed

changes is to markedly reduce burden

associated with the regulations.

The proposed regulations would

change the names of these programs to

align them with how they are popularly

referred to in the field. Additionally, the

proposed regulations would make

changes in the terminology applicable to

these programs, remove obsolete

references, and make changes in the

selection criteria. The proposed

regulations would also reorganize the

sections, change the names of several

section titles, correct errors in the

numbering of the sections, and make

other technical changes to improve the

regulations.

The substantive changes proposed in

the regulations are discussed with

respect to each part. A number of the

substantive changes proposed would

affect each of the parts being amended

(34 CFR Parts 662, 663, and 664).

Therefore, in the discussion of the

proposed changes under Part 662, it is

noted whether the proposed change

would be duplicated in a corresponding

section of Parts 663 or 664.

Part 662

The name of Part 662 would be

changed to Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad

Fellowship Program. Throughout Parts

662, 663, and 664 the ‘‘Board of Foreign

Scholarships’’ would be changed to ‘‘J.

William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules 33767

Board’’ to reflect the change in the name

of the board.

Proposed § 662.3 would delete current

paragraph (a)(3) to eliminate persons ‘‘in

the United States for other than a

temporary purpose with the intention of

becoming a citizen or permanent

resident’’ as eligible applicants. The

proposed change reflects the Secretary’s

decision that to receive a federally

funded fellowship, a person should

demonstrate commitment to the United

States, either by being a citizen or

permanent resident. The proposed

change furthers the goal of the program

to train people who will then serve in

the United States educational field. The

proposed change would also apply to

§§ 663.3 and 664.3.

Proposed § 662.3 would also delete

current paragraph (a)(4) which states

that a resident of the Trust Territory of

the Pacific Islands is eligible for a

fellowship, since these islands are no

longer a trust territory. The proposed

change would also apply to §§ 663.3 and

664.3.

Proposed § 662.7 would revise the list

of terms used in this part that are

defined in 34 CFR Part 77, and it would

add 34 CFR Part 80. Terms that are not

used in this part would be deleted.

Proposed § 662.7(c) would change the

definition of ‘‘dependent’’. The

proposed regulation would add the

requirement that the individual being

claimed as a dependent must

accompany the recipient to his or her

training site for the entire fellowship

period. Also, the proposed regulation

would narrow the definition of

‘‘dependent’’ to exclude parent(s) of a

participant or parents of the

participant’s spouse. Both changes in

the definition are grounded in the need

to conserve limited program funds. By

requiring that in order to receive a

dependent’s allowance the dependent

be at the training site for the entire

fellowship period, the Secretary will

preclude the use of program funds for

short term visits. The changes in the

dependent’s definition with regard to

parents would bring the program’s

policy toward dependents more in line

with similar fellowship programs.

Additionally, only once in more than 30

years of program administration has a

dependent’s allowance been requested

for a parent.

Proposed § 662.7(c) would eliminate

the definition for ‘‘foreign currencies’’

since all foreign currency accounts

previously available to the Secretary for

operation of this program have been

exhausted.

All of the proposed changes to

§ 662.7(c) would also apply to

§ 663.7(c).

Proposed § 662.10 incorporates the

language found in current § 662.21.

Paragraph (c) of current § 662.21 which

addresses requirements for an applicant

who plans to conduct research in the

former USSR and Eastern European

countries was deleted, since changes in

the research climate in those countries

have eliminated the need to require an

applicant to apply to the International

Research and Exchange Board. The

proposed change would also apply to

§ 663.10.

Proposed § 662.20(d) preserves and

clarifies the current position of the

Department relating to veteran’s

preference. The regulation would add

language to clarify that if two scores are

tied and one of the applicants is a

veteran, the applicant who is a veteran

will receive a preference. The proposed

change would also apply to § 663.20(d).

Proposed § 662.21 would revise the

selection criteria. The revised criteria

would reflect a greater consistency with

criteria used in comparable fellowship

programs. This would facilitate writing

fellowship applications for individuals

since the applications would be similar.

There would also be a greater

emphasis on foreign language training.

Since these programs were originally

intended to enhance the foreign

language competence of individuals

trained in American schools, the criteria

would be modified to give greater

emphasis to having acquired a foreign

language. Paragraph (c)(3) would add

the requirement that the applicant be

proficient in one or more of the

languages of the country or countries of

research, excluding English and the

applicant’s native language. The

proposed language most likely would

result in a decrease in the number of

applications from individuals wishing

to conduct research in English and

would encourage non-native born

United States citizens or resident aliens

to acquire an additional foreign

language. The Department has

experienced a substantial increase in the

number of applications for conducting

research in English.

The points assigned would be

changed to allow the readers greater

ability to differentiate among the

applications. The proposed changes in

points assigned are reflected in

§ 662.21(a), (b), and (c). Due to the

extremely high caliber of applications,

there is frequently a clustering of high

scores. The proposed point structure

would allow readers a broader range in

which to assign points. Under current

§ 662.21 points are assigned in a narrow

range and a multiplication factor is

applied, which results in significant

clustering of like applications.

The Department has consulted with

various experts in language and area

studies as well as administrators of

fellowship programs in developing the

proposed revisions to the selection

criteria. Their comments and feedback

have been incorporated into these

proposed changes.

The proposed changes to § 662.21

would also apply to § 663.21.

Proposed § 662.22 incorporates the

language from current § 662.33 and

would add a new paragraph (b) to

prevent an applicant from receiving

more than one fellowship under the

Fulbright-Hays Act in a given fiscal

year. The provision would prevent an

applicant from receiving a fellowship

from the Department and United States

Information Agency (USIA) within the

same fiscal year. The proposed change

would ensure that limited funds

appropriated to the agencies have a

broader impact and are not used

duplicatively. The proposal reflects the

current policy statements of the Foreign

Scholarship Board.

Similar to proposed § 662.10,

proposed § 662.22 would eliminate

language from current § 662.33(a)(2)

which addresses requirements for an

applicant who plans to conduct research

in the USSR and Eastern European

countries. Changes in the research

climate in those countries have

eliminated the need to require an

applicant to apply to the International

Research and Exchange Board. The

proposed change would also apply to

§ 663.22.

