reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 2. Guaranteed Student Loan Program › §18C-2-3. Authority to Buy and Sell Certain Student Obligations; Undertakings Not to Constitute State Debt; Undertakings Limited to Available Funds

In order to facilitate the education of residents in this state and promote the industrial and economic development of the state, the governing boards are hereby authorized and empowered to buy and sell obligations of students who are residents of West Virginia, and who have been residents of this state for at least one year and are students or have been accepted as students at state supported or private institutions of higher education, or vocational schools accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or by a state agency designated by the Governor and representing loans made to such students who have met the requirement of financial need as determined by the governing boards, such loans having been made for the purpose of an education.
No act or undertaking of the governing boards shall be deemed to constitute a debt of the state or of any political subdivision thereof or a pledge of the faith and credit of the state or of any such political subdivision, and shall be payable solely from the funds of the governing boards specifically appropriated for the guaranteed student loan program. All such acts and undertakings shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the effect that neither the state nor the governing boards shall be obligated to pay the same or the interest thereon except from revenues of the governing boards and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the state or of any political subdivision thereof is pledged to the payment of the principal of or the interest on such acts and undertakings.
All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this article dealing with the guaranteed student loan program shall be payable solely from funds provided for the purpose and no liability or obligation shall be incurred by the governing boards hereunder beyond the extent to which money shall have been provided under the applicable provisions of this article for the guaranteed student loan program.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 2. Guaranteed Student Loan Program › §18C-2-4. Powers and Duties of Senior Administrator Regarding Loan Program

The senior administrator acting under direction of the governing boards is hereby authorized and empowered:
(1) To fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect fees for its acts and undertakings;
(2) To establish rules concerning the acts and undertakings;
(3) To acquire, hold and dispose of personal property in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties;
(4) To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this article;
(5) To employ in its discretion such employees as it may deem necessary to carry out its powers and duties as enumerated in this article;
(6) To receive and accept from any federal or private agency, corporation, association or person, grants to be expended in accomplishing the objectives of this article and to receive and accept from the state, from any municipality, county or other political subdivision thereof and from any other source, aid or contributions of either money, property, or other things of value to be held, used and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions may be made;
(7) To sue and be sued as provided by law;
(8) To do all other acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted by the provisions of this article which relate to the guaranteed student loan program. Nothing in this article shall be construed to empower the governing boards to engage in the business of banking or insurance.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 2. Guaranteed Student Loan Program › §18C-2-6. Acquisition of Contingent Interests in Obligations From Lending Institutions; Collection of Delinquent Obligations

With funds available to the governing boards for purposes other than the payment of compensation to personnel and the lease or rental of offices or equipment, the governing boards may acquire from any bank or other lending institution of this state a contingent interest in student obligations. The total contingent interest of the governing boards on all such obligations shall not exceed at any one time a sum of twelve and one-half times the total funds which the governing boards can employ to acquire such contingent interests. When a governing board acquires any such contingent interest, it may require the payment to it of a portion of the interest payable upon any such obligation. In each such acquisition, the governing board shall provide that at such time as the obligation becomes delinquent, the bank or other lending institution shall notify the governing board forthwith and shall transfer forthwith to the governing board, by assignment or otherwise, an interest in such obligation equal to the contingent interest of the governing board therein. The bank or other lending institution and the governing board shall forthwith take such steps as may be necessary to recover the balance due upon any such obligation, and such recovery shall be apportioned between the governing board and the bank or other lending institution as their respective interests may appear.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 2. Guaranteed Student Loan Program › §18C-2-7. Terms of Acquisitions

Each governing board shall prescribe the terms, conditions and limitations upon which it will acquire a contingent or direct interest in any obligation and such terms, conditions and limitations shall include, but without limiting the generality thereof, the terms for payment of principal and interest, applicable life or other insurance which may be required in connection with any such obligation and who shall pay the premiums thereon, the safekeeping of assets pledged to secure any such undertaking, and any and all matters in connection with the foregoing as will protect the assets of the governing board.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 2. Guaranteed Student Loan Program › §18C-2-8. Trust Fund Established; Limitations on Use of Fund; Duties of Treasurer in Connection Therewith; Special Account Created

