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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 3333 | Department of Higher Education

 
 
 
Section
Section 3333.01 | [Former R.C. 3333.03, renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 10/3/2023] Department of higher education; chancellor of higher education.
 

(A) There is hereby created the department of higher education, which shall be composed of the chancellor of higher education and the chancellor's employees, agents, and representatives. The chancellor shall perform the functions, exercise the powers, and discharge the duties as are assigned to the chancellor by law.

(B) The governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint the chancellor of higher education. The chancellor shall serve at the pleasure of the governor, and the governor shall prescribe the chancellor's duties in addition to the chancellor's duties prescribed by law. The governor shall fix the compensation for the chancellor. The chancellor shall be a member of the governor's cabinet.

(C) The chancellor is responsible for appointing and fixing the compensation of all professional, administrative, and clerical employees and staff members necessary to assist in the performance of the chancellor's duties. All employees and staff shall serve at the chancellor's pleasure.

(D) The chancellor shall be a person qualified by training and experience to understand the problems and needs of the state in the field of higher education and to devise programs, plans, and methods of solving the problems and meeting the needs.

(E) Neither the chancellor nor any staff member or employee of the chancellor shall be a trustee, officer, or employee of any public or private college or university while serving as chancellor, staff member, or employee.

Last updated October 5, 2023 at 4:42 AM

Section 3333.012 | References to Ohio board of regents, chancellor.
 

Whenever the term "Ohio board of regents" is used, referred to, or designated in any statute, rule, contract, grant, or other document, the use, reference, or designation shall be construed to mean the "chancellor of higher education," unless another section of law expressly provides otherwise.

Whenever the term "chancellor of the Ohio board of regents" or "chancellor" is used, referred to, or designated in any statute, rule, contract, grant, or other document, the use, reference, or designation shall be construed to mean the chancellor of higher education.

Last updated October 4, 2023 at 3:31 PM

Section 3333.021 | Filing fiscal analysis with proposed rules.
 

As used in this section, "university" means any college or university that receives a state appropriation.

(A) This division does not apply to proposed rules, amendments, or rescissions subject to legislative review under section 106.02 of the Revised Code. No action taken by the chancellor of higher education that could reasonably be expected to have an effect on the revenue or expenditures of any university shall take effect unless at least two weeks prior to the date on which the action is taken, the chancellor has filed with the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the legislative service commission a fiscal analysis of the proposed action. The analysis shall include an estimate of the amount by which, during the current and ensuing fiscal biennium, the action would increase or decrease the university's revenues or expenditures and increase or decrease any state expenditures and any other information the chancellor considers necessary to explain the action's fiscal effect.

(B) Within three days of the date the chancellor files with the clerk of the senate a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission that is subject to legislative review and invalidation under section 106.02 of the Revised Code, the chancellor shall file with the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the legislative service commission a fiscal analysis of the proposed rule. The analysis shall include an estimate of the amount by which, during the current and ensuing fiscal biennium, the action would increase or decrease any university's revenues or expenditures and increase or decrease state revenues or expenditures and any other information the chancellor considers necessary to explain the fiscal effect of the rule, amendment, or rescission. No rule, amendment, or rescission shall take effect unless the chancellor has complied with this division.

Last updated October 3, 2023 at 2:55 PM

Section 3333.032 | Chancellor's annual report on condition of higher education.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall submit to the general assembly, in accordance with division (B) of section 101.68 of the Revised Code, and to the governor, an annual report on the condition of higher education in this state.

Last updated October 4, 2023 at 3:38 PM

Section 3333.04 | Chancellor - powers and duties.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall:

(A) Make studies of state policy in the field of higher education and formulate a master plan for higher education for the state, considering the needs of the people, the needs of the state, and the role of individual public and private institutions within the state in fulfilling these needs;

(B)(1) Report annually to the governor and the general assembly on the findings from the chancellor's studies and the master plan for higher education for the state;

(2) Report at least semiannually to the general assembly and the governor the enrollment numbers at each state-assisted institution of higher education.

(C) Approve or disapprove the establishment of new branches or academic centers of state colleges and universities;

(D) Approve or disapprove the establishment of state technical colleges or any other state institution of higher education;

(E) Recommend the nature of the programs, undergraduate, graduate, professional, state-financed research, and public services which should be offered by the state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education in order to utilize to the best advantage their facilities and personnel;

(F) Recommend to the state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education graduate or professional programs, including, but not limited to, doctor of philosophy, doctor of education, and juris doctor programs, that could be eliminated because they constitute unnecessary duplication, as shall be determined using the process developed pursuant to this division, or for other good and sufficient cause. Prior to recommending a program for elimination, the chancellor shall hold at least one public hearing on the matter to determine whether the program should be recommended for elimination. The chancellor shall provide notice of each hearing within a reasonable amount of time prior to its scheduled date.

For purposes of determining the amounts of any state instructional subsidies paid to state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education, the chancellor may exclude students enrolled in any program that the chancellor has recommended for elimination pursuant to this division except that the chancellor shall not exclude any such student who enrolled in the program prior to the date on which the chancellor initially commences to exclude students under this division.

The chancellor and state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education shall jointly develop a process for determining which existing graduate or professional programs constitute unnecessary duplication.

(G) Recommend to the state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education programs which should be added to their present programs;

(H) Conduct studies for the state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education to assist them in making the best and most efficient use of their existing facilities and personnel;

(I) Make recommendations to the governor and general assembly concerning the development of state-financed capital plans for higher education; the establishment of new state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education; and the establishment of new programs at the existing state colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education;

(J) Review the appropriation requests of the public community colleges and the state colleges and universities and submit to the office of budget and management and to the chairpersons of the finance committees of the house of representatives and of the senate the chancellor's recommendations in regard to the biennial higher education appropriation for the state, including appropriations for the individual state colleges and universities and public community colleges. For the purpose of determining the amounts of instructional subsidies to be paid to state-assisted colleges and universities, the chancellor shall define "full-time equivalent student" by program per academic year. The definition may take into account the establishment of minimum enrollment levels in technical education programs below which support allowances will not be paid. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the chancellor shall make no change in the definition of "full-time equivalent student" in effect on November 15, 1981, which would increase or decrease the number of subsidy-eligible full-time equivalent students, without first submitting a fiscal impact statement to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the legislative service commission, and the director of budget and management. The chancellor shall work in close cooperation with the director of budget and management in this respect and in all other matters concerning the expenditures of appropriated funds by state colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education.

(K) Seek the cooperation and advice of the officers and trustees of both public and private colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education in the state in performing the chancellor's duties and making the chancellor's plans, studies, and recommendations;

(L) Appoint advisory committees consisting of persons associated with public or private secondary schools, members of the state board of education, or personnel of the department of education and workforce;

(M) Appoint advisory committees consisting of college and university personnel, or other persons knowledgeable in the field of higher education, or both, in order to obtain their advice and assistance in defining and suggesting solutions for the problems and needs of higher education in this state;

(N) Approve or disapprove all new degrees and new degree programs at all state colleges, universities, and other state-assisted institutions of higher education.

When considering approval of a new degree or degree program for a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, the chancellor shall take into account the extent to which the degree or degree program aligns with the state's workforce development priorities.

(O) Adopt such rules as are necessary to carry out the chancellor's duties and responsibilities. The rules shall prescribe procedures for the chancellor to follow when taking actions associated with the chancellor's duties and responsibilities and shall indicate which types of actions are subject to those procedures. The procedures adopted under this division shall be in addition to any other procedures prescribed by law for such actions. However, if any other provision of the Revised Code or rule adopted by the chancellor prescribes different procedures for such an action, the procedures adopted under this division shall not apply to that action to the extent they conflict with the procedures otherwise prescribed by law. The procedures adopted under this division shall include at least the following:

(1) Provision for public notice of the proposed action;

(2) An opportunity for public comment on the proposed action, which may include a public hearing on the action by the chancellor;

(3) Methods for parties that may be affected by the proposed action to submit comments during the public comment period;

(4) Written publication of the final action taken by the chancellor and the chancellor's rationale for the action;

(5) A timeline for the process described in divisions (O)(1) to (4) of this section.