Part 663

The name of Part 663 would be

changed to Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Fellowship Program.

Section 663.3 outlines who is eligible

to receive a fellowship under this

program. Current § 663.3(d)(1) and (2)

would be deleted from the proposed

regulations because they are part of the

selection criteria and should not be

considered under eligibility.

Part 664

The name of Part 664 would be

changed to Fulbright-Hays Group

Projects Abroad Program.

Proposed § 664.5 would revise the list

of terms used in this part that are

defined in EDGAR, 34 CFR Part 77.

Terms that are not used in this part

would be deleted.

Sections 664.11, 664.12, and 664.13

propose changes in the length of the

projects, allowing for shorter project

periods. The changes are proposed to

allow applicants greater flexibility in

carrying out their projects. The current

provisions encouraged longer periods in
33768 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules

the field, even when they were not

necessary for the successful

accomplishment of the project goals.

Proposed § 664.11 would change the

length of a short term project from six

weeks under current regulations, to

from four to six weeks. Proposed

§ 664.12 would change the length of a

curriculum development project from

six to eight weeks under current

regulations, to four to eight weeks.

Proposed § 664.13 would change the

length of a group research project from

two to twelve months under current

regulations, to three to twelve months.

In order to be consistent with Parts

662 and 663, proposed § 664.30 would

add a new paragraph (d) which

establishes that the Secretary will

consider for funding only projects that

an applicant proposes to carry out in a

country in which the United States has

diplomatic representation.

Proposed § 664.31(a)(2)(v) and (b)(4)

which address the inclusion of

underrepresented groups in the

selection criteria for applications would

be revised to be consistent with the

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)

(§ 75.210(c)(5) and (d)(1)(iv)). The

proposed language would require the

applicant to ensure that participants in

the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects and

its personnel selected for employment

are selected without regard to race,

color, national origin, gender, age, or

handicapping condition.

Proposed § 664.33(b)(1) would allow

for greater flexibility in establishing

annual per diem rates, consistent with

the cost of living in overseas areas.

Current regulations require a

maintenance stipend to be based on 50

percent of the amount established in the

U.S. Department of the State publication

‘‘Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances

for Foreign Areas’’. Proposed

§ 664.33(b)(1) would eliminate the 50

percent limitation which would permit

an upwards or a downwards adjustment

based on the cost of living in the host

country.

Clarity of the Regulations

Executive Order 12866 requires each

agency to write regulations that are easy

to understand. The Secretary invites

comments on how to make these

proposed regulations easier to

understand, including answers to

questions such as the following: (1) Are

the requirements in the proposed

regulations clearly stated? (2) Do the

proposed regulations contain technical

terms or other wording that interferes

with their clarity? (3) Does the format of

the proposed regulations (grouping and

order of sections, use of headings,

paragraphing, etc.) aid or reduce their

clarity? Would the proposed regulations

be easier to understand if they were

divided into more (but shorter) sections?

(A ‘‘section’’ is preceded by the symbol

‘‘§’’ and a numbered heading; for

example, § 662.1 What is the FulbrightHays Doctoral Dissertation Research

Abroad Fellowship Program?). (4) Is the

description of the proposed regulations

in the ‘‘Supplementary Information’’

section of this preamble helpful in

understanding the proposed

regulations? How could this description

be more helpful in making the proposed

regulations easier to understand? (5)

What else could the Department do to

make the proposed regulations easier to

understand?

A copy of any comments that concern

how the Department could make these

proposed regulations easier to

understand should be sent to Stanley M.

Cohen, Regulations Quality Officer, U.S.

Department of Education, 600

Independence Avenue, SW. (room 5121,

FB–10B), Washington, DC 20202–2241.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

The Secretary certifies that these

proposed regulations would not have a

significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

The small entities affected would be

small institutions of higher education.

The proposed regulations would not

have a significant economic impact on

any of the entities participating in the

programs because the regulations

impose minimal application and

administrative costs necessary to protect

Federal funds.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

Sections 662.21, 663.21, and 664.31

contain information collection

requirements. As required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. 3507(d)), the Department of

Education has submitted a copy of these

sections to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for its review.

Collection of Information: Application

for Grants under the Fulbright-Hays

Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad

Fellowship Program (Part 662),

Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research

Abroad Fellowship Program (Part 663).

Under the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA)

and Faculty Research Abroad (FRA)

Programs, individual scholars and

eligible institutions apply

simultaneously for benefits under a

single grant. Individual scholars apply

for fellowships; however grants are

made to the successful scholars’

institutions. Respondents include

individuals and institutions of higher

education. The data requested are used

in determining the academic

qualifications and suitability of the

individual applicant, potential political

sensitivity and feasibility of the project

in terms of the host country reaction,

research climate, and adequacy of the

proposed budget.

The data requested are the minimum

necessary to administer the grant in

compliance with program regulations.

The annual reporting and record

keeping burden for: (1) student

respondents is estimated to average 30

hours for each response for 600

respondents, totaling 18,000 burden

hours; (2) faculty respondents is

estimated to average 8 hours for each

response for 70 respondents, totaling

560 burden hours; (3) project directors

is estimated to average 15 hours for each

response for 130 respondents, totaling

1,950 burden hours. Thus, the total

annual reporting and record keeping

burden for this collection is estimated to

be 20,510 hours.

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program (Part 664)

Under these proposed regulations,

institutions of higher education, State

departments of education, and private

nonprofit organizations are eligible to

apply for grants to conduct educational

projects abroad. Teachers,

undergraduate and graduate students,

and faculty are selected by grantees to

participate in these projects. The

proposed regulations will be used to

obtain the programmatic and budgetary

information needed to evaluate

applications and make funding

decisions. The data requested are used

in determining the need and academic

worth of specific projects, political

sensitivity and feasibility in terms of

host country reaction, and adequacy of

the proposed budget.

