Guidelines on Incentive Scholarship and Grant Program for Native Americans

Effective July 1, 1999. The Incentive Scholarship and Grant Program for Native Americans was established by the 1994 General Assembly, in Section 17.3(b) of the 1994 Budget Act (Senate Bill 1505) which required the Board of Governors to merge the American Indian Student Legislative Grant Program and the Incentive Scholarship Program for Native Americans which was approved by the Board of Governors on February 10, 1995.

The Incentive Scholarship and Grant Program for Native Americans is intended to increase enrollments of Native Americans at the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina. To better accomplish that goal, the constituent institutions suggested that specific allotments be given them for the purpose of recruiting and making commitments to students. These allocations will be made early in the recruitment period, generally by January of each calendar year. It should be noted that the American Indian Student Legislative Grant Program was need-based with a maximum award of $700 per academic year ($5,000 for doctoral students) and the Incentive Scholarship Program for Native Americans was merit-based with a required public service component and a maximum award of $3,000 per academic year.

1. To be eligible for an Incentive Scholarship and Grant Program for Native Americans as an entering freshman, a student must meet the following requirements:

a. be a graduate of a North Carolina high school (Native American students from all counties are eligible for this scholarship program);

b. rank in the top half of his or her class upon high school graduation, and meet all other University admission requirements;

c. apply for need-based student financial aid. The total scholarship award under the program shall carry a maximum value equal to the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, and books. Funds will be used after all other need-based funds for which the student is also eligible have been included in the student’s financial aid package. In the awarding of financial aid for the program, the special appropriated funds for the incentive scholarship will not exceed $3,000;

d. agree to perform public service hours at the University or in the community based on the following special appropriated incentive scholarship award (excluding need-based funds) schedule:

e. carry at least 15 semester hours each regular semester; and

f. a student retains academic eligibility by meeting an academic year grade point average or a cumulative grade point average on the following scale:

· by the end of the freshman year: cumulative 2.00 or higher;

· by the end of the sophomore year: academic year 2.50 or higher or cumulative 2.50 or higher;

· by the end of the junior year: academic year 3.00 or higher or cumulative 3.00 or higher;

· by the end of the senior year: academic year 3.00 or higher or cumulative 3.00 or higher.

g. reflect in personal and scholastic behavior high moral and ethical standards.

2. To be eligible for an Incentive Scholarship and Grant Program for Native Americans as a transfer student, a student must meet the following requirements:

a. be a resident of North Carolina and possess the Associate of Arts (AA), the Associate of Science (AS), the Associate of Fine Arts (AFA), or a certificate or degree in a program that articulates directly with an academic degree program offered by the constituent institution of the University of North Carolina.

b. have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 if the student enters with an associate degree, or a 2.00 if the student enters after completion of a certificate program;

c. apply for need-based student financial aid. The total scholarship award under the program shall carry a maximum value equal to the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, and books. Incentive scholarship funds will be used after all other need-based funds for which the student is also eligible have been included in the student’s financial aid package. In the awarding of financial aid for the program the special appropriated funds for the incentive scholarship will not exceed $3,000.

d. agree to perform public service, at the University or in the community, based on the special appropriated incentive scholarship award (excluding need-based funds) which appears above in Item 1.d., the schedule for public service hours;

e. carry at least 15 semester hours each regular semester;

f. maintain a 3.00 cumulative grade point average at the University if the student enters with an associate degree, or if the student enters from a certificate program, he or she must have:

a 2.00 cumulative grade point average by the end of the freshman year;

a 2.50 academic year grade point average or a 2.50 cumulative grade point average by the end of the sophomore year;

a 3.00 academic year grade point average or a 3.00 cumulative grade point average by the end of the junior year;

a 3.00 academic year grade point average or a 3.00 cumulative grade point average by the end of the senior year.

g. reflect in personal and scholastic behavior high moral and ethical standards.

3. To be eligible for an Incentive Scholarship and Grant Program for Native Americans, a graduate student:

a. be admitted or enrolled in a doctoral program at North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or the University of North Carolina at Greensboro;

b. be classified as a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes;

c. have financial need, as determined by the institutional financial aid office.

Basic allocations of continuation budget appropriations will be made by the financial division of the General Administration to the respective campuses early (generally not later than January of the year of recruitment) or ensure a “sum certain” against which the respective schools could pledge enrollment commitments to prospective students. Contingent upon final adoption of the budget act, additional funds may be provided to the institutions from the expansion budget. The President will be authorized to transfer the funds among the program components and among institutions to assure full usage of ISGPNA.

Monitoring of the Program

Recordkeeping, including the number and location of service hours performed, and other reporting responsibilities will repose at the campus level. In an agreement between UNC General Administration and the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, the commission is granted monitor rights to assure that awards are made only to persons who maintain cultural identification as a Native American through membership in an Indian tribe recognized by the United States or by the State of North Carolina or through other tribal affiliation or community recognition. To ensure that ISGPNA funds go only to such individuals, each campus is required to receive a clearance for each potential awardee from the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs before disbursement of any funds under ISGPNA. The procedure for securing the sign-off format is to be agreed upon cooperatively by the commission and each respective campus, depending upon the level of automation available at each campus and at the commission’s office.

[This is a rewrite of Administrative Memorandum #390.]