(P) Make recommendations to the governor and the general assembly regarding the design and funding of the student financial aid programs specified in sections 3333.122, 3333.21 to 3333.26, and 5910.02 of the Revised Code;

(Q) Participate in education-related state or federal programs on behalf of the state and assume responsibility for the administration of such programs in accordance with applicable state or federal law;

(R) Adopt rules for student financial aid programs as required by sections 3333.122, 3333.21 to 3333.26, 3333.28, and 5910.02 of the Revised Code, and perform any other administrative functions assigned to the chancellor by those sections;

(S) Conduct enrollment audits of state-supported institutions of higher education;

(T) Appoint consortia of college and university personnel to advise or participate in the development and operation of statewide collaborative efforts, including the Ohio supercomputer center, the Ohio academic resources network, OhioLink, and the Ohio learning network. For each consortium, the chancellor shall designate a college or university to serve as that consortium's fiscal agent, financial officer, and employer. Any funds appropriated for the consortia shall be distributed to the fiscal agents for the operation of the consortia. A consortium shall follow the rules of the college or university that serves as its fiscal agent. The chancellor may restructure existing consortia, appointed under this division, in accordance with procedures adopted under divisions (O)(1) to (5) of this section.

(U) Adopt rules establishing advisory duties and responsibilities of the department of higher education not otherwise prescribed by law;

(V) Respond to requests for information about higher education from members of the general assembly and direct staff to conduct research or analysis as needed for this purpose.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:34 PM

Section 3333.041 | Annual reports.
 

(A) On or before the last day of December of each year, the chancellor of higher education shall submit to the governor and, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, the general assembly a report or reports concerning all of the following:

(1) The status of graduates of Ohio school districts at state institutions of higher education during the twelve-month period ending on the thirtieth day of September of the current calendar year. The report shall list, by school district, the number of graduates of each school district who attended a state institution of higher education and the percentage of each district's graduates enrolled in a state institution of higher education during the reporting period who were required during such period by the college or university, as a prerequisite to enrolling in those courses generally required for first-year students, to enroll in a remedial course in English, including composition or reading, mathematics, and any other area designated by the chancellor. The chancellor also shall make the information described in division (A)(1) of this section available to the board of education of each city, exempted village, and local school district.

Each state institution of higher education shall, by the first day of November of each year, submit to the chancellor in the form specified by the chancellor the information the chancellor requires to compile the report.

(2) The following information with respect to the Ohio tuition trust authority:

(a) The name of each investment manager that is a minority business enterprise or a women's business enterprise with which the chancellor contracts;

(b) The amount of assets managed by investment managers that are minority business enterprises or women's business enterprises, expressed as a percentage of assets managed by investment managers with which the chancellor has contracted;

(c) Efforts by the chancellor to increase utilization of investment managers that are minority business enterprises or women's business enterprises.

(3) The chancellor's strategy in assigning choose Ohio first scholarships, as established under section 3333.61 of the Revised Code, among state universities and colleges and how the actual awards fit that strategy.

(4) The academic and economic impact of the Ohio co-op/internship program established under section 3333.72 of the Revised Code. At a minimum, the report shall include the following:

(a) Progress and performance metrics for each initiative that received an award in the previous fiscal year;

(b) Economic indicators of the impact of each initiative, and all initiatives as a whole, on the regional economies and the statewide economy;

(c) The chancellor's strategy in allocating awards among state institutions of higher education and how the actual awards fit that strategy.

(B) On or before the fifteenth day of February of each year, the chancellor shall submit to the governor and, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, the general assembly a report concerning aggregate academic growth data for students assigned to graduates of teacher preparation programs approved under section 3333.048 of the Revised Code who teach English language arts or mathematics in any of grades four to eight in a public school in Ohio. For this purpose, the chancellor shall use the value-added progress dimension prescribed by section 3302.021 of the Revised Code or the alternative student academic progress measure if adopted under division (C)(1)(e) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code. The chancellor shall aggregate the data by graduating class for each approved teacher preparation program, except that if a particular class has ten or fewer graduates to which this division applies, the chancellor shall report the data for a group of classes over a three-year period. In no case shall the report identify any individual graduate. The department of education and workforce shall share any data necessary for the report with the chancellor.

(C) As used in this section:

(1) "Minority business enterprise" has the same meaning as in section 122.71 of the Revised Code.

(2) "State institution of higher education" and "state university" have the same meanings as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(3) "State university or college" has the same meaning as in section 3345.12 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Women's business enterprise" means a business, or a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or joint venture of any kind, that is owned and controlled by women who are United States citizens and residents of this state.

Last updated October 4, 2023 at 3:41 PM

Section 3333.042 | Grants for nonprofit entity that provides aerospace research, education and technology.
 

The chancellor of higher education may grant money to a nonprofit entity that provides a statewide resource for aerospace research, education, and technology, so long as the nonprofit entity makes its resources accessible to state colleges and universities and to agencies of this and other states and the United States. The chancellor, by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall establish procedures and forms whereby nonprofit entities may apply for grants; standards and procedures for reviewing applications for and awarding grants; procedures for distributing grants to recipients; procedures for monitoring the use of grants by recipients; requirements, procedures, and forms whereby grant recipients shall report upon their use of grants; and standards and procedures for terminating and requiring repayment of grants in the event of their improper use.

A state college or university or a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code and any agency of state government may provide assistance, in any form, to any nonprofit entity that receives a grant under this section. Such assistance shall be solely for the purpose of assisting the nonprofit entity in making proper use of the grant.

A nonprofit entity that expends a grant under this section for a capital project is not thereby subject to Chapter 123. or 153. of the Revised Code. An officer or employee of, or a person who serves on a governing or advisory board or committee of, a nonprofit entity that receives a grant under this section is not thereby an officer or employee of a state college or university or of the state. An officer or employee of a state college or university or of the state who is assigned to assist a nonprofit entity in making proper use of a grant does not, to the extent the officer or employee provides such assistance, thereby hold an incompatible office or employment, or have a direct or indirect interest in a contract or expenditure of the entity.

Section 3333.043 | Community service programs.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Institution of higher education" means the state universities listed in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, municipal educational institutions established under Chapter 3349. of the Revised Code, community colleges established under Chapter 3354. of the Revised Code, university branches established under Chapter 3355. of the Revised Code, technical colleges established under Chapter 3357. of the Revised Code, state community colleges established under Chapter 3358. of the Revised Code, any institution of higher education with a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools, and any institution for which the chancellor of higher education receives a notice pursuant to division (C) of this section.

(2) "Community service" has the same meaning as in section 3313.605 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) The board of trustees or other governing entity of each institution of higher education shall encourage and promote participation of students in community service through a program appropriate to the mission, student population, and environment of each institution. The program may include, but not be limited to, providing information about community service opportunities during student orientation or in student publications; providing awards for exemplary community service; encouraging faculty members to incorporate community service into students' academic experiences wherever appropriate to the curriculum; encouraging recognized student organizations to undertake community service projects as part of their purposes; and establishing advisory committees of students, faculty members, and community and business leaders to develop cooperative programs that benefit the community and enhance student experience. The program shall be flexible in design so as to permit participation by the greatest possible number of students, including part-time students and students for whom participation may be difficult due to financial, academic, personal, or other considerations. The program shall emphasize community service opportunities that can most effectively use the skills of students, such as tutoring or literacy programs. The programs shall encourage students to perform services that will not supplant the hiring of, result in the displacement of, or impair any existing employment contracts of any particular employee of any private or governmental entity for which services are performed.

(2) The chancellor of higher education shall encourage all institutions of higher education in the development of community service programs. With the assistance of the Ohio commission on service and volunteerism created in section 121.40 of the Revised Code, the chancellor shall make available information about higher education community service programs to institutions of higher education and to statewide organizations involved with or promoting volunteerism, including information about model community service programs, teacher training courses, and community service curricula and teaching materials for possible use by institutions of higher education in their programs. The chancellor shall encourage institutions of higher education to jointly coordinate higher education community service programs through consortia of institutions or other appropriate means of coordination.

(C) The board of trustees of any nonprofit institution with a certificate of authorization issued pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code or the governing authority of a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code may notify the chancellor that it is making itself subject to divisions (A) and (B) of this section. Upon receipt of such a notice, these divisions shall apply to that institution.