Advanced intensive language projects,

which apply every three years, do not

have to submit full-blown proposals

each year, only in the initial year for

multi-year projects. The annual

reporting and record keeping burden for

this collection of information is

estimated to average 100 hours for each

response for 95 respondents, including

the time for reviewing instructions,

searching existing data sources,

gathering and maintaining the data

needed, and completing and reviewing

the collection of information. Thus, the

total annual reporting and record

keeping burden for this collection is

estimated to be 9,500 hours.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995, no persons are required to

respond to a collection of information

unless it displays a valid OMB control
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules 33769

number. The valid OMB control

numbers assigned to the collection of

information in these regulations will be

displayed at the end of the affected

sections of the final regulations.

Organizations and individuals

desiring to submit comments on the

information collection requirements

should direct them to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

OMB, room 10235, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503;

Attention: Desk Officer for U.S.

Department of Education.

The Department considers comments

by the public on these proposed

collections of information in—

• Evaluating whether the proposed

collections of information are necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the Department, including

whether the information will have

practical use;

• Evaluating the accuracy of the

Department’s estimate of the burden of

the proposed collections of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

• Enhancing the quality, usefulness,

and clarity of the information to be

collected; and

• Minimizing the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology;

e.g., permitting electronic submission of

responses.

OMB is required to make a decision

concerning the collections of

information contained in these

proposed regulations between 30 and 60

days after publication of this document

in the Federal Register. Therefore, a

comment to OMB is best assured of

having its full effect if OMB receives it

within 30 days of publication. This does

not affect the deadline for the public to

comment to the Department on the

proposed regulations.

Intergovernmental Review

These programs are not subject to the

requirements of Executive Order 12372

and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.

Assessment of Educational Impact

The Secretary particularly requests

comments on whether the proposed

regulations in this document would

require transmission of information that

is being gathered by or is available from

any other agency or authority of the

United States.

Electronic Access to This Document

Anyone may view this document, as

well as all other Department of

Education documents published in the

Federal Register, in text or portable

document format (pdf) on the World

Wide Web at either of the following

sites:

http://gcs.ed.gov/fedreg.htm

http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the pdf you must have the

Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with

Search, which is available free at either

of the previous sites. If you have

questions about using the pdf, call the

U.S. Government Printing Office toll

free at 1–888–293–6498.

Anyone may also view these

documents in text copy only on an

electronic bulletin board of the

Department. Telephone: (202) 219–1511

or, toll free, 1–800–222–4922. The

documents are located under Option

G—Files/Announcements, Bulletins and

Press Releases.

Note: The official version of this document

is the document published in the Federal

Register.

List of Subjects

34 CFR parts 662 and 663

Colleges and universities, Education,

Educational research, Educational study

programs, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Scholarships and

fellowships.

34 CFR part 664

Colleges and universities, Education,

Educational study programs, Reporting

and recordkeeping requirements,

Teachers.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Numbers: 84.022 Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship

Program; 84.019 Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Fellowship Program; and

84.021 Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program)

Dated: June 15, 1998.

David A. Longanecker,

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary

Education.

The Secretary proposes to amend

Title 34 of the Code of Federal

Regulations by revising Parts 662, 663,

and 664 to read as follows:

PART 662—FULBRIGHT-HAYS

DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

RESEARCH ABROAD FELLOWSHIP

PROGRAM

Subpart A—General

Sec.

662.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship

Program?

662.2 Who is eligible to receive an

institutional grant under this program?

662.3 Who is eligible to receive a

fellowship under this program?

662.4 What is the amount of a fellowship?

662.5 What is the duration of a fellowship?

662.6 What regulations apply to this

program?

662.7 What definitions apply to this

program?

Subpart B—Applications

662.10 How does an individual apply for a

fellowship?

662.11 What is the role of the institution in

the application process?

Subpart C—Selection of Fellows

662.20 How is a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad Fellow

selected?

662.21 What criteria does the Secretary use

to evaluate an application for a

fellowship?

662.22 How does the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board select

fellows?

Subpart D—Post-award Requirements for

Institutions

662.30 What are an institution’s

responsibilities after the award of a

grant?

Subpart E—Post-award Requirements for

Fellows

662.41 What are a fellow’s responsibilities

after the award of a fellowship?

662.42 How may a fellowship be revoked?

Authority: Section 102(b)(6) of the Mutual

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of

1961 (Fulbright-Hays Act), 22 U.S.C.

2452(b)(6), unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General

§ 662.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays

Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad

Fellowship Program?

(a) The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad

Fellowship Program is designed to

contribute to the development and

improvement of the study of modern

foreign languages and area studies in the

United States by providing

opportunities for scholars to conduct

research abroad.

(b) Under the program, the Secretary

awards fellowships, through institutions

of higher education, to doctoral

candidates who propose to conduct

dissertation research abroad in modern

foreign languages and area studies.
33770 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 662.2 Who is eligible to receive an

institutional grant under this program?

An institution of higher education is

eligible to receive an institutional grant.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

§ 662.3 Who is eligible to receive a

fellowship under this program?

An individual is eligible to receive a

fellowship if the individual—

(a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the

United States; or

(2) Is a permanent resident of the

United States;

(b)(1) Is a graduate student in good

standing at an institution of higher

education; and

(2) When the fellowship period

begins, is admitted to candidacy in a

doctoral degree program in modern

foreign languages and area studies at

that institution;

(c) Is planning a teaching career in the

United States upon completion of his or

her doctoral program; and

(d) Possesses sufficient foreign

language skills to carry out the

dissertation research project.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

§ 662.4 What is the amount of a

fellowship?

(a) The Secretary pays—

(1) Travel expenses to and from the

residence of the fellow and the country

or countries of research;

(2) A maintenance stipend for the

fellow and his or her dependents related

to cost of living in the host country or

countries;

(3) An allowance for research-related

expenses overseas, such as books,

copying, tuition and affiliation fees,

local travel, and other incidental

expenses; and

(4) Health and accident insurance

premiums.

(b) In addition, the Secretary may

pay—

(1) Emergency medical expenses not

covered by health and accident

insurance; and

(2) The costs of preparing and

transporting a fellow or dependent who

dies during the term of the fellowship

to his or her former home.

(c) The Secretary announces the

amount of benefits expected to be

available in an application notice

published in the Federal Register.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), and

2454(e)(1) and (2))

§ 662.5 What is the duration of a

fellowship?

(a) A fellowship is for a period of not

fewer than six nor more than twelve

months.