The appropriation made to the governing boards under the provisions of this article which relate to the guaranteed student loan program shall be used exclusively for the purpose of acquiring contingent or vested rights in obligations which it may acquire under this article, and such appropriation, payments, revenue and interest, as well as other income received in connection with such obligations, is hereby established as a trust fund. Such fund shall be used for the purposes of the governing boards other than for maintenance and operation.
The maintenance and operating expenses of the governing board shall be paid from funds specifically appropriated for such purposes. No part of the trust fund established under this section shall be expended for such purposes.
The governing board shall be the trustee of the trust fund hereby created, and all investments to be made from the assets of such trust shall be made by the state Treasurer in the manner provided by law. For the purposes of this article, there is hereby created in the treasury of this state a special revolving account for deposits and withdrawals as herein provided. The State Treasurer shall be the custodian of the assets of the board. All payments from the accounts thereof shall be made by the treasurer upon warrants issued by the Auditor and upon vouchers signed by such persons as are designated by the governing board. A duly attested copy of a resolution of the governing board designating such persons shall be filed with the state Treasurer as the authority for issuing warrants upon such vouchers.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 3. Health Professionals Student Loan Programs › §18C-3-2. State Aid for Students of Optometry

The board of trustees is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with an educational institution or institutions outside the state that offer training in optometry, by the terms of which the board of trustees may obligate itself to pay the institution, within the limits of any appropriation made for the purpose, a stated amount per year for each West Virginia student the institution will agree to accept for training in optometry.
The board of trustees shall each year send to any such institution a certified list of all persons applying to the trustees for training in optometry who are bona fide citizens and residents of this state prior to the filing of their applications, and who have completed either within or without the state the course of study required by the institution as a prerequisite to the study of optometry.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 4. Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program › §18C-4-3. Scholarship Agreement

(a) Each recipient of an Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award shall enter into an agreement with the Vice Chancellor for Administration under which the recipient shall meet the following conditions:
(1) Provide the commission with evidence of compliance with §18C-4-4(a) of this code;
(2) Beginning within one year after completing the teacher education program for which the scholarship was awarded, teach full-time in a critical teacher shortage field at the elementary, middle or secondary level, under contract with a county board of education in a public education program in the state, for a period of not fewer than five consecutive years for the four academic years. Any teaching time accrued during the required five-year period as a substitute teacher for a county board of education in a critical teacher shortage field at the elementary, middle or secondary level shall be credited pro rata in accordance with rules promulgated by the commission; or
(3) Repay all or part of an Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award received under this article plus interest and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees in accordance with §18C-4-4 of this code.
(b) Scholarship agreements shall disclose fully the terms and conditions under which assistance under this article is provided and under which repayment may be required. The agreements shall include the following:
(1) A description of the conditions and procedures to be established under §18C-4-4 of this code; and
(2) A description of the appeals procedure required to be established under §18C-4-4 of this code.
(c) The scholarship terms, conditions, requirements, and agreements applicable to an Underwood-Smith teacher scholarship recipient prior to the effective date of this section shall continue in effect and are not altered by the reenactment of this section during the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 4. Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program › §18C-4-4. Renewal Conditions; Noncompliance; Deferral; Excusal

