§1070a–14. Student support services

(a) Program authority

The Secretary shall carry out a program to be known as student support services which shall be designed-

(1) to increase college retention and graduation rates for eligible students;

(2) to increase the transfer rates of eligible students from 2-year to 4-year institutions; and

(3) to foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first generation college students and individuals with disabilities.

(b) Permissible services

A student support services project assisted under this division may provide services such as-

(1) instruction in reading, writing, study skills, mathematics, and other subjects necessary for success beyond secondary school;

(2) personal counseling;

(3) academic advice and assistance in course selection;

(4) tutorial services and counseling and peer counseling;

(5) exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students;

(6) activities designed to acquaint students participating in the project with the range of career options available to them;

(7) activities designed to assist students participating in the project in securing admission and financial assistance for enrollment in graduate and professional programs;

(8) activities designed to assist students currently enrolled in 2-year institutions in securing admission and financial assistance for enrollment in a four-year program of postsecondary education;

(9) mentoring programs involving faculty or upper class students, or a combination thereof; and

(10) programs and activities as described in paragraphs (1) through (9) which are specially designed for students of limited English proficiency.

(c) Special rule

(1) Use for student aid

A recipient of a grant that undertakes any of the permissible services identified in subsection (b) of this section may, in addition, use such funds to provide grant aid to students. A grant provided under this paragraph shall not exceed the maximum appropriated Pell Grant or, be less than the minimum appropriated Pell Grant, for the current academic year. In making grants to students under this subsection, an institution shall ensure that adequate consultation takes place between the student support service program office and the institution's financial aid office.

(2) Eligible students

For purposes of receiving grant aid under this subsection, eligible students shall be current participants in the student support services program offered by the institution and be-

(A) students who are in their first 2 years of postsecondary education and who are receiving Federal Pell Grants under subpart 1 of part A of this subchapter; or

(B) students who have completed their first 2 years of postsecondary education and who are receiving Federal Pell Grants under subpart 1 of part A of this subchapter if the institution demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that-

(i) these students are at high risk of dropping out; and

(ii) it will first meet the needs of all its eligible first- and second-year students for services under this paragraph.

(3) Determination of need

A grant provided to a student under paragraph (1) shall not be considered in determining that student's need for grant or work assistance under this subchapter, except that in no case shall the total amount of student financial assistance awarded to a student under this subchapter exceed that student's cost of attendance, as defined in section 1087ll of this title.

(4) Matching required

A recipient of a grant who uses such funds for the purpose described in paragraph (1) shall match the funds used for such purpose, in cash, from non-Federal funds, in an amount that is not less than 33 percent of the total amount of funds used for that purpose. This paragraph shall not apply to any grant recipient that is an institution of higher education eligible to receive funds under part A or B of subchapter III or subchapter V of this chapter.

(5) Reservation

In no event may a recipient use more than 20 percent of the funds received under this section for grant aid.

(6) Supplement, not supplant

Funds received by a grant recipient that are used under this subsection shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds expended for student support services programs.

(d) Requirements for approval of applications

In approving applications for student support services projects under this division for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall-

(1) require an assurance that not less than two-thirds of the persons participating in the project proposed to be carried out under any application-

(A) be individuals with disabilities; or

(B) be low-income individuals who are first generation college students;

(2) require an assurance that the remaining students participating in the project proposed to be carried out under any application be low-income individuals, first generation college students, or individuals with disabilities;

(3) require an assurance that not less than one-third of the individuals with disabilities participating in the project be low-income individuals;

(4) require that there be a determination by the institution, with respect to each participant in such project, that the participant has a need for academic support in order to pursue successfully a program of education beyond secondary school;

(5) require that such participants be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the institution which is the recipient of the grant or contract; and

(6) consider, in addition to such other criteria as the Secretary may prescribe, the institution's effort, and where applicable past history, in-

(A) providing sufficient financial assistance to meet the full financial need of each student in the project; and

(B) maintaining the loan burden of each such student at a manageable level.

(Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, §402D, as added Pub. L. 102–325, title IV, §402(a)(4), July 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 488 ; amended Pub. L. 103–208, §2(b)(11), Dec. 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 2459 ; Pub. L. 105–244, title IV, §402(d), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1655 ; Pub. L. 106–554, §1(a)(1) [title III, §317(a)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763 , 2763A-48.)

Amendments

2000-Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 106–554 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

1998-Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 105–244 amended par. (6) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (6) read as follows: "require an assurance from the institution which is the recipient of the grant or contract that each student enrolled in the project will be offered sufficient financial assistance to meet that student's full financial need."

1993-Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 103–208 struck out "either" after "application".

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–554, §1(a)(1) [title III, §317(b)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763 , 2763A-49, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to student support services grants awarded on or after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 21, 2000]."

Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.

Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–208 effective as if included in the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, Pub. L. 102–325, except as otherwise provided, see section 5(a) of Pub. L. 103–208, set out as a note under section 1051 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 1070a–11, 1070a–24 of this title.