Section 3333.044 | Contracting with consultants - liability insurance.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education may contract with any consultants that are necessary for the discharge of the chancellor's duties under this chapter.

(B) The chancellor may purchase, upon the terms that the chancellor determines to be advisable, one or more policies of insurance from insurers authorized to do business in this state that insure consultants who have contracted with the chancellor under division (A) of this section or members of an advisory committee appointed under section 3333.04 of the Revised Code, with respect to the activities of the consultants or advisory committee members in the course of the performance of their responsibilities as consultants or advisory committee members.

(C) Subject to the approval of the controlling board, the chancellor may contract with any entities for the discharge of the chancellor's duties and responsibilities under any of the programs established pursuant to sections 3333.122, 3333.21 to 3333.28, and 5120.55, and Chapter 5910. of the Revised Code. The chancellor shall not enter into a contract under this division unless the proposed contractor demonstrates that its primary purpose is to promote access to higher education by providing student financial assistance through loans, grants, or scholarships, and by providing high quality support services and information to students and their families with regard to such financial assistance.

Chapter 125. of the Revised Code does not apply to contracts entered into pursuant to this section. In awarding contracts under this division, the chancellor shall consider factors such as the cost of the administration of the contract, the experience of the contractor, and the contractor's ability to properly execute the contract.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 11:16 AM

Section 3333.045 | Model for training trustees as to authority and responsibilities.
 

As used in this section, "state university or college" means any state university listed in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, the northeast Ohio medical university, any community college under Chapter 3354. of the Revised Code, any university branch district under Chapter 3355. of the Revised Code, any technical college under Chapter 3357. of the Revised Code, and any state community college under Chapter 3358. of the Revised Code.

The chancellor of higher education shall work with the attorney general, the auditor of state, and the Ohio ethics commission to develop a model for training members of the boards of trustees of all state universities and colleges regarding the authority and responsibilities of a board of trustees. This model shall include a review of fiduciary responsibilities, ethics, and fiscal management. Use of this model by members of boards of trustees shall be voluntary.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 11:16 AM

Section 3333.046 | Exempting certain programs from regulation as proprietary schools.
 

Any institution authorized to grant on February 20, 2002, baccalaureate or master's degrees, for which certificates of authorization have been issued under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code; that is accredited by the appropriate regional and, when appropriate, professional accrediting associations within whose jurisdiction it falls; and that is operated by a for-profit corporation shall cease to be subject to any regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code but shall continue to be subject to the provisions for approval of degree programs set forth in Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, including approval of any additional associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree programs offered by the institution.

Section 3333.047 | Student financial aid program audits.
 

With regard to any state student financial aid program established in this chapter, Chapter 5910., or section 5919.34 of the Revised Code, the chancellor of higher education shall conduct audits to:

(A) Determine the validity of information provided by students and parents regarding eligibility for state student financial aid. If the chancellor determines that eligibility data has been reported incorrectly or inaccurately, and where the chancellor determines an adjustment to be appropriate, the institution of higher education shall adjust the financial aid awarded to the student.

(B) Ensure that institutions of higher education are in compliance with the rules governing state student financial aid programs. An institution that fails to comply with the rules in the administration of any state student financial aid program shall be fully liable to reimburse the state for the unauthorized use of student financial aid funds.

Section 3333.048 | Educator preparation; Metrics and programs.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education, in consultation with the director of education and workforce, shall, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, establish metrics for the preparation of educators and other school personnel and the institutions of higher education that are engaged in their preparation. The metrics to be used in educator preparation programs shall do all of the following:

(1) Be aligned with the standards and qualifications for educator licenses adopted by the state board of education under section 3319.22 of the Revised Code and the requirements of the Ohio teacher residency program established under section 3319.223 of the Revised Code;

(2) Ensure that educators and other school personnel are adequately prepared to use the value-added progress dimension prescribed by section 3302.021 of the Revised Code or the alternative student academic progress measure if adopted under division (C)(1)(e) of section 3302.03 of the Revised Code;

(3) Ensure that all educators complete coursework in evidence-based strategies for effective literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading, which includes phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency comprehension, and vocabulary development, and is part of a structured literacy program;

(4) Ensure that clinical preparation for all educators who are responsible for teaching reading only occur in the classrooms where the local education agency has verified that the practicing teachers have training in literacy instruction strategies aligned to the science of reading, use instructional materials aligned to the science of reading from the list established under section 3313.6028 of the Revised Code, and actively implement a structured literacy approach.

(B) The chancellor shall do all of the following:

(1) Develop an auditing process that clearly documents the degree to which every educator preparation program at an institution of higher education is effectively teaching the science of reading as follows:

(a) By December 31, 2023, complete an initial survey of educator preparation programs, establish metrics for the audits, and update standards to reflect new requirements;

(b) Grant a one-year grace period for all institutions to meet new standards and requirements under this section to begin on January 1, 2024;

(c) On January 1, 2025, begin conducting audits of each institution that offers educator preparation programs.

The chancellor shall revoke approval for programs that are found to be not in alignment and do not address the findings of the audit within a year. All programs shall be reviewed every four years thereafter to ensure continued alignment.

(2) Annually create a summary of literacy instruction strategies and practices in place for all educator preparation programs based on the program audits, including institution-level summaries, until all programs reach the required alignment specified in division (A)(3) of this section;

(3) In conjunction with the department of education, do all of the following:

(a) Publicly release the summaries with local education agencies not later than the thirty-first day of March of each year;

(b) Identify a list of approved vendors who can provide professional development experiences that are consistent with the science of reading to educators who are responsible for teaching reading, including faculty in educator preparation programs;

(c) Develop a public dashboard that reports the first-time passage rates of students, by institution, on the foundations of reading licensure test.

(C) If the metrics established under division (A) of this section require an institution of higher education that prepares teachers to satisfy the standards of an independent accreditation organization, the chancellor shall permit each institution to satisfy the standards of any applicable national educator preparation accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education.

(D) The metrics and educator preparation programs established under division (A) of this section may require an institution of higher education, as a condition of approval by the chancellor, to make changes in the curricula of its preparation programs for educators and other school personnel.

Notwithstanding division (E) of section 119.03 and division (A)(1) of section 119.04 of the Revised Code, any metrics, educator preparation programs, rules, and regulations, or any amendment or rescission of such metrics, educator preparation programs, rules, and regulations, adopted under this section that necessitate institutions offering preparation programs for educators and other school personnel approved by the chancellor to revise the curricula of those programs shall not be effective for at least one year after the first day of January next succeeding the publication of the said change.

Each institution shall allocate money from its existing revenue sources to pay the cost of making the curricular changes.

(E) The chancellor shall notify the state board of the metrics and educator preparation programs established under division (A) of this section. The state board shall publish the metrics and educator preparation programs with the standards and qualifications for each type of educator license.

(F) The graduates of educator preparation programs approved by the chancellor shall be licensed by the state board in accordance with the standards and qualifications adopted under section 3319.22 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 22, 2023 at 3:10 PM

Section 3333.049 | Reading endorsement programs; instruction in computer science and computational thinking.
 

(A) Not later than July 1, 2016, the chancellor of higher education shall revise the requirements for reading endorsement programs offered by institutions of higher education to align those requirements with the reading competencies adopted by the state board of education under section 3301.077 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each educator preparation program approved under section 3333.048 of the Revised Code shall require each candidate for an educator license who enters the program in the 2022-2023 academic year, or any academic year thereafter, to receive instruction in computer science and computational thinking, as applied to student learning and classroom instruction, as appropriate for the grade level and subject area of the candidate's prospective educator license.

Last updated August 5, 2021 at 3:52 PM

Section 3333.0410 | Use the student's data verification code required.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall require each state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, when reporting student data to the chancellor under any provision of law, to use the student's data verification code assigned under division (D)(2) of section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code, if that code was included in the student's records submitted to the institution by the student's high school or by another state institution of higher education.

Section 3333.0411 | Reports for teacher preparation programs.
 