(a) The recipient of an Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award is eligible for scholarship renewal only during those periods when the recipient meets the following conditions:
(1) Is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited institution of higher education in this state;
(2) Is pursuing a program of study leading to teacher certification in a critical teacher shortage field at the elementary, middle or secondary level;
(3) Is maintaining satisfactory progress as determined by the institution of higher education the recipient is attending;
(4) Is maintaining a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; and
(5) Is complying with such other standards as the commission may establish by rule.
(b) Recipients found to be in noncompliance with the agreement entered into under §18C-4-3 of this code shall be required to repay the amount of the scholarship awards received, plus interest, and, where applicable, reasonable collection fees, on a schedule and at a rate of interest prescribed in the program guidelines. Guidelines also shall provide for proration of the amount to be repaid by a recipient who teaches for part of the period required under §18C-4-3(a) of this code and for appeal procedures under which a recipient may appeal any determination of noncompliance.
(c) A recipient is not in violation of the agreement entered into under §18C-4-3 of this code during any period in which the recipient is meeting any of the following conditions:
(1) Pursuing a full-time course of study at an accredited institution of higher education;
(2) Serving, not in excess of four years, as a member of the armed services of the United States;
(3) Satisfying the provisions of any repayment exemptions that may be prescribed by the commission by rule; or
(4) Failing to comply with the terms of the agreement due to death or permanent or temporary disability as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.
(d) The rules adopted by the commission may provide guidelines under which the Vice Chancellor for Administration may extend the time period for beginning or fulfilling the teaching obligation if extenuating circumstances exist.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 4. Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program › §18C-4-5. Amount and Duration of Scholarship; Relation to Other Assistance

(a) An Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award shall be used in preparation for becoming an elementary, middle or secondary teacher in a critical teacher shortage field in the public schools of this state. Each award shall be in the amount of $10,000 annually, and is available for a maximum of four academic years for the completion of a bachelors degree.
(b) An individual may not receive a scholarship award under this article which exceeds the cost of attendance at the institution the individual is attending. The cost of attendance shall be based upon the actual cost of tuition and fees, and reasonable allowances for books, educational supplies, room and board and other expenses necessitated by individual circumstances, in accordance with the program guidelines. For the purposes of establishing an award amount, the Vice Chancellor for Administration shall take into account the amount of financial aid assistance the recipient has or will receive from all other sources. If the amount of the Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award and the amount of scholarship and grant awards which the recipient has received from all other sources exceed the cost of attendance, the institutions financial aid officer, in consultation with the scholar, will determine what aid is to be reduced and shall do so in a manner to the best advantage of the scholar.
(c) The amendments to this article during the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature shall be effective for academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2019, and the provisions of this article existing immediately prior to the 2019 first extraordinary session of the Legislature remain in effect for academic years beginning prior to July 1, 2019.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 4A. Teacher Education Loan Repayment Program › §18C-4A-1. Selection Criteria and Procedures for Loan Assistance; Effective Date

(a) The Higher Education Student Financial Aid Advisory Board created by §18C-1-5 of this code shall select recipients to receive Teacher Education Loan Repayment Program awards. The advisory board shall make decisions regarding loan repayment awards pursuant to §18C-4-1 of this code and rules of the commission.
(b) To be eligible for a loan repayment award, an applicant shall currently be employed in a public school in this state as a teacher in a critical teacher shortage field or as a school counselor at the elementary, middle or secondary level in a school or geographic area of the state identified as an area of critical need for such field.
(c) In accordance with the rule promulgated pursuant to §18C-4-1 of this code, the Vice Chancellor for Administration shall develop additional eligibility criteria and procedures for the administration of the loan repayment program.
(d) The Vice Chancellor for Administration shall make available program application forms to public and private schools in the state via the website of the commission and the State Department of Education and in other locations convenient to potential applicants.
(e) The amendments to this article during the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature shall be effective for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2020, and the provisions of this article existing immediately prior to the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature remain in effect for school years beginning prior to July 1, 2020.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 4A. Teacher Education Loan Repayment Program › §18C-4A-2. Teacher Education Loan Repayment Agreement

(a) Before receiving a loan repayment award, each eligible applicant shall enter into an agreement with the Vice Chancellor for Administration and shall meet the following criteria:
(1) Provide the commission with evidence of compliance with §18C-4-4 of this code;
(2) Agree to be employed full time under contract with a county board of education for a period of two school years as a teacher in a critical teacher shortage field or as a school counselor at the elementary, middle or secondary level in a school or geographic area of critical need for such field for each year for which a loan repayment assistance award is received pursuant to this article. The Vice Chancellor for Administration may grant a partial award to an eligible recipient whose contract term is for less than a full school year pursuant to criteria established by commission rule;
(3) Acknowledge that an award is to be paid to the recipients student loan institution, not directly to the recipient, and only after the commission determines that the recipient has complied with all terms of the agreement; and
(4) Agree to repay all or part of an award received pursuant to this article if the award is not paid to the student loan institution or if the recipient does not comply with the other terms of the agreement.
(b) Each loan repayment agreement shall disclose fully the terms and conditions under which an award may be granted pursuant to this article and under which repayment may be required. The agreement also is subject to and shall include the terms and conditions established by §18C-4-5 of this code.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 4A. Teacher Education Loan Repayment Program › §18C-4A-3. Amount and Duration of Loan Repayment Awards; Limits

