Tuition Waivers for Students Displaced by Hurricane Katrina
Definitions
Eligible Institution
An institution within the system of public institutions of higher education as identified in Section 5 of Chapter 15A of the Massachusetts General Laws.
Eligible Program
Any state-supported course offered by an institution at a public college or university, excluding all graduate courses and courses in the medical degree program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Eligible courses include those toward an undergraduate degree program, certificate program, short-term certificate program, and non-credit courses. Institutions are encouraged to develop waiver programs for eligible students that would provide a 100 percent tuition waiver for any non-state supported course and/or certificate program.
Eligible Student
An undergraduate student who is unable to attend an institution due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina and provides as documentation one of the following:
• Verification of admission to or enrollment in an institution of higher education for fall semester, 2005; or
• A signed Hurricane Katrina Tuition Waiver affidavit attesting admission or enrollment in an academic program leading to a degree, certificate or other recognized credential for the 2005-2006 academic year at an institution
Award Value
Students eligible under this program will be entitled to a tuition waiver equal to 100 percent of the resident or non-resident tuition rate for eligible state-supported courses offered at the participating public higher education institution.
The waiver may be awarded to eligible students for the fall semester 2005. The Board of Higher Education may amend these guidelines to permit the awarding of this waiver for the spring 2006 semester.
Award Procedure
Tuition waiver recipients shall be responsible for submitting documentation of eligibility to the institution where he/she will enroll. The institution shall award a waiver equal to the value of required tuition.
Audit Requirements
a) It shall be the responsibility of each college and university to maintain documentation of a recipient student’s eligibility.
b) The Chancellor shall require each campus to furnish to the Board of Higher Education a report detailing specific information regarding tuition waiver recipients. The Office of Student Financial Assistance will coordinate specification and procedures for this report.
c) All financial books, records and documents pertaining to this program shall at all times be open to inspection, review and audit by the Chancellor, the State Auditor or their authorized representatives who shall have access to the premises wherever such books, records and documents are located. The institution shall retain such financial books, records and documents for seven years. An institution may retain such records for a period of five years if approval is received from the Records Conservation Board in accordance with General Laws, Chapter 30, Section 42.