(b) A fellowship may not be renewed.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 662.6 What regulations apply to this

program?

The following regulations apply to

this program:

(a) The regulations in this part 662;

and

(b) The Education Department

General Administrative Regulations

(EDGAR) (34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, and

81).

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 662.7 What definitions apply to this

program?

(a) Definitions of the following terms

as used in this part are contained in 34

CFR Parts 77 and 80:

Applicant

Application

Award

EDGAR

Fiscal year

Grant

Secretary

(b) The definition of institution of

higher education as used in this part is

contained in 34 CFR 600.4.

(c) The following definitions of other

terms used in this part apply to this

program:

Area studies means a program of

comprehensive study of the aspects of a

society or societies, including the study

of their geography, history, culture,

economy, politics, international

relations, and languages.

Binational commission means an

educational and cultural commission

established, through an agreement

between the United States and either a

foreign government or an international

organization, to carry out functions in

connection with the program covered by

this part.

Dependent means any of the

following individuals who accompany

the recipient of a fellowship under this

program to his or her training site for

the entire fellowship period if the

individual receives more than 50

percent of his or her support from the

recipient during the fellowship period:

(1) The recipient’s spouse.

(2) The recipient’s or spouse’s

children who are unmarried and under

age 21.

J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board means the

presidentially-appointed board that is

responsible for supervision of the

program covered by this part.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

Subpart B—Applications

§ 662.10 How does an individual apply for

a fellowship?

(a) An individual applies for a

fellowship by submitting an application

to the Secretary through the institution

of higher education in which the

individual is enrolled.

(b) The applicant shall provide

sufficient information concerning his or

her personal and academic background

and proposed research project to enable

the Secretary to determine whether the

applicant—

(1) Is eligible to receive a fellowship

under § 662.3; and

(2) Should be selected to receive a

fellowship under subparts C and D of

this part.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 662.11 What is the role of the institution

in the application process?

An institution of higher education

that participates in this program is

responsible for—

(a) Making fellowship application

materials available to its students;

(b) Accepting and screening

applications in accordance with its own

technical and academic criteria; and

(c) Forwarding screened applications

to the Secretary and requesting an

institutional grant.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

Subpart C—Selection of Fellows

§ 662.20 How is a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral

Dissertation Research Abroad Fellow

selected?

(a) The Secretary considers

applications for fellowships under this

program that have been screened and

submitted by eligible institutions. The

Secretary evaluates these applications

on the basis of the criteria in § 662.21.

(b) The Secretary does not consider

applications to carry out research in a

country in which the United States has

no diplomatic representation.

(c) In evaluating applications, the

Secretary obtains the advice of panels of

United States academic specialists in

modern foreign languages and area

studies.

(d) The Secretary gives preference to

applicants who have served in the

armed services of the United States if

their applications are equivalent to

those of other applicants on the basis of

the criteria in § 662.21.

(e) The Secretary considers

information on budget, political

sensitivity, and feasibility from

binational commissions or United States

diplomatic missions, or both, in the

proposed country or countries of

research.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules 33771

(f) The Secretary presents

recommendations for recipients of

fellowships to the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board, which

reviews the recommendations and

approves recipients.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

§ 662.21 What criteria does the Secretary

use to evaluate an application for a

fellowship?

(a)(1) The Secretary uses the criteria

in this section to evaluate an application

for a fellowship.

(2) The maximum score for all of the

criteria is 100 points. However, if

priority criteria described in paragraph

(c) of this section are used, the

maximum score is 110 points.

(3) The maximum score for each

criterion is shown in parentheses with

the criterion.

(b) Quality of proposed project. (60

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the quality of

the research project proposed by the

applicant. The Secretary considers—

(1) The statement of the major

hypotheses to be tested or questions to

be examined, and the description and

justification of the research methods to

be used;

(2) The relationship of the research to

the literature on the topic and to major

theoretical issues in the field, and the

project’s originality and importance in

terms of the concerns of the discipline;

(3) The preliminary research already

completed in the United States and

overseas or plans for such research prior

to going overseas, and the kinds, quality

and availability of data for the research

in the host country or countries;

(4) The justification for overseas field

research and preparations to establish

appropriate and sufficient research

contacts and affiliations abroad;

(5) The applicant’s plans to share the

results of the research in progress and

a copy of the dissertation with scholars

and officials of the host country or

countries; and

(6) The guidance and supervision of

the dissertation advisor or committee at

all stages of the project, including

guidance in developing the project,

understanding research conditions

abroad, and acquainting the applicant

with research in the field.

(c) Qualifications of the applicant. (40

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the

qualifications of the applicant. The

Secretary considers—

(1) The overall strength of the

applicant’s graduate academic record;

(10)

(2) The extent to which the

applicant’s academic record

demonstrates a strength in area studies

relevant to the proposed project; (10)

(3) The applicant’s proficiency in one

or more of the languages (other than

English and the applicant’s native

language) of the country or countries of

research, and the specific measures to

be taken to overcome any anticipated

language barriers; (15) and

(4) The applicant’s ability to conduct

research in a foreign cultural context, as

evidenced by the applicant’s references

or previous overseas experience, or

both. (5)

(d) Priorities. (10 points) (1) The

Secretary determines the extent to

which the application responds to any

priority that the Secretary establishes for

the selection of fellows in any fiscal

year. The Secretary announces any

priorities in an application notice

published in the Federal Register.

(2) Priorities may relate to certain

world areas, countries, academic

disciplines, languages, topics, or

combinations of any of these categories.

For example, the Secretary may

establish a priority for—

(i) A specific geographic area or

country, such as the Caribbean or

Poland;

(ii) An academic discipline, such as

economics or political science;

(iii) A language, such as Tajik or

Indonesian; or

(iv) A topic, such as public health

issues or the environment.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(2))

§ 662.22 How does the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board select fellows?

(a) The J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board selects fellows on the

basis of the Secretary’s

recommendations and the information

described in § 662.20(e) from binational

commissions or United States

diplomatic missions.

(b) No applicant for a fellowship may

be awarded more than one graduate

fellowship under the Fulbright-Hays Act

from appropriations for a given fiscal

year.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(1))

Subpart D—Post-award Requirements

for Institutions

§ 662.30 What are an institution’s

responsibilities after the award of a grant?