(a) Each award recipient is eligible to receive loan assistance in an amount determined annually by the commission based upon available funds, but not less than $3,000 annually in an amount determined annually by the commission based upon available funds, and subject to limits set forth in subsection (b) of this section, if the recipient:
(1) Has been employed for a full school year under contract with a county board of education as a teacher in a critical teacher shortage field or as a school counselor at the elementary, middle or secondary level in a school or geographic area of critical need; and
(2) Otherwise has complied with the terms of the agreement and with applicable provisions of this article and §18C-4-1 et seq. of this code, and any rules promulgated pursuant thereto.
(b) The recipient is eligible for renewal of a loan repayment assistance award only during periods when the recipient complies with other criteria and conditions established by rule, and is under contract with a county board of education as a teacher in a critical teacher shortage field or as a school counselor at the elementary, middle or secondary level, in a school or geographic area of critical need in such field.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 5. Higher Education Grant Program › §18C-5-1. Grant Program Established; Legislative Purpose and Intent; Rule Required

(a) The Higher Education Grant Program is continued.
(b) It is the policy of the Legislature and the purpose of this article to continue the Higher Education Grant Program within the limits of appropriations made therefor from time to time for such purpose by the Legislature.
(1) The Grant Program is designed to guarantee that the most able and needy students from all sectors of the state are given the opportunity to continue their program of self-improvement in an approved institution of higher education of their choice located in this state.
(2) The Grant Program is a vitally important source of financial assistance for needy residents of the state; and
(3) The Grant Program aids lower income students to realize their full academic potential;
(c) Therefore, in recent years the state has substantially increased appropriations to need-based student financial aid programs.
(d) The commission, in consultation with the council and the advisory board, shall propose a legislative rule in accordance with the provisions of article three-a, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, to implement the provisions of this article. The commission shall file the rule with the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability no later than September 1, 2006. The rule shall address administration of the grant program, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Eligibility criteria for awards;
(2) Coordination with other student financial aid programs; and
(3) Appeal procedures.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 5. Higher Education Grant Program › §18C-5-2. Definitions

(a) "Approved institution of higher education" means:
(1) A state institution of higher education as defined in section two, article one, chapter eighteen-b of this code; Alderson-Broaddus College, Appalachian Bible College, Bethany College, Mountain State University, Davis and Elkins College, Ohio Valley University, Salem International University, the University of Charleston, West Virginia Wesleyan College and Wheeling Jesuit University, all in West Virginia; and
(2) Any other regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education in this state, public or private, approved by the vice chancellor if the institution has been licensed for a minimum of fifteen years subject to the provisions of section nine, article two-b, chapter eighteen-b of this code and section six, article two-b of said chapter.
(b) "Grant" or "grant program" means a higher education grant or the higher education grant program authorized and established by the provisions of this article.
(c) "Senior administrator" and "vice chancellor" mean the Vice Chancellor for Administration, as provided in section two, article four, chapter eighteen-b of this code.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 5. Higher Education Grant Program › §18C-5-3. Grant Program Administered by Vice Chancellor for Administration; Higher Education Grant Fund Created

