The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer the Ohio co-op/internship program to promote and encourage cooperative education programs or internship programs at Ohio institutions of higher education for the purpose of recruiting Ohio students to stay in the state, and recruiting Ohio residents who left Ohio to attend out-of-state institutions of higher education back to Ohio institutions of higher education, to participate in high quality academic programs that use cooperative education programs or significant internship programs, in order to support the growth of Ohio's businesses by providing businesses with Ohio's most talented students and providing Ohio graduates with job opportunities with Ohio's growing companies.

The chancellor, subject to approval by the controlling board, shall make awards to state institutions of higher education for new or existing programs and initiatives meeting the goals of the Ohio co-op/internship program. Awards may be granted for programs and initiatives to be implemented by a state institution of higher education alone or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges. If the chancellor makes an award to a program or initiative that is intended to be implemented by a state institution of higher education in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities or colleges, the chancellor may provide that some portion of the award be received directly by the collaborating universities or colleges consistent with all terms of the Ohio co-op/internship program.

The Ohio co-op/internship program shall support the creation and maintenance of high quality academic programs that utilize an intensive cooperative education or internship program for students at state institutions of higher education, or assign a number of scholarships to institutions to recruit Ohio residents as students in a high quality academic program, or both. If scholarships are included in an award to an institution of higher education, the scholarships shall be awarded to each participating eligible student as a grant to the state institution of higher education the student is attending and shall be reflected on the student's tuition bill.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or sections 3333.73 to 3333.79 of the Revised Code, an Ohio four-year nonpublic university or college may submit a proposal as lead applicant or co-lead applicant for an award under the Ohio co-op/internship program if the proposal is to be implemented in collaboration with a state institution of higher education. If the chancellor grants a nonpublic university or college an award, the nonpublic university or college shall comply with all requirements of this section, sections 3333.73 to 3333.79 of the Revised Code, and the rules adopted under this section that apply to state institutions of higher education that receive awards under the program.

The chancellor shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to administer the Ohio co-op/internship program.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Effective Date: 2008 HB554 (vetoed provisions) 09-12-2008