(a) An institution to which the

Secretary awards a grant under this part

is responsible for administering the

grant in accordance with the regulations

described in § 662.6.

(b) The institution is responsible for

processing individual applications for

fellowships in accordance with

procedures described in § 662.11.

(c) The institution is responsible for

disbursing funds in accordance with

procedures described in § 662.4.

(d) The Secretary awards the

institution an administrative allowance

of $100 for each fellowship listed in the

grant award document.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

Subpart E—Post-award Requirements

for Fellows

§ 662.41 What are a fellow’s

responsibilities after the award of a

fellowship?

As a condition of retaining a

fellowship, a fellow shall—

(a) Maintain satisfactory progress in

the conduct of his or her research;

(b) Devote full time to research on the

approved topic;

(c) Not engage in unauthorized

income-producing activities during the

period of the fellowship; and

(d) Remain a student in good standing

with the grantee institution during the

period of the fellowship.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 662.42 How may a fellowship be

revoked?

(a) The fellowship may be revoked

only by the J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board upon the

recommendation of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary may recommend a

revocation of a fellowship on the basis

of—

(1) The fellow’s failure to meet any of

the conditions in § 662.41; or

(2) Any violation of the standards of

conduct adopted by the J. William

Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456, Policy

Statements of the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board, 1990)

PART 663—FULBRIGHT-HAYS

FACULTY RESEARCH ABROAD

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Subpart A—General

Sec.

663.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Fellowship Program?

663.2 Who is eligible to receive an

institutional grant under this program?

663.3 Who is eligible to receive a

fellowship under this program?

663.4 What is the amount of a fellowship?

663.5 What is the duration of a fellowship?

663.6 What regulations apply to this

program?

663.7 What definitions apply to this

program?

Subpart B—Applications

663.10 How does an individual apply for a

fellowship?

663.11 What is the role of the institution in

the application process?
33772 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules

Subpart C—Selection of Fellows

663.20 How is a Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Fellow selected?

663.21 What criteria does the Secretary use

to evaluate an application for a

fellowship?

663.22 How does the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board select

fellows?

Subpart D—Post-award Requirements for

Institutions

663.30 What are an institution’s

responsibilities after the award of a

grant?

Subpart E—Post-award Requirements

for Fellows

663.41 What are a fellow’s responsibilities

after the award of a fellowship?

663.42 How may a fellowship be revoked?

Authority: Sec. 102(b)(6) of the Mutual

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of

1961 (Fulbright-Hays Act), 22 U.S.C.

2452(b)(6), unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General

§ 663.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Fellowship Program?

(a) The Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Program is designed to

contribute to the development and

improvement of modern foreign

language and area studies in the United

States by providing opportunities for

scholars to conduct research abroad.

(b) Under the program, the Secretary

awards fellowships, through institutions

of higher education, to faculty members

who propose to conduct research abroad

in modern foreign languages and area

studies to improve their skill in

languages and knowledge of the culture

of the people of these countries.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 663.2 Who is eligible to receive an

institutional grant under this program?

An institution of higher education is

eligible to receive an institutional grant.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

§ 663.3 Who is eligible to receive a

fellowship under this program?

An individual is eligible to receive a

fellowship if the individual—

(a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the

United States; or

(2) Is a permanent resident of the

United States;

(b) Is employed by an institution of

higher education;

(c) Has been engaged in teaching

relevant to his or her foreign language

or area studies specialization for the two

years immediately preceding the date of

the award;

(d) Proposes research relevant to his

or her modern foreign language or area

specialization which is not dissertation

research for a doctoral degree; and

(e) Possesses sufficient foreign

language skills to carry out the research

project.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

§ 663.4 What is the amount of a

fellowship?

(a) The Secretary pays—

(1) Travel expenses to and from the

residence of the fellow and the country

or countries of research;

(2) A maintenance stipend for the

fellow related to his or her academic

year salary; and

(3) An allowance for research-related

expenses overseas, such as books,

copying, tuition and affiliation fees,

local travel, and other incidental

expenses.

(b) The Secretary may pay—

(1) Emergency medical expenses not

covered by the faculty member’s health

and accident insurance; and

(2) The costs of preparing and

transporting a fellow or dependent who

dies during the term of the fellowship

to his or her former home.

(c) The Secretary announces the

amount of benefits expected to be

available in an application notice

published in the Federal Register.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), and

2454(e)(1) and (2))

§ 663.5 What is the duration of a

fellowship?

(a) A fellowship is for a period of not

fewer than three nor more than twelve

months.

(b) A fellowship may not be renewed.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 663.6 What regulations apply to this

program?

The following regulations apply to

this program:

(a) The regulations in this part 663;

and

(b) The Education Department

General Administrative Regulations

(EDGAR) (34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, and

81).

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 663.7 What definitions apply to this

program?

(a) Definitions of the following terms

as used in this part are contained in 34

CFR Parts 77 and 80:

Applicant

Application

Award

EDGAR

Fiscal year

Grant

Secretary

(b) The definition of institution of

higher education as used in this part is

contained in 34 CFR 600.4.

(c) The following definitions of other

terms used in this part apply to this

program:

Area studies means a program of

comprehensive study of the aspects of a

society or societies, including the study

of their geography, history, culture,

economy, politics, international

relations, and languages.

Binational commission means an

educational and cultural commission

established, through an agreement

between the United States and either a

foreign government or an international

organization, to carry out functions in

connection with the program covered by

this part.

Dependent means any of the

following individuals who accompany

the recipient of a fellowship under this

program to his or her training site for

the entire fellowship period if the

individual receives more than 50

percent of his or her support from the

recipient during the fellowship period:

(1) The recipient’s spouse.

(2) The recipient’s or spouse’s

children who are unmarried and under

age 21.

J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board means the

presidentially-appointed board that is

responsible for supervision of the

program covered by this part.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

Subpart B—Applications

§ 663.10 How does an individual apply for

a fellowship?

(a) An individual applies for a

fellowship by submitting an application

to the Secretary through the institution

of higher education at which the

individual is employed.