(a) The grant program established in this article is administered by the Vice Chancellor for Administration.
(b) There is hereby created a special revenue fund in the state Treasury which is designated and known as the "Higher Education Grant Fund".
(1) The fund consists of:
(A) All appropriations by the Legislature for the higher education grant program;
(B) Any gifts, grants or contributions received for the higher education grant program; and
(C) All interest or other income earned from investment of the fund.
(2) The fund does not consist of federal funds received nor higher education resource assessment funds received pursuant to section two, article ten, chapter eighteen-b of this code.
(3) Any moneys remaining in the fund at the close of the fiscal year are carried forward for use in the next fiscal year.
(4) The allocations to the fund are subject to appropriation by the Legislature.
(5) Nothing in this article requires any specific level of funding by the Legislature nor guarantees nor entitles any individual to any benefit or grant of funds.
(c) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, it is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate $25,000,000 for the grant program. For each fiscal year thereafter until and including the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, it is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate two percent more than each prior year's appropriation for the grant program. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, and in each fiscal year thereafter, it is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate an amount for the grant program equal to the amount appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011.
(d) The vice chancellor may expend the moneys in the fund to implement the provisions of this article.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 5. Higher Education Grant Program › §18C-5-4. Powers and Duties of Vice Chancellor for Administration

Subject to the provisions of this article and within the limits of appropriations made by the Legislature, the vice chancellor may:
(1) Prepare and supervise the issuance of public information concerning the grant program;
(2) Prescribe the form and regulate the submission of applications for grants;
(3) Select qualified recipients of grants;
(4) Award grants;
(5) Accept grants, gifts, bequests and devises of real and personal property for the purposes of the grant program;
(6) Administer federal and state financial loan programs;
(7) Cooperate with approved institutions of higher education in the state and their governing boards in the administration of the grant program;
(8) Make the final decision pertaining to residency of an applicant for grant or renewal of grant;
(9) Employ, fix the duties of and compensate such employees as may be necessary to assist the vice chancellor in the performance of his or her duties; and
(10) Administer the higher education adult part-time student grant program established in section seven of this article.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 5. Higher Education Grant Program › §18C-5-5. Eligibility for a Grant

A person is eligible for consideration for a grant if the person:
(1) Is a citizen of the United States;
(2) Has been a resident of the state for one year immediately preceding the date of application for a grant;
(3) Meets the admission requirements of, and is admitted into, the approved institution of higher education to which admission is sought; and
(4) Satisfactorily meets the qualifications of financial need, academic promise and academic achievement established by the vice chancellor.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 5. Higher Education Grant Program › §18C-5-6. Recipients, Awards and Distribution of Grant Awards; Authority of Vice Chancellor to Enter Into Reciprocal Agreements With Other States Concerning Grants

(a) A grant recipient may attend any approved institution of higher education. An institution is not required to accept a grant recipient for enrollment, but may exact compliance with its own admission requirements, standards and policies.
(b) Grants may only be awarded to undergraduate students.
(c) Each grant is renewable until the course of study is completed, but not to exceed an additional three academic years beyond the first year of the award. The academic years are not required to be consecutive years, and the grant will be terminated if the student receives a bachelor's degree in a shorter period of time.
(d) Qualifications for renewal include the following, as determined by the vice chancellor:
(1) Maintaining satisfactory academic standing;
(2) Making normal progress toward completion of the course of study; and
(3) Continued eligibility.
(e) Grants are awarded:
(1) Without regard to the applicant's race, creed, color, sex, national origin or ancestry; and
(2) In accordance with the provisions of this article.
(f) The vice chancellor shall treat all approved institutions of higher education in a fair and equitable manner when awarding grants.
(g) The vice chancellor periodically shall identify areas of professional, vocational and technical expertise that are, or will become, of critical need in this state. To the extent feasible the vice chancellor may direct grants to students who are pursuing instruction in those areas.
(h) The vice chancellor may enter into reciprocal agreements with state grant and grant program agencies in other states which provide financial assistance to their residents attending institutions of higher education located in West Virginia. In connection therewith, the vice chancellor may authorize residents of West Virginia to use financial assistance under this article to attend institutions of higher education in such other states. Residents of West Virginia requesting financial assistance to attend institutions of higher education located in any such state must meet all of the eligibility standards set forth in section five of this article.
(i) Grant awards may not exceed the cost of the tuition and those related compulsory fees charged by an institution to all West Virginia undergraduate students.
(j) Grant payments are made directly to the institution.
(k) In the event that a grant recipient transfers from one approved institution of higher education to another, the grant is transferable only with the approval of the vice chancellor.
(l) If a recipient terminates enrollment for any reason during the academic year, the unused portion of the grant shall be returned by the institution to the commission in accordance with the commission's policy for issuing refunds. The commission shall transfer such funds to the appropriate account for allocation and expenditure pursuant to the provisions of this article.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 6. West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship Program › §18C-6-2. Definitions