Not later than December 31, 2014, and annually thereafter, the chancellor of higher education shall report for each approved teacher preparation program, the number and percentage of all graduates of the program who were rated at each of the performance levels prescribed by division (B)(1) of section 3319.112 of the Revised Code on an evaluation conducted in accordance with section 3319.111 of the Revised Code in the previous school year.

In no case shall the report identify any individual graduate. The department of education and workforce shall share any data necessary for the report with the chancellor.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:37 PM

Section 3333.0412 | Private university exempt from liability for certain breach of confidentiality.
 

(A) No nonprofit institution that holds a certificate of authorization issued under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code shall be liable for a breach of confidentiality arising from the institution's submission of student data or records to the chancellor of higher education or any other state agency in compliance with any law, rule, or regulation, provided that the breach occurs as a result of one of the following:

(1) An action by a third party during and after the transmission of the data or records by the institution but prior to receipt of the data or records by the chancellor of higher education or other state agency;

(2) An action by the chancellor of higher education or the state agency.

(B) No nonprofit institution that holds a certificate of authorization issued under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code shall be liable for a breach of confidentiality or any other claim that arises from the institution's disclosure of the public records pursuant to a request for public records made under section 149.43 of the Revised Code, except for claims based on the institution's failure to disclose public records as required by law.

This provision shall apply to the submission of any student data or records that are subject to any laws of this state or, to the extent permitted, any federal law, including the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974," 88 Stat. 571, 20 U.S.C. 1232g.

Section 3333.0413 | Inventory of education programs focusing on workforce development and training.
 

Not later than December 31, 2014, the chancellor of higher education shall make available, in a prominent location on the chancellor's web site, a complete inventory of education programs that focus on workforce development and training that includes both of the following:

(A) Programs offered by state institutions of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, adult career-technical institutions, and all private nonprofit and for-profit postsecondary institutions operating in the state;

(B) Programs registered with the apprenticeship council established under Chapter 4139. of the Revised Code.

The chancellor may update this inventory as necessary.

Section 3333.0414 | Opioid and other substance abuse prevention instruction.
 

(A) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the chancellor of higher education shall adopt rules that require education preparation programs approved under section 3333.048 of the Revised Code to include instruction in opioid and other substance abuse prevention. The instruction shall be for all educator and other school personnel preparation programs for all content areas and grade levels.

(B) Instruction shall include all of the following:

(1) Information on the magnitude of opioid and other substance abuse;

(2) The role educators and other school personnel can play in educating students about the adverse effects of opioid and other substance abuse;

(3) Resources available to teach students about the consequences of opioid and substance abuse;

(4) Resources available to help fight and treat opioid abuse.

Section 3333.0415 | Annual report regarding Attainment Goal 2025.
 

The chancellor of higher education, in collaboration with the department of education and workforce, shall prepare an annual report regarding the progress the state is making in increasing the percentage of adults in the state with a college degree, industry certificate, or other postsecondary credential to sixty-five per cent by the year 2025. The chancellor shall submit an electronic copy of the report to the governor, the president and minority leader of the senate, and the speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:39 PM

Section 3333.0416 | Investigation of fees charged by state institutions.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education may do both of the following with regard to student fees:

(1) Investigate all fees charged to students by any state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;

(2) Prohibit any state institution from charging a fee that the chancellor determines is not in the best interest of the students.

(B) If the chancellor prohibits a state institution from charging a fee pursuant to this section, the institution may seek approval from the controlling board to charge the fee.

Section 3333.0417 | Statewide educational plan for preventing hazing.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Hazing" and "organization" have the same meanings as in section 2903.31 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall develop a statewide educational plan for preventing hazing at institutions of higher education. The plan shall include at least both of the following:

(1) A model anti-hazing policy that prohibits students enrolled in an institution of higher education, or other individuals associated with an organization recognized by or operating under the sanction of an institution, from engaging in hazing or a violation of section 2903.31 of the Revised Code. The model policy shall meet the requirements prescribed under division (B) of section 3345.19 of the Revised Code. The chancellor shall provide the model policy to each institution.

(2) Guidelines regarding anti-hazing education and training for all of the following:

(a) Students enrolled in an institution;

(b) Administrators, faculty members, and individuals employed by an institution;

(c) Organizations recognized by, or operating under the sanction of, an institution.

Last updated August 20, 2021 at 4:55 PM

Section 3333.0418 | Mental health and wellness report.
 

(A) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education annually shall issue, to the extent practicable, a report about the mental health and wellness services and initiatives of state institutions of higher education. The report shall include all of the following:

(1) A description of each state institution of higher education's mental health and wellness services and initiatives;

(2) A summary of how much funding each state institution of higher education dedicates to mental health and wellness services and initiatives, including the percentage of that funding that is used for administrative costs;

(3) Any other information the chancellor determines appropriate.

(C) Each state institution of higher education shall submit to the chancellor, in a form and manner prescribed by the chancellor, any information or data the chancellor requires to issue the report prescribed under this section.

(D) The chancellor shall submit the report prescribed under this section to the general assembly in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code.

(E) The chancellor may adopt rules to implement this section.

Last updated April 27, 2022 at 4:47 PM

Section 3333.05 | Chancellor to approve plans and charter of community colleges.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall approve or disapprove proposed official plans of community college districts, prepared and submitted pursuant to sections 3354.01 to 3354.18 of the Revised Code, and issue or decline to issue charters for operation of community colleges, pursuant to section 3354.07 of the Revised Code.

The chancellor shall approve an official plan, and issue a charter, only upon the following findings:

(A) That the official plan and all past and proposed actions of the community college district are in conformity to law;

(B) That the proposed community college will not unreasonably and wastefully duplicate existing educational services available to students and prospective students residing in the community college district;

(C) That there is reasonable prospect of adequate current operating revenue for the proposed community college from its proposed opening date of operation;

(D) That the proposed lands and facilities of the community colleges will be adequate and efficient for the purposes of the proposed community college;

(E) That the proposed curricular programs defined in section 3354.01 of the Revised Code as "arts and sciences" and "technical," or either, are the programs for which there is substantial need in the territory of the district.

The employment and separation of individual personnel in a community college, and the establishing or abolishing of individual courses of instruction, shall not be subject to the specific and individual approval or disapproval of the chancellor, but shall occur in the discretion of the local management of such college within the limitations of law, the official plan, and the charter of such college.

Section 3333.051 | Applied bachelor's and nursing bachelor's degree programs at two-year institutions.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall establish a program under which a community college established under Chapter 3354., technical college established under Chapter 3357., or state community college established under Chapter 3358. of the Revised Code may apply to the chancellor for authorization to offer applied bachelor's, nursing bachelor's, and prelicensure nursing bachelor's degree programs.

The chancellor may approve programs under this section that demonstrate all of the following:

(1) Evidence of an agreement between the college and a regional business or industry to train students in an in-demand field and to employ students upon their successful completion of the program;

(2) That the workforce need of the regional business or industry is in an in-demand field with long-term sustainability based upon data provided by the governor's office of workforce transformation;

(3) Supporting data that identifies the specific workforce need the program will address;

(4) The absence of a bachelor's degree program that meets the workforce need addressed by the proposed program that is offered by a state university or private college or university;

(5) Willingness of an industry partner to offer workplace-based learning and employment opportunities to students enrolled in the proposed program.

(B)(1) The chancellor shall approve the creation of any nursing bachelor's degree program proposed by a community, state community, or technical college that meet the requirements prescribed in divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this section and the standards and procedures for academic program approval pursuant to section 3333.04 of the Revised Code. Upon the approval of the chancellor the institution shall establish an accredited nursing bachelor's degree program.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the chancellor shall approve any proposal for a prelicensure nursing bachelor's degree program submitted by a community, state community, or technical college prior to September 30, 2022. The chancellor promptly shall transmit that proposal along with the chancellor's approval to the appropriate accreditation bodies.

(C) As used in this section:

(1) "Applied bachelor's degree" means a bachelor's degree that is both of the following:

(a) Specifically designed for an individual who holds an associate of applied science degree, or its equivalent, in order to maximize application of the individual's technical course credits toward the bachelor's degree;

(b) Based on curriculum that incorporates both theoretical and applied knowledge and skills in a specific technical field.

