Arkansas Governor’s Scholars Program RULES AND REGULATIONS RULE 1 – ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE I. The Arkansas Department of Higher Educati...
Arkansas Governor’s Scholars Program RULES AND REGULATIONS RULE 1 – ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE I. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall administer the Governor's Scholars Program within the policies set by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board. All formal communications shall be addressed to or signed by the Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education or his/her designee. The Governor's Scholars Advisory Council shall provide advice to the Department of Higher Education regarding the administration of the program. II. Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council A. The Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council shall consist of ten members appointed by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board for staggered two-year terms and shall represent the public and private sectors of post-secondary education and secondary schools.
B. The Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council shall advise the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in the determination of guidelines and regulations for the administration of this program.
C. The Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education or his/her designee shall serve as presiding officer of the Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council and shall ensure that staff services for the Council are provided. III. The final responsibility for selecting scholarship recipients shall rest with the Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education pursuant to the provisions of Act 59 of 1983, Act 176 of 1985, Act 951 of 1989, Acts 489 and 1269 of 1997, Act 1562 of 1999, Acts 1612 and 1761 of 2001, Acts 1014, 1241 and 2197 of 2005 and subsequent legislation. IV. When functioning under Act 59 of 1983, Act 176 of 1985, Act 951 of 1989, Acts 189 and 230 of 1995, Acts 489 and 1269 of 1997, Act 1562 of 1999, Acts 1612 and 1761 of 2001, Acts 1014, 1241 and 2197 of 2005 and subsequent legislation, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall follow the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act.
RULE 2 – SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA I. Eligibility Criteria A student must meet the following requirements to be eligible to receive the 4 Governor's Scholars Award. A. The applicant must be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien. B. The applicant or one parent must be a bona fide resident of the State of Arkansas, as defined by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, for at least the six months prior to the application deadline. C. The applicant must be eligible for admission as a full-time undergraduate student and declare an intent to enroll in an eligible public or private college or university in Arkansas. An "undergraduate student" is defined as an individual who is enrolled in a post-secondary education program that leads to or is directly creditable toward the individual's first baccalaureate degree. D. The applicant must meet the minimum academic standards of a minimum high school grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or a minimum ACT composite score of 27, or a minimum SAT composite score of 1220, or be selected as a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship or National Achievement competition conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for Governor's Scholars candidacy. E. The applicant must demonstrate superior academic ability and leadership qualities. F. For students graduating after December 31, 2009, the applicant must demonstrate proficiency in the application of knowledge and skills in reading and writing literacy and mathematics by passing end-of-course examinations or by scoring at least a nineteen (19) on the applicable subscore of the ACT. II. Continued Eligibility The Governor’s Scholars scholarship shall be awarded for one academic year and renewed annually for up to three additional academic years provided the scholar maintains a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and completes a minimum of at least twelve (12) credit hours the first semester and fifteen (15) hours each semester thereafter, or the equivalent . The Governor’s Distinguished Scholars (as defined in Program Definitions) scholarship shall be awarded for one academic year and renewed annually for up to three additional academic years provided the scholar maintains a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and completes a minimum of at least twelve (12) credit hours the first semester and fifteen (15) hours each semester thereafter. Those Governor’s Distinguished Scholars who fall below the 3.25 GPA but do maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or above, shall be eligible to receive $4,000 per academic year in the remaining years of the 5 scholarship period. If the student is entering the junior year, the student must have taken the standardized rising junior test provided for in §6-61-114. An academic year consists of regular fall, winter, spring and first and second summer terms. Those recipients who complete their baccalaureate degree in less than four years may use the scholarship for postgraduate studies at any approved Arkansas higher education institution or at institutions located out of state and educating Arkansas residents in dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, or osteopathy under agreement with the Board of Control for Southern Regional Education. In no instance, may the scholarship term exceed four academic years. The scholarship shall be terminated if the scholar fails to complete a baccalaureate degree within five years from initial college entrance.
RULE 3 – APPLICATION PROCESS I. Application Application for the Governor's Scholars Program originates through the eligible student's individual initiative. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall provide Governor's Scholars applications to high school guidance counselors or principals and Arkansas higher education institutions. Applications may also be obtained upon request from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. The Governor's Scholars application shall be completed by the applicant, the applicant's parent or legal guardian, and the applicant's high school principal or counselor. Specific instructions are printed on the application and the additional instruction sheet included with the application. Applicants may withdraw from consideration for the program only through a letter from a parent or guardian that states the reason for withdrawing.
II. Submission of Applications Any interested student, who is classified as an Arkansas resident, as defined by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, planning to enroll in an eligible public or private college or university in Arkansas may apply. III. Application Deadline The Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall establish the deadline for receipt of applications for the Governor's Scholars Program each year. The deadline date shall be clearly printed on the application for the Governor's Scholars Program and in the instructions, which accompany each application. 6 All applications must be received by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education by the established deadline date in order to be considered for Governor's Scholars candidacy. It is the responsibility of the individual applicant to ensure that the application is received by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education by the deadline date.
