ARC 1958C
COLLEGE STUDENT AID COMMISSION[283]
Adopted and Filed
Pursuant to the authority of Iowa Code section 261.87, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission hereby adopts amendments to Chapter 8, “All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship Program,” Iowa Administrative Code.
The amendments to Chapter 8 provide clarification for the prioritization of grant funding when funding is not sufficient to award all eligible applicants and for the college expenses that can be covered by awards under the program.
Notice of Intended Action was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on December 24, 2014, as ARC 1799C. These amendments are identical to those published under Notice of Intended Action.
The Commission does not intend to grant waivers under the provisions of these rules.
After analysis and review of this rule making, the Commission finds that there is no impact on jobs.
These amendments are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 261.
These amendments will become effective May 20, 2015.
The following amendments are adopted.
	Item 1. Amend rule 283—8.1(261) as follows:
283—8.1(261) Basis of aid. Tuition assistance Assistance available under the all Iowa opportunity scholarship program is based on the financial need of Iowa residents enrolled at eligible Iowa colleges and universities.
	Item 2. Amend subrule 8.4(2) as follows:
	8.4(2) Priority for grants. Only applicants with expected family contributions (EFCs) at or below the average tuition and fees for regent university students for the academic year for which awards are being made will be considered for awards.
	a. 	All eligible renewal applicants will be funded prior to new applicants. In the event that all renewal applicants cannot be funded, applicants will be awarded based on EFC and application date. Awards to renewal applicants will be made based on EFC levels within the parameters defined by the commission, with students in the lowest EFC levels awarded first and at increasing EFC levels until the maximum EFC level is reached.
	b. 	Priority If funding remains after all eligible renewal students have been awarded, priority will be given to students who participated in federal TRIO programs, participated in federal GEAR UP programs, or participated in alternative programs in high school, and to students who or graduated from alternative high schools. Awards will be made to students in this category based on EFC levels within the parameters defined by the commission, with students in the lowest EFC levels awarded first and at increasing EFC levels until the maximum EFC level is reached.
	c. 	If sufficient funding is not available to make awards to all remaining eligible applicants, awards will be made only to those students whose EFCs combined with federal Pell grants, Iowa vocational-technical tuition grants, and Iowa tuition grants total less than the designated EFC level. Students will be awarded by EFC level beginning with the lowest EFC levels until all funds have been expended. If funding is available, awards to remaining eligible applicants will be made based on EFC levels within the parameters defined by the commission, with students in the lowest EFC levels awarded first and at increasing EFC levels until the maximum EFC level is reached.
	Item 3. Amend subrule 8.4(4) as follows:
	8.4(4) Awarding process.
	a. 	College and university officials will provide information about eligible students to the commission in a format specified by the commission.
	b. 	The commission will designate recipients until all funding has been expended.
	c. 	The commission will notify recipients and college and university officials of the awards, clearly indicating the award amount and the state program from which funding is being provided and stating that funding is contingent on the availability of state funds.
	d. 	The college or university will apply awards directly to student accounts to cover tuition and fees, room and board, and other bona fide education expenses, such as books, equipment, and transportation.
	e. 	The college or university is responsible for completing necessary verification and for coordinating other aid to ensure compliance with student eligibility requirements and allowable award amounts. The college or university will report changes in student eligibility to the commission.
	Item 4. Amend 283—Chapter 8, implementation sentence, as follows:
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code Supplement section 261.87 chapter 261.
[Filed 3/23/15, effective 5/20/15]
[Published 4/15/15]
Editor’s Note: For replacement pages for IAC, see IAC Supplement 4/15/15.