(2) "Private college or university" means a nonprofit institution that holds a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

(3) "State university" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Last updated February 28, 2023 at 10:49 AM

Section 3333.052 | Community college acceleration program.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education, with the assistance of the department of job and family services, shall establish the community college acceleration program to enhance financial, academic, and personal support services to students in need of support from local social service agencies. The program shall identify the services and resources available to assist eligible students enrolled in a community college established under Chapter 3354., a state community college established under Chapter 3358., a technical college established under Chapter 3357., or a university branch campus established under Chapter 3355. of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor shall adopt rules to administer the program. The rules shall specify the types of services provided by the program, which may include any of the following:

(1) Comprehensive and personalized advisement;

(2) Career counseling;

(3) Tutoring;

(4) Tuition waivers;

(5) Financial assistance to defray the costs of transportation and textbooks.

Section 3333.06 | State plan - federal grants.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall prepare a state plan and do all other things necessary for participation in federal acts relative to the construction of higher educational academic facilities.

Such plan shall provide for objective standards and methods of determining the relative priorities for eligible projects for the construction of academic facilities submitted by institutions of higher education within the state and for determining the federal share of the development for each such project.

The chancellor shall provide for assigning priorities in accordance with such criteria, standards, and methods to eligible projects submitted to and approved by the chancellor, shall recommend to the United States secretary of education, in the order of such priority, applications covering such eligible projects, and shall certify to the secretary the federal share of the development cost of such projects.

The chancellor shall provide a fair hearing to each institution which has submitted a project as to the priority assigned to such project by the chancellor or as to any other determination of the chancellor adversely affecting such institution.

The chancellor shall receive federal grants for the proper and efficient administration of the state plan, and shall provide for such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures as may be necessary to ensure proper disbursement of, and accounting for, federal funds paid to the chancellor.

The chancellor shall make such reports in such form and containing such information as may be reasonably required by the secretary in the performance of the secretary's functions under federal law relating to grants for the construction of academic facilities.

Each federal grant received by the chancellor shall be paid into the state treasury.

Section 3333.07 | Restrictions on state institutions.
 

(A) Colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education which receive state assistance, but are not supported primarily by the state, shall submit to the chancellor of higher education such accounting of the expenditure of state funds at such time and in such form as the chancellor prescribes.

(B) No state institution of higher education shall establish a new branch or academic center without the approval of the chancellor.

(C) No state institution of higher education shall offer a new degree or establish a new degree program without the approval of the chancellor. No degree approval shall be given for a technical education program unless such program is offered by a state assisted university, a university branch, a technical college, or a community college.

(D) Any state college, university, or other state assisted institution of higher education not complying with a recommendation of the chancellor pursuant to division (F) or (G) of section 3333.04 of the Revised Code shall so notify the chancellor in writing within one hundred twenty days after receipt of the recommendation, stating the reasons why it cannot or should not comply.

(E) The officers, trustees, and employees of all institutions of higher education which are state supported or state assisted shall cooperate with the chancellor in supplying information regarding their institutions, and advising and assisting the chancellor on matters of higher education in this state in every way possible when so requested by the chancellor.

(F) Persons associated with the public school systems in this state and the personnel of the department of education and workforce shall provide such data about high school students as are requested by the chancellor to aid in the development of state higher education plans.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:40 PM

Section 3333.071 | Restricting expenditures for land or capital improvements.
 

Notwithstanding section 3345.16 of the Revised Code, no expenditure shall be made for land for higher education purposes by public institutions of higher education or agents of such institutions from any fund without the approval of the chancellor of higher education and the controlling board. No state appropriation for capital improvements shall be released by the controlling board for the purchase of land or buildings from any organization or corporation which has been established to benefit or assist the institution, except that such releases may be made if the land is to be used for a currently state-financed improvement.

Section 3333.073 | Program viability analysis.
 

The chancellor of higher education may require a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, to conduct a viability analysis of any program offered at that institution and submit the findings of the analysis to the chancellor, if the chancellor determines that the program has a low completion rate, low enrollment rate, or meets other criteria determined relevant by the chancellor. The chancellor may adopt rules to implement this section.

Last updated April 27, 2022 at 5:01 PM

Section 3333.08 | Appropriating property.
 

It is the declared policy of this state that the availability of eminent domain on behalf of educational institutions of higher education is in the public welfare. A private college, university, or other institution of higher education may therefore apply to the chancellor of higher education for the right to appropriate property when such institution is unable to agree with the owner or owners of the subject property upon the price to be paid for the property. The institution shall be one that any educationally qualified member of the public who desires to attend has, or can acquire, a right to be admitted upon equal terms without discrimination. The institution shall certify to the chancellor, in its application, that the use of the property to be appropriated is to be for educational purposes, including student housing and dining facilities, that reasonable efforts have been made to purchase the property, and that it will be used without discrimination against any person or group and be equally available to all qualified persons. The institution also shall submit to the chancellor its plans for the use of the property and such other information as the chancellor may require. The chancellor may, thereafter, and upon a determination that the intended use is in the public interest, approve the application by resolution. Upon such approval, the institution may appropriate the property in the same manner as is provided for the appropriation of property in Chapter 163. of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.09 | Conveyances - lease-back agreements.
 

"Public university or college," as used in this section, means any nonprofit university or college situated within this state which is open to the public on equal terms and which is not affiliated with or controlled by an organization which is not primarily educational in nature. Any such university or college shall be considered to be serving a public purpose.

The chancellor of higher education may, upon the chancellor's determination that such action would serve the interests of higher education in this state, in terms of expansion of educational opportunity in a major urban area and in terms of expansion of educational service to a major urban community, accept conveyances of land, situated within this state, from any public university or college and enter into an agreement before or after such conveyance to lease to such public university or college, upon terms as may be prescribed by the chancellor, such land together with buildings constructed thereon and furniture, fixtures, and equipment therein for use as an educational facility. The lease shall be for a period not to exceed fifty years, renewable for a like term, and shall provide that such buildings be used solely for educational purposes and that the chancellor may cancel such lease if such buildings are used for other purposes. Such lease may contain provisions for the sale of such property to the lessee, upon the consent of the chancellor, for a purchase price not less than the actual cost to the chancellor, less depreciation, computed at the rate customarily applied to similar structures. The chancellor, through the department of administrative services, may construct, equip, or remodel buildings on lands accepted by the chancellor in the name of the state pursuant to this section. Title to lands acquired under this section shall be taken in the name of the state.

Responsibility for the proper use, maintenance, and repair of leased buildings shall rest upon the lessee.

Section 3333.10 | Granting aid to nonprofit medical, osteopathic and dental schools.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Qualified institution of higher education" or "institution" means a nonprofit educational institution, holding an effective certificate of authorization issued under section 1713.02 of the Revised Code, operating in the state an eligible program, and admitting students without discrimination by reason of race, creed, color, or national origin.

(2) "School of dentistry" means an accredited dental college as defined under section 4715.10 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Eligible program" means a medical school accredited by the liaison committee on medical education or an osteopathic medical school accredited by the American osteopathic association, or such a school together with a school of dentistry.

(B) In order to provide better for the public health and the necessary enhancement of instruction in medicine and dentistry in the state, and to encourage the means of such instruction with the least economic cost to the people of the state, the chancellor of higher education may enter into agreements with qualified institutions of higher education providing for the continued operation by the institution of eligible programs, conditioned upon continued payments by the state to such institution for the purposes of such eligible programs of amounts determined in the manner provided for the state subsidy from time to time afforded to state universities on the basis of comparable programs. Before entering into such agreement, the chancellor shall determine that the institution is a qualified institution of higher education as defined in division (A) of this section, and that the operation of such eligible programs as provided for in such agreement and such payments will contribute to the objectives stated in this section and to the objectives of the master plan of higher education formulated under section 3333.04 of the Revised Code.

(C) Agreements under this section shall contain provisions to the effect that:

(1) The institution shall submit to the chancellor accountings for the expenditure of state payments in the manner and at the times as are requested for state-assisted institutions of higher education pursuant to division (A) of section 3333.07 of the Revised Code.

