TITLE 5                 POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

CHAPTER 7         TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID

PART 14               NEW MEXICO COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

 

5.7.14.1                 ISSUING AGENCY:  State of New Mexico Higher Education Department

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.1 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.1, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.2                 SCOPE:  Provisions for 5.7.14 NMAC apply to all four-year public post-secondary institutions in the state of New Mexico.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.2 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.2, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.3                 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Section 21-1-4G, NMSA 1978.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.3 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.3, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.4                 DURATION:  Permanent.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.4 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.4, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.5                 EFFECTIVE DATE:  September 30, 1998.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.5 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.5, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.6                 OBJECTIVE:  The objective and purpose of 5.7.14 NMAC is to attract out-of-state undergraduate students who have demonstrated high academic achievement in their respective high schools to enroll in institutions of higher education in the state of New Mexico.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.6 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.6, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.7                 DEFINITIONS:

                A.            "ACT score" means the ACT composite score.

                B.            "Department" means the New Mexico higher education department.

                C.            "Declaration of residency" means a nonspecific intention to remain a resident of New Mexico.

                D.            "GPA" means the student's cumulative grade point average.

                E.             "Large university" means a university that produces more than 150,000 student credit hours per academic year.

                F.             "SAT equivalent" means the total score of both verbal and mathematical scores on the SAT test.

                    (1)     ACT score of 20 equals 950 total points on the SAT test;

                    (2)     ACT score of 23 equals 1,070 total points on the SAT test;

                    (3)     ACT score of 26 equals 1,180 total points on the SAT test.

                G.            "Small university" means a university that produces 150,000 or fewer student credit hours per academic year.

                H.            "Tuition" means the amount of money charged to students for instructional services, which may be charged per term, per course or per credit.

                I.              "Required fees" means a fixed sum charged to students for items not covered by tuition and required of such a proportion of all students that the student who does not pay the charge is an exception.  General fees include fees for matriculation, library services, student activities, student union services, student health services, debt service and athletics.  Excluded are specific services or fines (transcript copy fees, graduation fees, library fines, etc.).

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.7 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.7, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.8                 STUDENT ELIGIBILITY:  To be eligible for a scholarship, a student must:

                A.            be a citizen of the United States;

                B.            at small universities, have either:

                    (1)     a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher and an ACT score of 20 or higher, or SAT equivalent;

                    (2)     a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher and an ACT score of 23 or higher, or SAT equivalent;

                C.            at large universities, have either:

                    (1)     a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher and an ACT score of 23 or higher, or SAT equivalent;

                    (2)     a high school GPA of 3.0 and an ACT score of 26 or higher, or SAT equivalent;

                D.            as an undergraduate transfer student, meet the requirements stated in Subsections B or C of 5.7.14.8 NMAC, or have a transfer college GPA of 3.50 or higher;

                E.             be required to sign a statement of declaration of residency;

                F.             be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time undergraduate student;

                G.            or, a non-citizen of the United States: under this provision, participating institutions must submit a proposal for ensuring that non-citizens meet merit requirements for eligibility that are comparable to those required of United States citizens under this program; only after said proposal is reviewed and approved by the commission can participating institutions allow foreign nationals that are undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the program.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.8 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.8, 8/30/2007; A, 8/31/2010]

 

5.7.14.9                 INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY:  To participate in the competitive scholarship program, a New Mexico post-secondary educational institution must be a public institution which:

                A.            admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education within the United States;

                B.            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 towards such a degree; and

                C.            is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.9 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.9, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.10               AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP:  Out-of-state undergraduate students who are granted a competitive scholarship of at least $100 per semester are eligible to receive in-state tuition and fee rates at institutions of higher education in New Mexico.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.10 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.10, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.11               SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS:

                A.            Students who wish to apply for a competitive scholarship must:

                    (1)     submit a scholarship application to the institution the student wishes to attend;

                    (2)     have an official high school and/or college transcript on file with the institution's admissions office; and

                    (3)     have an official report of their ACT scores or SAT scores on file with the institution's admissions office.

                B.            Scholarships may be renewed annually for up to four years provided the student completes the appropriate number of semester credits with the minimum grade point average as required of other academic scholarships at the university in which the student is enrolled.  This may vary from university to university but will be a similar policy to that required under other academic scholarships at that school.

                C.            The number of competitive scholarships selected are not to exceed the number outlined in Subsection A of 5.7.14.13 NMAC.  Should the number of eligible applicants exceed this allotment, selection will be from criteria determined by each educational institution.

                D.            If the scholarship recipient does not meet the criteria listed in Subsection B of 5.7.14.11 NMAC, the student will be placed on provisional status and will assume the responsibility of non-resident tuition.  Reinstatement to the scholarship requires that the student meet the minimum semester credits and grade point average as determined by the institution in which the student is enrolled.

                E.             Participation in the competitive scholarship program does not serve to fulfill residency requirements established by the department.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.11 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.11, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.12               PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

                A.            Scholarships are to be granted only to those students who meet the eligibility requirements as outlined in 5.7.14.8 NMAC.

                B.            Institutions may grant only the number of scholarships as outlined in Subsection A of 5.7.14.13 NMAC.

                C.            Funds to support these scholarships must be from non-state general sources.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.12 NMAC - Rn, 5 NMAC 7.14.12, 8/30/2007]

 

5.7.14.13               ADMINISTRATION OF COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIPS:

                A.            The number of competitive scholarships granted by any university cannot exceed 6 percent of their previous year's full-time equivalent enrollment (FTE).

                B.            The higher education department is the authorizing agency and shall maintain the necessary records to assure that all program requirements are being met.

                C.            Each institution will have the responsibility to assure that all program requirements are being met.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.13 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.13, 8/30/2007; A, 8/31/2010, A, 9/30/2010]

 

5.7.14.14               REPORTS:  Each institution shall forward a report to the higher education department staff at the end of each academic year and each report will provide the number of students participating in the program, the average ACT/SAT score and average GPA for each academic year.

[9/30/98; 5.7.14.14 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 7.14.14, 8/30/2007]

 

History OF 5.7.14 NMAC:

Pre-NMAC History:  The material in this part was derived from that previously filed with the State Records Center and Archives under:

CHE Rule 880, New Mexico Competitive Scholarship Program, 3/8/90.

 

History of Repealed Material:  [RESERVED]