S743 - The Disaster Recovery Act of 2024 - Part II. (SL 2024-53)

Session Year 2024

Overview: Section 4A.3 of S.L. 2024‑53 directs that $5 million in nonrecurring funds from the monies appropriated to the Community College System Office (System Office) must be used to administer a tuition grant program (Program) to award tuition grants to eligible students attending eligible colleges for the cost of tuition and registration fees for the spring semester of the 2024‑2025 academic year. The eligible colleges are the following: (i) Asheville‑Buncombe Technical Community College; (ii) Blue Ridge Community College; (iii) Haywood Community College; (iv) Mayland Community College; (v) McDowell Technical Community College; and (vi) Western Piedmont Community College. Eligible students are those students enrolled in a curriculum or continuing education course at an eligible college for the spring semester of the 2024‑2025 academic year.

Tuition grants awarded under the Program must cover (i) the registration fees of eligible students enrolled in continuing education courses at eligible colleges up to an amount of courses determined by the System Office to be a typical number of courses for an individual student, or (ii) tuition for eligible students up to the maximum tuition rate for in‑State residents at eligible colleges. If an eligible student also receives a scholarship or other grant covering the tuition or registration fees at the eligible college for which a tuition grant is awarded, then the amount of the tuition grant awarded under this section must be reduced by an appropriate amount determined by the System Office so that the total amount of scholarships and grants received by the student does not exceed the cost of tuition and registration. Grants from the Emergency Hurricane Helene Emergency Grant Program for Postsecondary Students are not to be considered in calculating the total amount of aid for a student under this section.

The System Office must administer the Program and can add requirements for application for grant funds at the discretion of the System Office. If there are not sufficient funds to provide the full tuition grant amount to all eligible students, each eligible student must receive a tuition grant equal to the pro rata share of funds available.

This section became effective October 25, 2024.

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