(2) The institution shall notify the chancellor in the manner provided for state-assisted institutions under division (D) of section 3333.07 of the Revised Code with regard to program recommendations by the chancellor in the nature of those provided for in divisions (F) and (G) of section 3333.04 of the Revised Code.

(3) The agreement shall terminate if the institution ceases to be a qualified institution of higher education as determined by the chancellor in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(D) Agreements under this section may make further provision for any one or more of the following as the parties determine:

(1) The duration of any such agreement, or additional provision for terminating the agreement;

(2) Additional conditions for the effectiveness or continued effectiveness of such agreement;

(3) Procedures for the amendment or supplementation of the agreement, including designation of the parties to approve or execute such amendments or supplements;

(4) Such other provisions as may be deemed necessary or appropriate.

(E) In case any provision or part of this section or any provision, agreement, covenant, stipulation, obligation, act or action, or part thereof, made, assumed, or taken under or pursuant to this section, or any application thereof, is for any reason held to be illegal or invalid, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remainder thereof or any other provision of this section or any other provision, agreement, covenant, stipulation, obligation, action, or part thereof, made, assumed, or taken under or pursuant to this section, which shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal or invalid portion were not contained therein, nor shall such illegality or invalidity of any application thereof affect any legal and valid application thereof, and each such provision, agreement, covenant, stipulation, obligation, act, or action, or part thereof, shall be deemed to be effective, operative, made, done, or entered into in the manner and to the full extent permitted by law to accomplish most nearly the intention thereof.

(F) No agreement shall be entered into under this section with any institution which is not in compliance with section 3333.11 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.11 | Department of family practice.
 

Each school or college of medicine or medical university supported in whole or in part by the state shall create a curriculum for and maintain a department of family practice, the purpose of which shall be to acquaint undergraduates with and to train postgraduate physicians for the practice of family medicine. The minimum requirements for the department shall include courses of study in family care, including clinical experience, a program of preceptorships, and a program of family practice residencies in university or other hospital settings.

Each program of family practice shall:

(A) Be designated to advance the field of family practice;

(B) Educate all medical students in family practice and encourage students to enter it as a career;

(C) Provide students an opportunity to study family practice in various situations through preceptorships, seminars, model family practice units within the medical school, classroom work, hospital programs, or other means;

(D) Develop residency and other training programs for family practice in public and private hospitals, including those in nonmetropolitan areas of the state;

(E) The department shall be a full department co-equal with all other major clinical departments and headed by a qualified experienced family practitioner serving as chairperson of the department of family practice and director of the family practice residency program.

Funds appropriated by the general assembly in support of family practice programs shall not be disbursed until the chancellor of higher education has certified that the intent and requirements of this section are being met.

Section 3333.111 | Department or office of geriatric medicine.
 

Each school or college of medicine or medical university supported in whole or in part by the state shall create an office of geriatric medicine within a department to be designated by the dean of the school or college of medicine or medical university, or, in lieu thereof, may establish a separate department of geriatric medicine. The dean of the school or college of medicine or medical university shall designate a member of the medical school, college, or university faculty to establish the office or department, which shall be responsible for incorporating subject matter relating to geriatric medicine into existing courses, arranging courses which relate to geriatric medicine in sequence, and establishing courses in geriatric medicine wherever appropriate, subject to approval of the dean. In addition, the office or department of geriatric medicine shall provide clinical and research experience where it is considered to be necessary and appropriate.

Section 3333.121 | Instructional grant reconciliation fund.
 

There is hereby established in the state treasury the state financial aid reconciliation fund, which shall consist of refunds of state financial aid payments originally disbursed by the department of higher education for programs that the department is responsible for administering. Revenues credited to the fund shall be used by the chancellor of higher education to pay to higher education institutions any outstanding obligations for state financial aid programs that are identified through the annual reconciliation and financial audit or through other means. Any amount in the fund that is in excess of the amount certified to the director of budget and management by the chancellor of higher education as necessary to reconcile payments under the program shall be transferred to the general revenue fund.

Section 3333.122 | Ohio college opportunity grant program.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall adopt rules to carry out this section and as authorized under section 3333.123 of the Revised Code. The rules shall include definitions of the terms "resident," "expected family contribution," "full-time student," "three-quarters-time student," "half-time student," "one-quarter-time student," "state cost of attendance," and "accredited" for the purpose of those sections.

(B) Only an Ohio resident who meets both of the following is eligible for a grant awarded under this section:

(1) The resident has an expected family contribution of three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars or less;

(2) The resident enrolls in one of the following:

(a) An undergraduate program, or a nursing diploma program approved by the board of nursing under section 4723.06 of the Revised Code, at a state-assisted state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.12 of the Revised Code, that meets the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;

(b) An undergraduate program, or a nursing diploma program approved by the board of nursing under section 4723.06 of the Revised Code, at a private, nonprofit institution in this state holding a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code;

(c) An undergraduate program, or a nursing diploma program approved by the board of nursing under section 4723.06 of the Revised Code, at a career college in this state that holds a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code or at a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code, if the program has a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

(d) A comprehensive transition and postsecondary program that is certified by the United States department of education. For purposes of this section, a "comprehensive transition and postsecondary program" means a degree, certificate, or non-degree program that is designed to support persons with intellectual disabilities who are receiving academic, career, technical, and independent living instruction at an institution of higher education in order to prepare for gainful employment as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1140.

(C)(1) The chancellor shall establish and administer a needs-based financial aid grants program based on the United States department of education's method of determining financial need. The program shall be known as the Ohio college opportunity grant program. The general assembly shall support the needs-based financial aid program by such sums and in such manner as it may provide, but the chancellor also may receive funds from other sources to support the program. If, for any academic year, the amounts available for support of the program are inadequate to provide grants to all eligible students, the chancellor shall do one of the following:

(a) Give preference in the payment of grants based upon expected family contribution, beginning with the lowest expected family contribution category and proceeding upward by category to the highest expected family contribution category;

(b) Proportionately reduce the amount of each grant to be awarded for the academic year under this section;

(c) Use an alternate formula for such grants that addresses the shortage of available funds and has been submitted to and approved by the controlling board.

(2) The needs-based financial aid grant shall be paid to the eligible student through the institution in which the student is enrolled, except that no needs-based financial aid grant shall be paid to any person serving a term of imprisonment. Applications for the grants shall be made as prescribed by the chancellor, and such applications may be made in conjunction with and upon the basis of information provided in conjunction with student assistance programs funded by agencies of the United States government or from financial resources of the institution of higher education. The institution shall certify that the student applicant meets the requirements set forth in division (B) of this section. Needs-based financial aid grants shall be provided to an eligible student only as long as the student is making appropriate progress toward a nursing diploma, an associate or bachelor's degree, or completion of a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program. No student shall be eligible to receive a grant for more than ten semesters, fifteen quarters, or the equivalent of five academic years. A grant made to an eligible student on the basis of less than full-time enrollment shall be based on the number of credit hours for which the student is enrolled and shall be computed in accordance with a formula adopted by rule issued by the chancellor. No student shall receive more than one grant on the basis of less than full-time enrollment.

(D)(1) Except as provided in divisions (D)(4) and (5) of this section, no grant awarded under this section shall exceed the total state cost of attendance.

(2) Subject to divisions (D)(1), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, the chancellor shall determine the maximum per student award amount for each institutional sector by subtracting the sum of the maximum Pell grant and maximum expected family contribution amounts, as determined by the chancellor, from the average instructional and general fees charged by the institutional sector. The department of higher education shall publish on its web site an annual Ohio college opportunity award table. Except as provided for in section 3333.126 of the Revised Code, in no case shall the grant amount for such a student exceed any maximum that the chancellor may set by rule.

(3) For a student enrolled for a semester or quarter in addition to the portion of the academic year covered by a grant under this section, the maximum grant amount shall be a percentage of the maximum specified in any table established in rules adopted by the chancellor as provided in division (A) of this section. The maximum grant for a fourth quarter shall be one-third of the maximum amount so prescribed. The maximum grant for a third semester shall be one-half of the maximum amount so prescribed.

(4) If a student is enrolled in a two-year institution of higher education and is eligible for an education and training voucher through the Ohio education and training voucher program that receives federal funding under the John H. Chafee foster care independence program, 42 U.S.C. 677, the amount of a grant awarded under this section may exceed the total state cost of attendance to additionally cover housing costs.