IV. Amount of Scholarship Those students who have been designated as Governor’s Distinguished Scholars (see Program Definition) prior to December 31, 2001, under Act 489 of 1997, will be awarded funds which, when combined with the $4,000 Governor’s Scholars award, equals tuition, mandatory fees, room and board at the approved institution in which the recipient is enrolled, at the rate charged by the institution in academic year 2000-01 for a regular full-time course load. Those students who are awarded the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship after December 31, 2001 shall receive an award, which when combined with the $4,000 Governor’s Scholars award equals the lesser of (a) ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per year OR (b) tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees charged by the approved at any Arkansas public or private institution of higher education.
The Governor’s Scholars amount awarded to each recipient shall be $4,000 per year. As authorized by Act 1269 of 1997, recipients who complete a baccalaureate degree in three years or less may receive a fourth-year award if they enroll in a postgraduate program at an approved institution. In no case, however, will the recipient receive a larger scholarship than he or she received as an undergraduate Governor’s Scholar. For students who qualify for a postgraduate award by completing a bachelor’s degree in three years or less and enrolling in a postgraduate program at an approved institution, the remaining term of the Governor’s scholars award will be either the same amount received in the last undergraduate year or the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for the postgraduate program at an approved institution, whichever is less. The Governor’s Scholarship term will never exceed four academic years. RULE 4 – SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION CRITERIA I. Selection Criteria The Governor's Scholars selection criteria consist of value points for academic achievement and leadership including: ACT or SAT score, selection as a National Merit or National Achievement Finalist as conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, high school grade point average, rank in high school class, and leadership in school, community, and employment activities. Value points assigned to each selection criterion are weighted as follows:
7 ACT, SAT Score, National Merit Finalist, or National Achievement Finalist as conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation ----------------------------------------------- 40% Rank in Class --------------------------------------------- 25% Grade Point Average ------------------------------------ 25% Leadership: School & Employment ------------------------- 8% Community ------------------------------------- 2% ACT scores will be accepted only if they are from tests taken on national test dates or are administered under special conditions approved by ACT and scored by ACT.
Those applicants graduating from high school after December 31, 2001 will receive consideration only for test scores earned by December 31 prior to the application deadline. Students who score a composite 32 or above on the ACT or a combined 1410 or above on the SAT and who achieve a 3.50 cumulative high school grade point average on a 4.00 scale in addition to the 32 or 1410 to be eligible to be designated as Governor’s Distinguished Scholars. Students who are designated as National Merit Finalists or National Achievement Finalists are also eligible to be named Governor’s Distinguished Scholars.
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education has the authority to alter the weight assigned to the individual criterion to more appropriately meet the needs of the state as determined by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board. High school counselors or principals shall supply high school records to include ACT or SAT examination scores. The principal or counselor will verify the accuracy of the scores. ACT or SAT examinations may be taken more than one time. The highest composite score from any one examination shall be used. Grade point averages are computed based on academic courses only, as defined in program definitions.
The eligible student receiving the highest point total from each county, but does not meet the criteria for the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship, shall be awarded that county's Governor's Scholars Award. All students who exhibit extraordinary academic ability as defined in the program definitions, shall receive the Governor’s Distinguished Scholar award provided the total number of such awards does not exceed the maximum number specified in paragraph IIA below. Preference will be given to students who plan to enter college at the beginning of the academic year immediately following their last year of high school attendance. II. Awarding Scholarships A. Number of Governor's Scholars Awards One Governor’s Scholars award shall be made to a student in each of Arkansas' seventy-five (75) counties. Those applicants selected as county 8 winners are selected according to their county of residence, not by the county where the winner attends high school. For purposes of this program, the county of residence will be that as indicated by the student’s address shown on the applicant’s high school transcript or other official school records. If a county awardee declines the award, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education shall offer the scholarship to the applicant with the next highest point total from that county.
Students who attend high school out-of-state, but are eligible through Act 692 of 1997, shall compete in the pool for the Governor’s Distinguished Scholars award. If sufficient funding is available, up to two hundred fifty (250) new Governor’s Distinguished Scholars awards may be awarded each year. If there are more than two hundred fifty (250) applicants who meet the criteria for award of the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship, awards will be made in accordance with the selection criteria in Rule 4
, Paragraph I above. In this case, if an awardee declines the scholarship, then the award may be offered to the applicant with the next highest point total who meets the Governor’s Distinguished Scholar criteria. In no event will the total number of Governor’s Scholars and Governor’s Distinguished Scholar awards exceed three hundred twenty five (325) new awards per year. B. Notification of Awards Applicants chosen as Governor's Scholars and Distinguished Scholars shall be mailed an award packet, which includes an award notice, an acceptance form and an information sheet. The acceptance form includes the student's name, address, social security number, first institutional choice as indicated on the application, and scholarship identification number. The information sheet explains disbursement procedures and conditions of the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Award.
C. Acceptance of Awards The acceptance of the Governor's Scholars Award is accomplished by signing and returning to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education the acceptance form included in the award packet by the date indicated on the acceptance form. The date by which the acceptance must be returned to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education will be no less than two (2) weeks from the date after notices are printed. If the Arkansas Department of Higher Education does not receive the signed acceptance form by the date indicated on the acceptance form, the student will not receive the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Award. The Governor's Scholars Award shall then be offered to the applicant selected in accordance with the procedures in Paragraph II. A. above.
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