(b) The applicant shall provide

sufficient information concerning his or

her personal and academic background

and proposed research project to enable

the Secretary to determine whether the

applicant—

(1) Is eligible to receive a fellowship

under § 663.3; and

(2) Should be selected to receive a

fellowship under subparts C and D of

this part.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 663.11 What is the role of the institution

in the application process?

An institution of higher education

that participates in this program is

responsible for—

(a) Making fellowship application

materials available to its faculty;
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules 33773

(b) Accepting and screening

applications in accordance with its own

technical and academic criteria; and

(c) Forwarding screened applications

to the Secretary through a request for an

institutional grant.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

Subpart C—Selection of Fellows

§ 663.20 How is a Fulbright-Hays Faculty

Research Abroad Fellow selected?

(a) The Secretary considers

applications for fellowships under this

program that have been screened and

submitted by eligible institutions. The

Secretary evaluates these applications

on the basis of the criteria in § 663.21.

(b) The Secretary does not consider

applications to carry out research in a

country in which the United States has

no diplomatic representation.

(c) In evaluating applications, the

Secretary obtains the advice of panels of

United States academic specialists in

modern foreign languages and area

studies.

(d) The Secretary gives preference to

applicants who have served in the

armed services of the United States if

their applications are equivalent to

those of other applicants on the basis of

the criteria in § 663.21.

(e) The Secretary considers

information on budget, political

sensitivity, and feasibility from

binational commissions or United States

diplomatic missions, or both, in the

proposed country or countries of

research.

(f) The Secretary presents

recommendations for recipients of

fellowships to the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board, which

reviews the recommendations and

approves recipients.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

§ 663.21 What criteria does the Secretary

use to evaluate an application for a

fellowship?

(a)(1) The Secretary uses the criteria

in this section to evaluate an application

for a fellowship.

(2) The maximum score for all of the

criteria is 100 points. However, if

priority criteria described in paragraph

(c) of this section are used, the

maximum score is 110 points.

(3) The maximum score for each

criterion is shown in parentheses with

the criterion.

(b) Quality of proposed project. (60

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the quality of

the research project proposed by the

applicant. The Secretary considers—

(1) The statement of the major

hypotheses to be tested or questions to

be examined, and the description and

justification of the research methods to

be used;

(2) The relationship of the research to

the literature on the topic and to major

theoretical issues in the field, and the

project’s importance in terms of the

concerns of the discipline;

(3) The preliminary research already

completed or plans for research prior to

going overseas, and the kinds, quality

and availability of data for the research

in the host country or countries;

(4) The justification for overseas field

research, and preparations to establish

appropriate and sufficient research

contacts and affiliations abroad;

(5) The applicant’s plans to share the

results of the research in progress with

scholars and officials of the host country

or countries and the American scholarly

community; and

(6) The objectives of the project

regarding the sponsoring institution’s

plans for developing or strengthening,

or both, curricula in modern foreign

languages and area studies.

(c) Qualifications of the applicant. (40

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the

qualifications of the applicant. The

Secretary considers—

(1) The overall strength of applicant’s

academic record (teaching, research,

contributions, professional association

activities); (10)

(2) The applicant’s excellence as a

teacher or researcher, or both, in his or

her area or areas of specialization; (10)

(3) The applicant’s proficiency in one

or more of the languages (other than

English and the applicant’s native

language), of the country or countries of

research, and the specific measures to

be taken to overcome any anticipated

language barriers; (15) and

(4) The applicant’s ability to conduct

research in a foreign cultural context, as

evidenced by the applicant’s previous

overseas experience, or documentation

provided by the sponsoring institution,

or both. (5)

(d) Priorities. (10 points) (1) The

Secretary determines the extent to

which the application responds to any

priority that the Secretary establishes for

the selection of fellows in any fiscal

year. The Secretary announces any

priorities in an application notice

published in the Federal Register.

(2) Priorities may relate to certain

world areas, countries, academic

disciplines, languages, topics, or

combinations of any of these categories.

For example, the Secretary may

establish a priority for—

(i) A specific geographic area or

country, such as East Asia or Latvia;

(ii) An academic discipline, such as

history or political science;

(iii) A language, such as Hausa or

Telegu; or

(iv) A topic, such as religious

fundamentalism or migration.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(2))

§ 663.22 How does the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board select fellows?

The J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board selects fellows on the

basis of the Secretary’s

recommendations and the information

described in § 663.20(e) from binational

commissions or United States

diplomatic missions.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(1))

Subpart D—Post-award Requirements

for Institutions

§ 663.30 What are an institution’s

responsibilities after the award of a grant?

(a) An institution to which the

Secretary awards a grant under this part

is responsible for administering the

grant in accordance with the regulations

described in § 663.6.

(b) The institution is responsible for

processing individual applications for

fellowships in accordance with

procedures described in § 663.11.

(c) The institution is responsible for

disbursing funds in accordance with

procedures described in § 663.4.

(d) The Secretary awards the

institution an administrative allowance

of $100 for each fellowship listed in the

grant award document.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

Subpart E—Post-award Requirements

for Fellows

§ 663.41 What are a fellow’s

responsibilities after the award of a

fellowship?

As a condition of retaining a

fellowship, a fellow shall—

(a) Maintain satisfactory progress in

the conduct of his or her research;

(b) Devote full time to research on the

approved topic;

(c) Not engage in unauthorized

income-producing activities during the

period of the fellowship; and

(d) Remain employed by the grantee

institution during the period of the

fellowship.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 663.42 How may a fellowship be

revoked?

(a) The fellowship may be revoked

only by the J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board upon the

recommendation of the Secretary.
33774 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules

(b) The Secretary may recommend a

revocation of a fellowship on the basis

of—

(1) The fellow’s failure to meet any of

the conditions in § 663.41; or

(2) Any violation of the standards of

conduct adopted by the J. William

Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456, Policy

Statements of the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board, 1990)

PART 664—FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP

PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM

Subpart A—General

Sec.

664.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays Group

Projects Abroad Program?

664.2 Who is eligible to apply for assistance

under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects

Abroad Program?

664.3 Who is eligible to participate in

projects funded under the FulbrightHays Group Projects Abroad Program?