When used in this article the following terms have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(a) "ABET" means the accrediting board for engineering and technology.
(b) "ABET approved engineering major" means a major approved by ABET's engineering accreditation commission.
(c) "ABET approved technology major" means a major approved by ABET's technology accreditation commission.
(d) "Eligible institution of higher education" means:
(1) A state institution of higher education as defined in section two, article one, chapter eighteen-b of this code; and (2) Alderson-Broaddus College, Appalachian Bible College, Bethany College, the College of West Virginia, Davis and Elkins College, Ohio Valley College, Salem-Teikyo College, the University of Charleston, West Virginia Wesleyan College and Wheeling Jesuit College, all in West Virginia, and any other institution of higher education in this state, public or private, approved by the senior administrator: Provided, That if any institution listed in this paragraph is not regionally accredited, it shall not be included as an eligible institution;
(e) "Engineering, science and technology-related field" means any position for which the employer provides a written statement that engineering, science or technology skill, knowledge and ability, as evidenced by the attainment of a certificate, associate or baccalaureate degree in engineering, science or technology, are preferred or required or where an industry-based certification requirement exists.
(f) "Industry-based certification" means any special certification required, necessary or deemed preferred for employment in the field.
(g) "Science" means a major in biology, chemistry, computer science, physics or mathematics at an eligible institution of higher education or any other major as approved by the higher education governing boards by rule.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 6. West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship Program › §18C-6-4. Scholarship Agreement

(a) Each recipient of a West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship shall enter into an agreement with the senior administrator under which the recipient shall:
(1) Provide the governing boards with evidence of compliance with subsection (a), section five of this article;
(2) Agree that within one year following the date the recipient ceases to be a full-time student at an eligible institution in a program of engineering, science or technology education for which the scholarship was awarded he or she will:
(A) Begin working full-time in an engineering, science or technology-related field in this state for a duration of not less than one year for each year the scholarship was received; or
(B) Begin repayment of all or part of the West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship received under this article plus interest and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees, in accordance with subsection (b), section five-b of this article, except as provided in subsections (c) and (d), section five of this article.
(b) A scholarship agreement shall disclose fully the terms and conditions of this article under which the scholarship is provided and under which repayment of the scholarship may be required.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 6. West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship Program › §18C-6-5. Renewal Conditions; Noncompliance; Deferral; Excusal

(a) The recipient of a West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship is eligible for scholarship renewal if the recipient is:
(1) Enrolled as a full-time student in an eligible institution of higher education;
(2) Pursuing a course of study leading to a certificate, associate or baccalaureate degree in engineering, science or technology or leading to specialized certification as established by industry-based standards;
(3) Maintaining satisfactory progress as determined by the eligible institution of higher education the recipient is attending; and
(4) Complying with any other standards established by the governing boards by rule.
(b) A recipient who violates a scholarship agreement is required to repay the amount of any scholarship award received, plus interest, and, where applicable, reasonable collection fees, on a schedule and at a rate of interest prescribed in the guidelines of the senior administrator. The legislative rules required in section one of this article shall provide for a method of prorating repayment amounts against any amount of the work requirement that has been fulfilled by the recipient.
(c) A recipient is not in violation of the agreement entered into under section three of this article during any period in which the recipient is:
(1) Pursuing a full-time course of study at an accredited institution of higher education;
(2) Serving as a member of the armed services of the United States for a period not in excess of four years; or
(3) Satisfying the provisions of additional repayment exemptions that may be prescribed by the governing boards by rule.
(d) A recipient is excused from repayment of a West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship received under this article if the recipient dies or becomes permanently and totally disabled as established by sworn affidavit of a physician qualified to make such a determination as determined by the rules established by the governing boards.
(e) The rules adopted by the governing boards shall provide that the length of the repayment period may not exceed ten years: Provided, That the rules may include provisions under which the senior administrator may, if extenuating circumstances exist, extend the period for fulfilling the obligation to fifteen years.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 6. West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship Program › §18C-6-6. Amount and Duration of Scholarship; Relation to Other Assistance

