2001 Minnesota Statutes

     124D.84 Indian scholarships. 

    Subdivision 1.    Awards.  The commissioner, with the 
 advice and counsel of the Minnesota Indian education committee, 
 may award scholarships to any Minnesota resident student who is 
 of one-fourth or more Indian ancestry, who has applied for other 
 existing state and federal scholarship and grant programs, and 
 who, in the opinion of the commissioner, has the capabilities to 
 benefit from further education.  Scholarships must be for 
 accredited degree programs in accredited Minnesota colleges or 
 universities or for courses in accredited Minnesota business, 
 technical, or vocational schools.  Scholarships may also be 
 given to students attending Minnesota colleges that are in 
 candidacy status for obtaining full accreditation, and are 
 eligible for and receiving federal financial aid programs.  
 Students are also eligible for scholarships when enrolled as 
 students in Minnesota higher education institutions that have 
 joint programs with other accredited higher education 
 institutions.  Scholarships shall be used to defray the total 
 cost of education including tuition, incidental fees, books, 
 supplies, transportation, other related school costs and the 
 cost of board and room and shall be paid directly to the college 
 or school concerned where the student receives federal financial 
 aid.  The total cost of education includes all tuition and fees 
 for each student enrolling in a public institution and the 
 portion of tuition and fees for each student enrolling in a 
 private institution that does not exceed the tuition and fees at 
 a comparable public institution.  Each student shall be awarded 
 a scholarship based on the total cost of the student's education 
 and a federal standardized need analysis.  Applicants are 
 encouraged to apply for all other sources of financial aid.  The 
 amount and type of each scholarship shall be determined through 
 the advice and counsel of the Minnesota Indian education 
 committee. 

    When an Indian student satisfactorily completes the work 
 required by a certain college or school in a school year the 
 student is eligible for additional scholarships, if additional 
 training is necessary to reach the student's educational and 
 vocational objective.  Scholarships may not be given to any 
 Indian student for more than five years of study without special 
 recommendation of the Minnesota Indian education committee.  

    Subd. 2.    Indian scholarship committee.  The Minnesota 
 Indian scholarship committee is established.  The commissioner 
 must appoint members with the assistance of the Indian affairs 
 council as provided in section 3.922, subdivision 6.  Members 
 shall be reimbursed for expenses as provided in section 15.059, 
 subdivision 6.  The commissioner shall determine the membership 
 terms and duration of the committee, which expires no later than 
 June 30, 2001.  The committee shall provide advice to the 
 commissioner in awarding scholarships to eligible American 
 Indian students and in administering the commissioner's duties 
 regarding awarding of American Indian post-secondary preparation 
 grants to school districts.  

    HIST: Ex1959 c 71 art 5 s 36; 1971 c 176 s 1; 1977 c 384 s 1; 
 1983 c 258 s 28; 1Sp1985 c 11 s 12; 1988 c 629 s 28; 1988 c 718 
 art 3 s 3; 1993 c 224 art 9 s 32; art 13 s 40; 1993 c 374 s 23; 
 1997 c 192 s 20; 1998 c 397 art 2 s 107,164; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 
 55; 2000 c 489 art 3 s 4; 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 49