664.4 What regulations apply to the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program?

664.5 What definitions apply to the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program?

Subpart B—What Kinds of Projects Does

the Secretary Assist Under This Program?

664.10 What kinds of projects does the

Secretary assist?

664.11 What is a short-term seminar

project?

664.12 What is a curriculum development

project?

664.13 What is a group research or study

project?

664.14 What is an advanced overseas

intensive language training project?

Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make

a Grant?

664.30 How does the Secretary evaluate an

application?

664.31 What selection criteria does the

Secretary use?

664.32 What priorities may the Secretary

establish?

664.33 What costs does the Secretary pay?

Subpart D—What Conditions Must Be Met

by a Grantee?

664.40 Can participation in a FulbrightHays Group Projects Abroad be

terminated?

Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), unless

otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General

§ 664.1 What is the Fulbright-Hays Group

Projects Abroad Program?

(a) The Fulbright-Hays Group Projects

Abroad Program is designed to

contribute to the development and

improvement of the study of modern

foreign languages and area studies in the

United States by providing

opportunities for teachers, students, and

faculty to study in foreign countries.

(b) Under the program, the Secretary

awards grants to eligible institutions,

departments, and organizations to

conduct overseas group projects in

research, training, and curriculum

development.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.2 Who is eligible to apply for

assistance under the Fulbright-Hays Group

Projects Abroad Program?

The following are eligible to apply for

assistance under this part:

(a) Institutions of higher education;

(b) State departments of education;

(c) Private non-profit educational

organizations; and

(d) Consortia of institutions,

departments, and organizations

described in paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) of

this section.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.3 Who is eligible to participate in

projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays

Group Projects Abroad Program?

An individual is eligible to participate

in a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects

Abroad, if the individual—

(a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the

United States; or

(2) Is a permanent resident of the

United States; and

(b)(1) Is a faculty member who teaches

modern foreign languages or area

studies in an institution of higher

education;

(2) Is a teacher in an elementary or

secondary school;

(3) Is an experienced education

administrator responsible for planning,

conducting, or supervising programs in

modern foreign languages or area

studies at the elementary, secondary, or

postsecondary level; or

(4) Is a graduate student, or a junior

or senior in an institution of higher

education, who plans a teaching career

in modern foreign languages or area

studies.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.4 What regulations apply to the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program?

The following regulations apply to

this program:

(a) The regulations in this part 664;

and

(b) The Education Department

General Administrative Regulations

(EDGAR) (34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, and

81).

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1),

2456(a)(2))

§ 664.5 What definitions apply to the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Program?

(a) Definitions in EDGAR. The

following terms used in this part are

defined in 34 CFR Part 77:

Applicant

Application

Award

EDGAR

Equipment

Facilities

Grant

Grantee

Nonprofit

Project

Private

Public

Secretary

State

State educational agency

Supplies

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

(b) Definitions that apply to this

program: The following definitions

apply to the Fulbright-Hays Group

Projects Abroad Program:

Area studies means a program of

comprehensive study of the aspects of a

society or societies, including the study

of their geography, history, culture,

economy, politics, international

relations, and languages.

Binational commission means an

educational and cultural commission

established, through an agreement

between the United States and either a

foreign government or an international

organization, to carry out functions in

connection with the program covered by

this part.

Institution of higher education means

an educational institution in any State

which—

(1) Admits as regular students only

persons having a certificate of

graduation from a school providing

secondary education, or the recognized

equivalent of such a certificate;

(2) Is legally authorized within such

State to provide a program of education

beyond secondary education;

(3) Provides an educational program

for which it awards a bachelor’s degree

or provides not less than a two-year

program which is acceptable for full

credit toward such a degree;

(4) Is a public or other nonprofit

institution; and

(5) Is accredited by a nationally

recognized accrediting agency or

association.

J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board means the

presidentially appointed board which is

responsible for supervision of the

program covered by this part.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules 33775

Subpart B—What Kinds of Projects

Does the Secretary Assist Under This

Program?

§ 664.10 What kinds of projects does the

Secretary assist?

The Secretary assists projects which

are designed to develop or improve

programs in modern foreign language or

area studies at the elementary,

secondary, or postsecondary level by

supporting overseas projects in research,

training, and curriculum development

by groups of individuals engaged in a

common endeavor. Projects may

include, as described in §§ 664.11

through 664.14, short-term seminars,

curriculum development teams, group

research or study, and advanced

intensive language programs.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.11 What is a short-term seminar

project?

A short-term seminar project is—

(a) Designed to help integrate

international studies into an

institution’s or school system’s general

curriculum; and

(b) Normally four to six weeks in

length and focuses on a particular

aspect of area study, such as, for

example, the culture of the area or a

portion of the culture.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.12 What is a curriculum

development project?

(a) A curriculum development

project—

(1) Is designed to permit faculty and

administrators in institutions of higher

education and elementary and

secondary schools, and administrators

in State departments of education the

opportunity to spend generally from

four to eight weeks in a foreign country

acquiring resource materials for

curriculum development in modern

foreign language and area studies; and

(2) Must provide for the systematic

use and dissemination in the United

States of the acquired materials.

(b) For the purpose of this section,

resource materials include artifacts,

books, documents, educational films,

museum reproductions, recordings, and

other instructional material.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.13 What is a group research or study

project?

(a)(1) A group research or study

project is designed to permit a group of

faculty of an institution of higher

education and graduate and

undergraduate students to undertake

research or study in a foreign country.

(2) The period of research or study in

a foreign country is generally from three

to twelve months.

(b) As a prerequisite to participating

in a research or training project,

participants—

(1) Must possess the requisite

language proficiency to conduct the

research or study, and disciplinary

competence in their area of research;

and

(2) In a project of a semester or longer,

shall have completed, at a minimum,

one semester of intensive language

training and one course in area studies

relevant to the projects.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

§ 664.14 What is an advanced overseas

intensive language training project?

(a)(1) An advanced overseas intensive

language project is designed to take

advantage of the opportunities present

in the foreign country that are not

present in the United States when

providing intensive advanced foreign

language training.

(2) Project activities may be carried

out during a full year, an academic year,

a semester, a trimester, a quarter, or a

summer.