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, each recipient of a West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship is eligible to receive an award of up to $3,000 for each academic year of higher education. No individual may receive a scholarship award for more than four academic years for the completion of a baccalaureate degree.
(b) No individual may receive a scholarship award under this article which exceeds the cost of attendance at the institution the individual is attending. The cost of attendance shall be based upon the actual cost of tuition and fees. If the amount of the West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship award and the amount of financial assistance which the recipient has received from all other sources exceed the cost of attendance, the institution's financial aid officer, in consultation with the recipient, will determine which source of financial aid is to be reduced and shall do so in a manner to the best advantage of the recipient.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 7. West Virginia Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-State Student Excellence Scholarship Program › §18C-7-2. Legislative Findings and Purpose

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that:
(1) West Virginia must have an educated work force in order to attract and retain the high wage, high skill jobs of the twenty-first century;
(2) A large percentage of West Virginia residents who graduate from the state's colleges and universities do not work in the state following graduation;
(3) The percentage of West Virginia's adult population over the age of twenty-five with at least a baccalaureate degree is less than fifteen percent and does not compare favorably with the member states of the Southern Regional Education Board average nor with the national average of twenty-five percent;
(4) Higher levels of education attainment result in higher levels of personal income over a lifetime;
(5) Students who acquire a baccalaureate degree will earn an estimated $1 million more over their lifetimes than those who attain only a high school diploma. This translates into an increased tax base and economic development for West Virginia and more discretionary income for its citizens;
(6) Students at all education levels should have an incentive to perform at a high academic level;
(7) There is a need to provide parents with all tools possible to aid them in helping their children understand the importance of high academic achievement in high school and college;
(8) The PROMISE Scholarship Program is highly successful and should be maintained with merit as its strongest component. The merit component:
(A) Provides an incentive for students to set high academic standards in high school;
(B) Encourages students to increase their high school achievement levels;
(C) Encourages students to enroll in more rigorous courses;
(D) Effects a culture change in West Virginia towards increased education attainment;
(E) Results in improved ACT scores in the state since the inception of the program; and
(F) Influences increased numbers of students, including those students who are the highest academic achievers, to remain in West Virginia to attend college.
(b) It is the purpose of this article to continue the West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship Program to deal effectively with the findings set forth in this section.
(c) Nothing in this article guarantees:
(1) A PROMISE scholarship award or any specific amount of a PROMISE scholarship award to any student; or
(2) That the requirements necessary for a student to qualify for a PROMISE scholarship will not be changed by legislation or rule before the student is eligible to receive an award.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 7. West Virginia Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-State Student Excellence Scholarship Program › §18C-7-3. Definitions

(a) General. For the purposes of this article, terms have the meaning ascribed to them in 18C-1-2 of this code, unless the context in which the term is used clearly requires a different meaning or a specific definition is provided in this section.
(b) Definitions. (1) "Eligible institution" means:
(A) A state institution of higher education as defined in 18B-1-2 of this code;
(B) Alderson-Broaddus University, Appalachian Bible College, Bethany College, Davis and Elkins College, the University of Charleston, West Virginia Wesleyan College and Wheeling University, all in West Virginia. Any institution listed in this subdivision ceases to be an eligible institution if it meets either of the following conditions:
(i) It loses regional accreditation; or
(ii) It changes its status as a private, not-for-profit institution;
(C) West Virginia Junior College; and
(D) Any other public or private regionally accredited institution in this state approved by the commission.
(2) "Tuition" means the quarter, semester or term charges imposed by an eligible state institution of higher education and, additionally, all mandatory fees required as a condition of enrollment by all students. For the purposes of this article, the following conditions apply:
(A) West Virginia University, Potomac State College and West Virginia University Institute of Technology are considered separate institutions for purposes of determining tuition rates; and
(B) The tuition amount paid by undergraduate health sciences students at West Virginia University is considered to be the same as the amount of tuition paid by all other West Virginia University undergraduate students.
(3) "Enrolled" means either currently enrolled or in the process of enrolling in an eligible institution.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 7. West Virginia Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-State Student Excellence Scholarship Program › §18C-7-4. Dissolution of the Promise Scholarship Board; Transfer of Funds

