74-32,120. Kansas comprehensive grant program; definitions. As used in this act: (a) "Kansas comprehensive grant program" means a program under which the state, in recognition that the provision of higher education for all residents of the state who have the desire and ability to obtain such education is an important public purpose and in response to the concern that many residents of the state are deterred by financial considerations from attending institutions of higher education, provides assistance to students with financial need through the award of grants.

(b) "Kansas comprehensive grant" means an award of financial assistance under the Kansas comprehensive grant program to an eligible Kansas student.

(c) "Financial need" means the difference between a student's available financial resources and the student's total anticipated cost of attendance at a certain Kansas educational institution. A student's financial resources shall be determined on the basis of criteria provided under the federal methodology of need analysis.

(d) "Full-time, in-state student" means a person who is a resident of Kansas and who is enrolling or enrolled at a Kansas educational institution for at least 12 credit hours each semester or the equivalent thereof. The board of regents shall determine the number of hours for terms other than semesters to constitute the equivalent of 12 credit hours.

(e) "Kansas student" means a full-time, in-state student who has established financial need and who is initially acceptable for entering a Kansas educational institution or who has so entered and is in good standing and making satisfactory progress toward graduation.

(f) "Kansas educational institution" means a state educational institution under the control and supervision of the board of regents, a municipal university, or a not-for-profit independent institution of higher education which is accredited by the north central association of colleges and secondary schools accrediting agency based on its requirements as of April 1, 1985, or by the higher learning commission of the north central association of colleges and schools based on its requirements as of January 1, 2006, is operated independently and not controlled or administered by the state or any agency or subdivision thereof, maintains open enrollment, and the main campus or principal place of operation of which is located in Kansas.

(g) "Open enrollment" means the policy of an institution of higher education which provides the opportunity of enrollment for any student who meets its academic and other reasonable enrollment requirements, without regard for race, gender, religion, creed or national origin.

(h) "Board of regents" means the state board of regents provided for in the constitution of this state and described in article 32 of chapter 74 of Kansas Statutes Annotated.

(i) "Term" means one of two or more divisions of an academic year of a Kansas educational institution in which substantially all courses begin and end at substantially the same time, and during which instruction is regularly given to students.

(j) "Semester" means one of two principal terms, when there are only two principal terms in the academic year, whether or not there are other shorter terms during the same academic year.

History: L. 1993, ch. 28, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 165, § 1; L. 2006, ch. 69, § 2; July 1.