(5) For a student who is receiving federal veterans' benefits under the "All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program," 38 U.S.C. 3001 et seq., or "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program," 38 U.S.C. 3301 et seq., or any successor program, the amount of a grant awarded under this section shall be applied toward the total state cost of attendance and the student's housing costs and living expenses. Living expenses shall include reasonable costs for room and board.

(E) No grant shall be made to any student in a course of study in theology, religion, or other field of preparation for a religious profession unless such course of study leads to an accredited bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, associate of arts, or associate of science degree.

(F)(1) Except as provided in division (F)(2) of this section, no grant shall be made to any student for enrollment during a fiscal year in an institution with a cohort default rate determined by the United States secretary of education pursuant to the "Higher Education Amendments of 1986," 100 Stat. 1278, 1408, 20 U.S.C.A. 1085, as amended, as of the fifteenth day of June preceding the fiscal year, equal to or greater than thirty per cent for each of the preceding two fiscal years.

(2) Division (F)(1) of this section does not apply in the case of either of the following:

(a) The institution pursuant to federal law appeals its loss of eligibility for federal financial aid and the United States secretary of education determines its cohort default rate after recalculation is lower than the rate specified in division (F)(1) of this section or the secretary determines due to mitigating circumstances that the institution may continue to participate in federal financial aid programs. The chancellor shall adopt rules requiring any such appellant to provide information to the chancellor regarding an appeal.

(b) Any student who has previously received a grant pursuant to any provision of this section, including prior to the section's amendment by H.B. 1 of the 128th general assembly, effective July 17, 2009, and who meets all other eligibility requirements of this section.

(3) The chancellor shall adopt rules for the notification of all institutions whose students will be ineligible to participate in the grant program pursuant to division (F)(1) of this section.

(4) A student's attendance at any institution whose students are ineligible for grants due to division (F)(1) of this section shall not affect that student's eligibility to receive a grant when enrolled in another institution.

(G) Institutions of higher education that enroll students receiving needs-based financial aid grants under this section shall report to the chancellor all students who have received such needs-based financial aid grants but are no longer eligible for all or part of those grants and shall refund any moneys due the state within thirty days after the beginning of the quarter or term immediately following the quarter or term in which the student was no longer eligible to receive all or part of the student's grant. There shall be an interest charge of one per cent per month on all moneys due and payable after such thirty-day period. The chancellor shall immediately notify the office of budget and management and the legislative service commission of all refunds so received.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 11:21 AM

Section 3333.123 | Ohio college opportunity grant program - funding preferences and priorities.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "The Ohio college opportunity grant program" means the program established under section 3333.122 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Rules for the Ohio college opportunity grant program" means the rules authorized in division (R) of section 3333.04 of the Revised Code for the implementation of the program.

(B) In adopting rules for the Ohio college opportunity grant program, the chancellor of higher education may include provisions that give preferential or priority funding to low-income students who in their primary and secondary school work participate in or complete rigorous academic coursework, attain passing scores on the assessments prescribed in section 3301.0710 or 3301.0712 of the Revised Code, or meet other high academic performance standards determined by the chancellor to reduce the need for remediation and ensure academic success at the postsecondary education level. Any such rules shall include a specification of procedures needed to certify student achievement of primary and secondary standards as well as the timeline for implementation of the provisions authorized by this section.

Section 3333.124 | Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund.
 

There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund. As soon as possible following the end of each fiscal year, the chancellor of higher education shall certify to the director of budget and management the unencumbered balance of the general revenue fund appropriations made in the immediately preceding fiscal year for purposes of the Ohio college opportunity grant program created in section 3333.122 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the certification, the director of budget and management may transfer an amount not exceeding the certified amount from the general revenue fund to the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund. Moneys in the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund shall be used to pay grant obligations in excess of the general revenue fund appropriations made for that purpose.

The director of budget and management may transfer any unencumbered balance from the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund to the general revenue fund.

If it is determined that general revenue fund appropriations are insufficient to meet the obligations of the Ohio college opportunity grant program in a fiscal year, the director of budget and management may transfer funds from the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund to the general revenue fund in order to meet those obligations. The amount transferred is hereby appropriated. If the funds transferred from the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund are not needed, the director of budget and management may transfer the unexpended balance from the general revenue fund back to the Ohio college opportunity grant program reserve fund.

Section 3333.125 | Commercial truck driver student aid program.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Eligible student" means an individual who satisfies all of the following:

(a) The individual is an Ohio resident.

(b) The individual is enrolled in an eligible school.

(c) The individual has passed a drug test.

(d) The individual does not have more than three moving violations in two consecutive years. If an individual who the eligible school has determined is an eligible student has three moving violations in two consecutive years while participating in the program, the individual shall no longer be considered eligible for continued participation in the program.

(e) The individual has not plead guilty to or been convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a drug of abuse under section 4511.19 of the Revised Code in the past twelve months. If an individual who the eligible school has determined is an eligible student pleads guilty to or is convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a drug of abuse while participating in the program, the individual shall no longer be considered eligible for continued participation in the program.

(f) The individual meets any additional eligibility criteria established under rules adopted by the chancellor, in consultation with the director of public safety, under division (F) of this section.

(2) "Eligible school" means either of the following:

(a) A commercial driver training school certified by the director of public safety as holding a license issued pursuant to section 4508.03 or 4508.09 of the Revised Code, rules adopted under either of those sections, and other necessary standards and procedures as determined by the director;

(b) A program exempted from licensure by the director of public safety under section 4508.07 of the Revised Code but approved to be a commercial driver training school by the chancellor and the director for purposes of the student aid program at any of the following:

(i) A state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A career college or school in this state that holds a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code;

(iii) A private, nonprofit institution in this state that holds a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code;

(iv) A private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code, if the program has a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code;

(v) A career-technical center, joint vocational school district, comprehensive career-technical center, or compact career-technical center offering adult training.

No commercial driver training school that charges employers recruiting fees shall be certified under this division.

(3) "Employed in this state" means either of the following:

(a) An individual is employed as a truck driver by an entity that has a valid mailing address in the state.

(b) An individual is self-employed as a truck driver using a valid mailing address in the state.

(4) "Moving violation" has the same meaning as in section 4510.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) The commercial truck driver student aid program is hereby established. Under the program, the chancellor of higher education shall make awards to eligible schools. Schools that receive such awards shall distribute to an eligible student who commits to reside in and be employed in this state for a minimum of one year upon completion of a commercial driver training program a combination of a grant and a loan in the amounts prescribed by the chancellor under division (D) of this section to pay for the costs of a commercial driver training program at an eligible school.

(C) There is hereby established in the state treasury the commercial truck driver student aid fund, which shall consist of funds appropriated by the general assembly for purposes of this section and funds received as repayment for loans awarded under this section.

The fund shall be used by the chancellor for grants and loans made under this section and for expenses of creating and administering the program.

(D)(1) The chancellor shall determine the grant and loan amount awarded to an eligible student.

Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, the chancellor also shall award a loan to an eligible student in the same amount as the grant. A loan for an eligible student's program costs under this section shall not exceed ten thousand dollars. The total amount of a grant and a loan awarded to an eligible student under this section shall not exceed the cost of tuition and related expenses for an eligible school's commercial driver training program.

(2) If, for any academic year, the amounts available for support of the program are inadequate to provide grants and loans to all eligible students who apply for participation or are participating in the program, the chancellor shall proportionately reduce the amount of each grant and loan to be awarded for the academic year.

(E)(1) The chancellor shall be responsible for making deposits and withdrawals and maintaining records pertaining to the student aid program.

(2) Each eligible student who accepts a grant or loan under division (B) of this section shall sign a promissory note payable to the state in the event the student fails to do either of the following:

(a) Satisfy the residency and employment requirement under that division;

(b) Complete the commercial driver training program in which the student was enrolled.

(3) The amount payable under the note shall be the amount of the grant or loan accepted by the student plus interest accrued annually beginning either one calendar year after the student completes a commercial driver training program or immediately after the student disenrolls from, or does not complete, a commercial driver training program. The chancellor shall determine the interest rate and period of repayment under the note. The chancellor may consult with the attorney general and the treasurer of state when determining the interest rate and period of repayment.

