“ARTICLE 10. FEES AND OTHER MONEY COLLECTED AT STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

§18B-10-7d. Tuition waivers for national service volunteers serving in West Virginia.

(a) Prior to the 2021 fall semester or term, each state institution of higher education’s governing board shall promulgate a rule regarding the award of tuition and fee waivers for undergraduate and graduate courses to any student who has completed service in an AmeriCorps State, National, VISTA, or Senior Corps program in West Virginia. The rule shall include at least the following criteria:

(1) To qualify for a tuition and fee waiver, the student shall have:

(A) Applied to and been accepted to the institution;

(B) Filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and have accepted all offers of state and federal financial assistance for which he or she is eligible: Provided, That the student is not required to accept offers of student loan or work study assistance;

(D) Successfully completed his or her term of service in West Virginia and provided a Certification of Service Letter to the institution consistent with the AmeriCorps program and with the regulations of the Corporation for National and Community Service;

(2) Any award of a tuition and fee waiver shall be determined as follows:

(A) The student shall be awarded a tuition and fee waiver for one semester if the student successfully completed a term of service consisting of at least 600 hours of service or multiple terms of service that in the aggregate consist of at least 600 hours of service.

(B) The student shall be awarded a tuition and fee waiver for two semesters if the student successfully completed a term of service consisting of at least 1,200 hours of service or multiple terms of service that in the aggregate consist of at least 1,200 hours.

(D) A student may successfully complete additional terms of service while enrolled at an institution or between semesters and provide the documentation specified in paragraph (D), subdivision (1) of this subsection to the institution for waivers of tuition and fees in accordance with this section and board of governors rule;

(E) The total number of tuition and fee waivers that may be granted to a student pursuant to this section is limited to eight semesters or terms of enrollment at the undergraduate or graduate levels combined;

(F) The nominal value of a tuition and fee waiver is the remaining cost of tuition and fees after the state and federal financial assistance accepted by the student in accordance with subdivision (1) of this subsection has been applied: Provided, That if the subsequent application of the student’s Segal AmeriCorps Education Award causes the total of the student’s financial assistance, waivers, and grants to exceed the student’s cost of attendance, the nominal value of the tuition and fee waiver may be further reduced to reach the cost of attendance; and

(G) The award of a tuition and fee waiver is contingent upon the student meeting the academic progress standards established by the institution.

(3) The governing board’s rule may establish any limitations on the provisions of this section as it considers proper.

(b) The award of tuition and fee waivers granted pursuant to this section is in addition to the tuition and fee waivers otherwise permitted in this article.

(c) The commission and the council may propose rules for legislative approval, pursuant to the provisions of §29A-3A-1 et seq. of this code, if necessary, to provide for uniformity in the administration and tracking of awards made pursuant to this section.”

ADOPTED

REJECTED