Branch campus means a unit of a college or university that is geographically apart from the main campus of the college or university and independent of that main campus. The Secretary considers a unit of a college or university to be independent of the main campus if the unit (1) Is permanent in nature; (2) Offers courses for credit and programs leading to an associate or bachelor's degree; and (3) Is autonomous to the extent that it has (i) Its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization; and (ii) Its own budgetary and hiring authority. Comparable institutions that offer similar instruction means institutions that are being compared with an applicant institution and that fall within one of the following four categories— (1) Public junior or community colleges; (2) Private nonprofit junior or community colleges; (3) Public institutions that offer an educational program for which they offer a bachelor's degree; or institutions (4) Private nonprofit that offer an educational program for which they offer a bachelor's degree. Cooperative arrangement means an arrangement to carry out allowable grant activities between an institution eligible to receive a grant under this part and another eligible or ineligible institution of higher education, under which the resources of the cooperating institutions are combined and shared to better achieve the purposes of this part and avoid costly duplication of effort. Degree student means a student who enrolls at an institution for the purpose of obtaining the degree, certificate, or other recognized educational credential offered by that institution. Developmental program and services means new or improved programs and services, beyond those regularly budgeted, specifically designed to improve the self sufficiency of the school. Educational and general expenditures means the total amount expended by an institution of higher education for instruction, research, public service, academic support (including library ex penditures), student services, institutional support, scholarships and fellowships, operation and maintenance expenditures for the physical plant, and any mandatory transfers which the institution is required to pay by law. Educationally disadvantaged means a college student who requires special services and assistance to enable them to succeed in higher education. The phrase includes, but is not limited to, students who come from (1) Economically disadvantaged families; (2) Limited English proficiency families; (3) Migrant worker families; or (4) Families in which one or both of their parents have dropped out of secondary school. Federal Pell Grant Program means the grant program authorized by title IVA-1 of the HEA. Federal Perkins Loan Program, formerly called the National Direct Student Loan Program, means the loan program authorized by title IV-E of the HEA. Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant Program means the grant program authorized by title IV-A-3 of the HEA. Federal Work-Study Program means the part-time employment program authorized under title IV-C of the HEA. Full-time equivalent students means the sum of the number of students enrolled full-time at an institution, plus the full-time equivalent of the number of students enrolled part time (determined on the basis of the quotient of the sum of the credit hours of all parttime students divided by 12) at such institution. HEA means the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Hispanic student means a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. Institution of higher education means an educational institution defined in section 101 of the HEA. Junior or community college means an institution of higher education— (1) That admits as regular students persons who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the State in which the institution is located and who have the ability to benefit from the training offered by the institution; (2) That does not provide an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's degree (or an equivalent degree); and (3) That (i) Provides an educational program of not less than 2 years that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree; or (ii) Offers a 2-year program in engineering, mathematics, or the physical or biological sciences, designed to prepare a student to work as a technician or at the semiprofessional level in engineering, scientific, or other technological fields requiring the understanding and application of basic engineering, scientific, or mathematical principles of knowledge. Low-income individual means an individual from a family whose taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of an amount equal to the poverty level determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census. Minority student means a student who is an Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian-American, Black (African-American), Hispanic American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. Nationally recognized accrediting agency or association means an accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has recognized to accredit or preaccredit a particular category of institution in accordance with the provisions contained in 34 CFR part 603. The Secretary periodically publishes a list of those nationally recognized accrediting agencies and associations in the FEDERAL REGISTER. Operational programs and services means the regular, ongoing budgeted programs and services at an institution. Preaccredited means a status that a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association, recognized by the Secretary to grant that status, has accorded an unaccredited institution that is progressing toward accreditation within a reasonable period of time. Project means all the funded activities under a grant. Self-sufficiency means the point at which an institution is able to survive without continued funding under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program. Underrepresented means proportionate representation as measured by degree recipients, that is less than the proportionate representation in the general population— (1) As indicated by— (i) The most current edition of the Department's Digest of Educational Statistics; (ii) The National Research Council's Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities; or (iii) Other standard statistical references, as announced annually in the FEDERAL REGISTER notice inviting applications for new awards under this program; or (2) As documented by national survey data submitted to and accepted by the Secretary on a case-by-case basis. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.; OMB Directive No. 15) §606.8 What is a comprehensive development plan and what must it contain? (a) A comprehensive development plan is an institution's strategy for achieving growth and self-sufficiency by strengthening its (1) Academic programs; (2) Institutional management; and (b) The comprehensive development plan must include the following: (1) An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, and significant problems of the institution's academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability. (2) A delineation of the institution's goals for its academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability, based on the outcomes of the analysis described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. (3) Measurable objectives related to reaching each goal and timeframes for achieving the objectives. (4) Methods and resources that will be used to institutionalize practices and improvements developed under the proposed project. (5) Its five year plan to improve its services to Hispanic and other low-income students. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) §606.9 What are the type, duration, and limitations in the awarding of grants under this part? (a)(1) Under this part, the Secretary may award planning grants and two types of development grants, individual development grants and cooperative arrangement development grants. (2) Planning grants may be awarded for a period not to exceed one year. (3) Either type of development grant may be awarded for a period of five years. (b)(1) An institution that received an individual development grant of five years may not subsequently receive another individual development grant for a period of two years from the date on which the five-year grant terminates. (2) A cooperative arrangement grant is not considered to be an individual development grant under paragraph (b)(1) of this section. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101c and 1103c) §606.10 What activities may and may not be carried out under a grant? (a) Planning grants. Under a planning grant, a grantee shall formulate (1) A comprehensive development plan described in § 606.8; and (2) An application for a development grant. (b) Development grants-allowable activities. Under a development grant, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, a grantee shall carry out activities that implement its comprehensive development plan and hold promise for strengthening the institution. Activities that may be carried out include, but are not limited to (1) Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes. (2) Construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other instructional facilities. (3) Support of faculty exchanges, faculty development, curriculum development, academic instruction, and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced degrees in the fellow's field of instruction. (4) Purchase of library books, periodicals, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program material. (5) Tutoring, counseling, and student service programs designed to improve academic success. (6) Funds management, administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management. (7) Joint use of facilities, such as laboratories and libraries. (8) Establishing or improving a development office to strengthen or improve contributions from alumni and the private sector. (9) Establishing or improving an endowment fund, provided the grantee uses no more than 20 percent of its grant funds for this purpose and at least matches those grant funds with non-Federal funds. (10) Creating or improving facilities for Internet or other distance learning academic instruction capabilities, including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or services. (11) Establishing or enhancing a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in public elementary or secondary schools. (12) Establishing community outreach programs that will encourage elementary school and secondary school students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education. (13) Expanding the number of Hispanic and other underrepresented graduate and professional students that can be served by the institution by expanding courses and institutional resources. (14) Other activities that contribute to carrying out the purposes of this program. (c) Development grants—unallowable activities. A grantee may not carry out the following activities or pay the following costs under a development grant: (1) Activities that are not included in the grantee's approved application. (2) Activities that are inconsistent with any State plan for higher education that is applicable to the institution, including, but not limited to, a State plan for desegregation of higher education. (3) Activities or services that relate to sectarian instruction or religious worship. (4) Activities provided by a school or department of divinity. For the purpose of this provision, a "school or department of divinity" means an institution, or a department of an institution, whose program is specifically for the education of students to prepare them to become ministers of religion or to enter into some other religious vocation or to prepare them to teach theological subjects. (5) Developing or improving non-degree or non-credit courses other than basic skills development courses. (6) Developing or improving community-based or community services programs, unless the program provides academic-related experiences or academic credit toward a degree for degree