GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

EXTRA SESSION 1994

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 193

Short Title:  Freshmen Schol. Prog. Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Colton; Burton, Crawford, and Wainwright.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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February 14, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE FRESHMEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, TO EFFECT LONG-TERM CRIME PREVENTION BY ENCOURAGING NORTH CAROLINIANS TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL, ATTEND COLLEGE, AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
Whereas, students who complete high school are less likely to commit crimes and be imprisoned; and
Whereas, individuals who receive some college education have median family incomes almost double the income of high school dropouts; and
Whereas, two barriers to college attendance for at-risk students are the cost of college and the lack of knowledge about how to obtain financial aid; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of two million six hundred thousand dollars ($2,600,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year for expansion of the pilot Freshmen Scholars Program established by Section 46 of Chapter 561 of the 1993 Session Laws.  This is a nonrecurring appropriation.
Of these funds, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be provided to each of the five constituent institutions funded in the 1993-94 fiscal year and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) shall be allocated to each of the following seven additional constituent institutions:  Elizabeth City State University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Western Carolina University.
Sec. 2.  Effective July 1, 1994, Section 46 of Chapter 561 of the 1993 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"FRESHMEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Sec. 46.  Of the funds appropriated to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, two million six hundred thousand dollars ($2,600,000) shall be allocated in the 1994-95 fiscal year among 12 constituent institutions for the pilot Freshmen Scholars Program. The 12 constituent institutions to receive funds are Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, Pembroke State University, Winston-Salem State University, Elizabeth City State University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Western Carolina University.
These funds shall not revert and are to be used by the campuses in recruiting new students to enroll in the future who might not be able to attend college without this incentive.  The funds shall be placed in trust funds accounts, with the investment earnings to be used for this program as well.
The funds shall be used to guarantee high school and middle school students tuition, fees, and books for their freshman year of college.  Students shall be eligible if they meet the standards established by each campus; the standards shall include minimum grade point average, minimum admission standards, additional coursework required by the campus, and behavioral guidelines.
The seven additional institutions receiving these funds for the 1994-95 fiscal year shall establish standards for eligibility by September 30, 1994, and shall recruit students in regional high schools and middle schools.  The scholarship guarantees are for one year only, and  may be combined with other financial aid when the students enroll in college.  Once students are selected to participate, the campuses shall maintain frequent contact with these students until their high school graduation.
The 12 campuses receiving these grants shall report to the General Assembly by February 1, 1995, on their guidelines for receiving these scholarship funds.  The success of these pilot efforts in attracting students who otherwise might not have enrolled at each campus or in any higher education institution shall be evaluated by the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, with a report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by May 15, 1996."
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1994.