(3) Generally, language training must

be given at the advanced level, i.e., at

the level equivalent to that provided to

students who have successfully

completed two academic years of

language training.

(4) The language to be studied must

be indigenous to the host country and

maximum use must be made of local

institutions and personnel.

(b) Generally, participants in projects

under this program must have

successfully completed at least two

academic years of training in the

language to be studied.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6))

Subpart C—How Does the Secretary

Make a Grant?

§ 664.30 How does the Secretary evaluate

an application?

(a) The Secretary evaluates an

application for a Group Project Abroad

under the criteria in § 664.31.

(b) In general, the Secretary awards up

to 95 possible points for these criteria.

However, if priority criteria are used,

the Secretary awards up to 110 possible

points. The maximum possible points

for each criterion are shown in

parentheses.

(c) All selections by the Secretary are

subject to review and final approval by

the J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board.

(d) The Secretary does not

recommend a project to the J. William

Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board if

the applicant proposes to carry it out in

a country in which the United States

does not have diplomatic

representation.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456)

§ 664.31 What selection criteria does the

Secretary use?

The Secretary uses the criteria in this

section to evaluate applications for the

purpose of recommending to the J.

William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship

Board projects for funding under this

part. The criteria are weighted and may

total 105 points:

(a) Plan of operation. (Maximum 25

points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each

application for information to determine

the quality of the plan of operation for

the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for

information that shows—

(i) High quality in the design of the

project;

(ii) An effective plan of management

that insures proper and efficient

administration of the project;

(iii) A clear description of how the

objectives of the project relate to the

purpose of the program;

(iv) The way the applicant plans to

use its resources and personnel to

achieve each objective; and

(v) A clear description of how the

applicant will ensure that project

participants who are otherwise eligible

to participate are selected without

regard to race, color, national origin,

gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(b) Quality of key personnel.

(Maximum 15 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each

application for information to determine

the quality of key personnel the

applicant plans to use on the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for

information that shows—

(i) The qualifications of the project

director;

(ii) The qualifications of each of the

other key personnel to be used in the

project;

(iii) The time that each person

referred to in paragraphs (b)(2) (i) and

(ii) of this section will commit to the

project; and

(iv) The extent to which the applicant,

as part of its nondiscriminatory

employment practices, will ensure that

its personnel are selected for

employment without regard to race,

color, national origin, gender, age, or

handicapping condition.

(3) To determine the qualifications of

a person, the Secretary considers

evidence of past experience and training

in fields related to the objectives of the
33776 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Proposed Rules

project as well as other information that

the applicant provides.

(c) Budget and cost effectiveness.

(Maximum 10 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each

application for information that shows

that the project has an adequate budget

and is cost effective.

(2) The Secretary looks for

information that shows—

(i) The budget for the project is

adequate to support the project

activities; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to

the objectives of the project.

(d) Evaluation plan. (Maximum 10

points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each

application for information that shows

the quality of the evaluation plan for the

project.

(2) The Secretary looks for

information that shows that the methods

of evaluation are appropriate for the

project and, to the extent possible, are

objective and produce data that are

quantifiable.

(e) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum

5 points).

(1) The Secretary reviews each

application for information that shows

that the applicant plans to devote

adequate resources to the project.

(2) The Secretary looks for

information that shows that the

facilities, equipment, and supplies that

the applicant plans to use are adequate.

(f) Specific program criteria.

(Maximum 30 points).

(1) In addition to the general selection

criteria contained in this section, the

Secretary reviews each application for

information that shows that the project

meets the specific program criteria.

(2) The Secretary looks for

information that shows—

(i) The potential impact of the project

on the development of the study of

modern foreign languages and area

studies in American education.

(Maximum 15 points).

(ii) The project’s relevance to the

applicant’s educational goals and its

relationship to its program development

in modern foreign languages and area

studies. (Maximum 5 points).

(iii) The extent to which direct

experience abroad is necessary to

achieve the project’s objectives and the

effectiveness with which relevant host

country resources will be utilized.

(Maximum 10 points).

(g) Priorities. (Maximum 15 points)

The Secretary looks for information that

shows the extent to which the project

addresses program priorities in the field

of modern foreign languages and area

studies for that year.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6); 2456(a)(2))

§ 664.32 What priorities may the Secretary

establish?

(a) The Secretary may establish for

each funding competition one or more

of the following priorities:

(1) Categories of projects described in

§ 664.10.

(2) Specific languages, topics,

countries or geographic regions of the

world; for example, Chinese and Arabic,

Curriculum Development in

Multicultural Education and Transitions

from Planned Economies to Market

Economies, Brazil and Nigeria, Middle

East and South Asia.

(3) Levels of education; for example,

elementary and secondary,

postsecondary, or postgraduate.

(b) The Secretary announces any

priorities in the application notice

published in the Federal Register.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456(a)(2))

§ 664.33 What costs does the Secretary

pay?

(a) The Secretary pays only part of the

cost of a project funded under this part.

Other than travel costs, the Secretary

does not pay any of the costs for projectrelated expenses within the United

States.

(b) The Secretary pays the cost of the

following—

(1) A maintenance stipend related to

the cost of living in the host country or

countries;

(2) Round-trip international travel;

(3) A local travel allowance for

necessary project-related transportation

within the country of study, exclusive of

the purchase of transportation

equipment;

(4) Purchase of project-related

artifacts, books, and other teaching

materials in the country of study;

(5) Rent for instructional facilities in

the country of study;

(6) Clerical and professional services

performed by resident instructional

personnel in the country of study; and

(7) Other expenses in the country of

study, if necessary for the project’s

success and approved in advance by the

Secretary.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2454(e)(1))

Subpart D—What Conditions Must Be

Met by a Grantee?

§ 664.40 Can participation in a FulbrightHays Group Projects Abroad be

terminated?

(a) Participation may be terminated

only by the J. William Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board upon the

recommendation of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary may recommend a

termination of participation on the basis

of failure by the grantee to ensure that

participants adhere to the standards of

conduct adopted by the J. William

Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6), 2456, Policy

Statements of the J. William Fulbright

Foreign Scholarship Board, 1990)

[FR Doc. 98–16266 Filed 6–18–98; 8:45 am]

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