(a) The West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship Board is hereby dissolved.
(b) All funds administered by the former PROMISE Scholarship Board shall be administered by the Higher Education Policy Commission.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 7. West Virginia Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-State Student Excellence Scholarship Program › §18C-7-7. West Virginia Promise Scholarship Fund Continued

(a) The special revenue fund in the state Treasury designated and known as the PROMISE Scholarship Fund is continued. The fund consists of moneys from the following sources:
(1) All appropriations to the fund from the West Virginia Lottery, video lottery and taxes on amusement devices;
(2) All appropriations by the Legislature for the PROMISE Scholarship Fund;
(3) Any gifts, grants or contributions received for the PROMISE Scholarship Program; and
(4) All interest or other income earned from investment of the fund.
(b) The allocations to the fund are subject to appropriation by the Legislature. Nothing in this article requires any specific level of funding by the Legislature nor guarantees nor entitles any individual to any benefit or grant of funds.
(c) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, it is the intent of the Legislature that the aggregate of the amount of moneys transferred to the fund pursuant to section eighteen-a, article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this code, and any other amounts of public moneys that may be transferred to the fund by appropriation of the Legislature, shall equal, but may not exceed, $40 million. For each fiscal year thereafter until and including the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, it is the intent of the Legislature that this aggregate be an amount two percent greater than the aggregate established by this subsection for the prior fiscal year. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009, it is the intent of the Legislature that the aggregate of the amount of moneys transferred to the fund pursuant to section eighteen-a, article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this code and any other amounts of public moneys that may be transferred to the fund by appropriation of the Legislature shall equal $45 million. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010, it is the intent of the Legislature that the aggregate of the amount of moneys transferred to the fund shall equal $48 million. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, and every fiscal year thereafter, it is the intent of the Legislature that the aggregate of the amount of moneys transferred to the fund shall equal $47,500,000.
(d) The commission may expend the moneys in the fund to implement the provisions of this article.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18C. Student Loans; Scholarships and State Aid › Article 9. West Virginia Invests Grant Program › §18C-9-2. Legislative Findings and Purpose

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that:
(1) Every West Virginian should have access to education and training that will lead directly to quality employment opportunities within the state. In order for West Virginia to retain and attract business and industry, it must ensure that its workforce has such education and training;
(2) West Virginia currently faces a human capital crisis, as the state regularly ranks amongst the lowest states in the nation in workforce participation rates. Improving the states workforce participation rates and the level of the workforces career education is critical to economic development and making West Virginia a more prosperous state;
(3) The 2017 West Virginia Forward Report, a strategy for economic development and job growth, found that "investments in improving human capital are considered the most significant opportunity for improvement in West Virginia, especially because access to a specialized workforce is a significant factor for investment attraction…";
(4) According to the United States Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly earnings of an individual with an associates degree is approximately $6,604 more than an individual with only a high school diploma. Therefore, any investment by the state into a citizen obtaining such a degree would be repaid multiple times over through the citizens increased contributions to the economy and tax base;
(5) West Virginia is currently facing a devastating drug epidemic, and the hope that comes with increased access to career education and higher quality employment opportunities is an indispensable tool against the spread of drug addiction; and
(6) An investment by the state into increasing access to post-secondary career education will provide its citizens the hope and opportunity for better career opportunities, and provide the state with the trained workforce needed to attract significant economic development.
(b) The purpose of this article is to provide West Virginians with hope and economic prosperity by increasing access to a higher level of career education that is needed to fulfill the needs of todays workforce and provide for further economic development.