students, or, unless it is a program or services to encourage elementary and secondary school students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education. (7) Purchase of standard office equipment, such as furniture, file cabinets, bookcases, typewriters, or word proc essors. (8) Payment of any portion of the salary of a president, vice president, or equivalent officer who has college-wide administrative authority and responsibility at an institution to fill a position under the grant such as project coordinator or activity director. (9) Costs of organized fund-raising, including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions. (10) Costs of student recruitment such as advertisements, literature, and college fairs. (11) Services to high school students, unless they are services to encourage such students to develop the skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education. (12) Instruction in the institution's standard courses as indicated in the institution's catalog. (13) Costs for health and fitness programs, transportation, and day care services. (14) Student activities such as entertainment, cultural, or social enrichment programs, publications, social clubs, or associations. (15) Activities that are operational in nature rather than developmental in nature. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) Subpart B-How Does an $606.11 What must be included in individual development grant applications? In addition to the information needed by the Secretary to determine whether the institution should be awarded a grant under the funding criteria contained in subpart C, an application for a development grant must include (a) The institution's comprehensive development plan; (b) A description of the relationship of each activity for which grant funds are requested to the relevant goals and objectives of its plan; (c) A description of any activities that were funded under previous development grants awarded under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program that expired within five years of when the development grant will begin and the institution's justification for not completing the activities under the previous grant, if applicable; (d) If the applicant is applying to carry out more than one activity (1) A description of those activities that would be a sound investment of Federal funds if funded separately; (2) A description of those activities that would be a sound investment of Federal funds only if funded with the other activities; and (3) A ranking of the activities in preferred funding order. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1840-0114) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.)≤ §606.12 What must be included in cooperative arrangement grant applications? (a)(1) Institutions applying for a cooperative arrangement grant shall submit only one application for that grant regardless of the number of institutions participating in the cooperative arrangement. (2) The application must include the names of each participating institution, the role of each institution, and the rationale for each eligible participating institution's decision to request grant funds as part of a cooperative arrangement rather than as an individual grantee. (b) If the application is for a development grant, the application must contain (1) Each participating institution's comprehensive development plan; (2) The information required under § 606.11; and (3) An explanation from each eligible participating institution of why participation in a cooperative arrangement grant rather than performance under an individual grant will better enable it to meet the goals and objectives of its comprehensive development plan at a lower cost. (4) The name of the applicant for the group that is legally responsible for (i) The use of all grant funds; and (ii) Ensuring that the project is carried out by the group in accordance with Federal requirements. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1840-0114) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1103 and 1103e) §606.13 How many applications for a development grant may an institution submit? In any fiscal year, an institution of higher education may (a) Submit an application for an individual development grant; and (b) Be part of a cooperative arrangement application. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) Subpart C-How Does the §606.20 How does the Secretary choose applications for funding? (a) The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of the criteria in— (1) Sections 606.21 and 606.23 for a planning grant; and (2) Sections 606.22, 606.23, 600.24, and 606.25 for a development grant. (b)(1) The Secretary awards up to 100 points for the criteria in § 606.21 and up to 100 points for the criteria in §606.22. (2) The maximum possible score for each complete criterion is in parentheses. (c)(1) The Secretary considers funding an application for a planning grant that scores at least 50 points under §606.21. (2) The Secretary considers funding an application for a development grant that (i) Scores at least 50 points under § 606.22; (ii) Is submitted with a comprehensive development plan that satisfies all the elements required of such a plan under § 606.8; and (iii) In the case of an application for a cooperative arrangement grant, demonstrates that the grant will enable each eligible participant to meet the goals and objectives of its comprehensive development plan better and at a lower cost than if each eligible participant were funded individually. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) $606.21 What are the selection criteria for planning grants? The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application to determine whether the applicant will produce a good comprehensive development plan and a fundable application: (a) Design of the planning process. (Total: 60 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the planning process that the applicant will use to develop a comprehensive development plan and an application for a development grant based on the extent to which |