(4) The note shall stipulate that the obligation to make payments under the note is canceled once either of the following applies to the student:

(a) The student completes a commercial driver training program and meets the residency and employment requirement under division (B) of this section.

(b) The student dies or becomes totally and permanently disabled.

(F) The chancellor, in consultation with the director of public safety, shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, necessary for the operation of the program, including rules for all of the following:

(1) Terms and conditions for loans under the program;

(2) Requirements for certification of commercial driver training schools;

(3) Additional eligibility criteria that the chancellor determines necessary for individuals participating in the program.

Last updated January 20, 2022 at 9:02 AM

Section 3333.126 | Supplemental Ohio college opportunity grants.
 

(A) As used in this section, "eligible student" means a student to whom all of the following apply:

(1) The student receives an Ohio college opportunity grant under section 3333.122 of the Revised Code.

(2) The student has completed at least two years of a bachelor's degree program.

(3) The student is making progress toward completing the student's bachelor's degree program.

(B) In addition to the Ohio college opportunity grant a student is awarded under section 3333.122 of the Revised Code, the chancellor shall award an eligible student with a supplemental grant. Funding for this supplemental grant shall be paid for from funds appropriated for grants awarded under section 3333.122 of the Revised Code. Supplemental grants awarded under this section shall be subject to the same requirements as a grant awarded under section 3333.122 of the Revised Code, including divisions (D)(1) and (E) of that section.

The chancellor shall award supplemental grants under this section only if the chancellor determines that sufficient funds remain for that purpose after the chancellor awards grants under section 3333.122 of the Revised Code.

(C) The chancellor shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules shall include a method to calculate supplemental grant amounts.

Last updated April 27, 2022 at 5:07 PM

Section 3333.127 | Second chance grant program.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Cost of attendance" has the same meaning as in 20 U.S.C. 1087ll.

(2) "Eligible student" means a student to whom all of the following apply:

(a) The student is a resident of this state under rules adopted by the chancellor of higher education under section 3333.31 of the Revised Code.

(b) The student has not attained a bachelor's degree from a qualifying institution or an institution of higher education in another state prior to applying for a grant under this section.

(c) The student, while in good standing, disenrolled from a qualifying institution and did not transfer to a qualifying institution or an institution of higher education in another state in the two semesters or eight months immediately following the student's disenrollment. For the purposes of this division, "good standing" includes being in good academic standing and not having a record of disciplinary issues, including being suspended or expelled from the qualifying institution.

Qualifying institutions that do not use a semester calendar shall use eight months as the metric for determining a student's disenrollment period.

(d) Subject to division (A)(2)(c) of this section, the student enrolls in a qualifying institution within five years of disenrolling from the qualifying institution.

(e) The student is not enrolled in the college credit plus program established under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code.

(f) The student meets any other eligibility criteria determined necessary by the chancellor.

(3) "Qualifying institution" means any of the following:

(a) A state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;

(b) A private nonprofit institution of higher education that holds a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code;

(c) An institution with a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code;

(d) A private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code;

(e) An Ohio technical center, as defined in section 3333.94 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor shall establish the second chance grant program. Under the program, the chancellor shall award a one-time grant of not more than three thousand dollars to each eligible student approved to participate in the program.

(C) Eligible students shall apply to participate in the program in a form and manner prescribed by the chancellor. The chancellor shall approve each applicant who is enrolled in a qualifying institution and who has a cost of attendance remaining for the academic year in which the application is approved after all other financial aid for which that applicant qualifies has been applied to the applicant's account at the institution. The chancellor shall approve applications in the order in which they are received.

(D) The chancellor shall pay grants to the qualifying institution in which a participant is enrolled in the academic year in which the participant's application is approved. The qualifying institution shall apply the grant to a participant's cost of attendance for that academic year. If any amount of the grant remains after it is applied to the participant's cost of attendance for that year, the qualifying institution shall apply that remaining amount to the participant's cost of attendance for any other academic year in which the student is enrolled in the institution. The qualifying institution shall return to the chancellor any grant amount remaining after a participant graduates or disenrolls from the institution.

(E) In each academic year, the chancellor shall submit to the general assembly, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, a report that contains all of the following:

(1) The number of eligible students participating in the program who received a grant in that academic year;

(2) The qualifying institutions from which the participants disenrolled, as described in division (A)(2)(c) of this section;

(3) The types of academic programs in which the participants were enrolled prior to disenrolling from qualifying institutions;

(4) The types of academic programs in which participants were enrolled when they received grants under the program;

(5) Information regarding how the grants were used;

(6) If the participant completed a degree program with the grant.

(F) The second chance grant program fund is hereby created in the state treasury, to consist of such amounts designated for the purposes of the fund by the general assembly. The fund shall be administered by the chancellor and shall be used to pay grants under the program established under this section. The fund also may be used by the chancellor to implement and administer the second chance grant program.

(G) The chancellor shall adopt rules to administer the program.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 11:22 AM

Section 3333.128 | Grants for students who are adopted.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Cost of attendance" has the same meaning as in 20 U.S.C. 1087II.

(2) "Eligible student" means a student to whom all of the following apply:

(a) The student is a resident of this state under rules adopted by the chancellor of higher education under section 3333.31 of the Revised Code.

(b) The student was not adopted by a stepparent, but was adopted in accordance with Chapter 3107. of the Revised Code, including any of the following types of adoption:

(i) An adoption arranged by an attorney;

(ii) An adoption arranged by a public children services agency, private child placing agency, or private noncustodial agency;

(iii) Interstate adoption in accordance with section 5103.23 of the Revised Code;

(iv) Foreign adoption in accordance with section 3107.18 of the Revised Code.

(c) The student's adoption is finalized on or after January 1, 2023.

(d) The student is enrolled at a qualifying institution.

(3) "Qualifying institution" means either a state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code or private college as defined in section 3365.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer a grant program for students in Ohio who are adopted. Under the program, the chancellor shall award a one-time grant of two thousand five hundred dollars to approved participants.

(C) Eligible students shall apply in the form and manner prescribed by the chancellor.

(D) The chancellor shall approve applications and pay grants to the qualifying institution in which a participant is enrolled in the academic year for which the participant's application is approved. The qualifying institution shall apply the grant to a participant's cost of attendance for that academic year. If any amount of the grant remains after it is applied to the participant's cost of attendance for that year, the qualifying institution shall apply that remaining amount to the participant's cost of attendance for any other academic year in which the student is enrolled in the institution. The qualifying institution shall return to the chancellor any grant amount remaining after a participant graduates or disenrolls from the institution.

(E) If, for any academic year, the amounts available for support of the program are inadequate to provide grants to all approved students, the chancellor shall determine a method to select which applications to approve.

Last updated March 2, 2023 at 2:56 PM

Section 3333.129 | "Teach CS" grant program.
 

(A) The "Teach CS" grant program is established to fund coursework, materials, and exams to support the increasing number of existing teachers who qualify to teach computer science through all of the following:

(1) A supplemental license that involves a mentorship-based pathway for existing teachers;

(2) A university endorsement program that involves a coursework-based path for existing teachers;

(3) An alternative resident educator licensure pathway for industry experts and other nonteachers;

(4) A continuing education program that offers professional development to existing teachers, including those that teach pre-kindergarten to twelve who are generalists and those seeking advanced content knowledge.

The chancellor of higher education shall administer the program.

(B) The chancellor, in consultation with the department of education and workforce, shall develop an application process and criteria for awards. Priority may be given to education consortia that include economically disadvantaged schools in which there are limited computer science courses offered or where there is an unmet need for teachers credentialed to teach computer science courses, as determined by the chancellor.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 4:45 PM

Section 3333.13 | Service attorney definition.
 

As used in sections 3333.13 to 3333.137 of the Revised Code, "employed as a service attorney" means either of the following:

(A) An attorney who works a minimum of thirty-five hours per week for a minimum of forty-five weeks each service year and who is employed by any of the following:

(1) The state public defender;

(2) The prosecuting attorney of a county;

(3) A county public defender commission;

(4) A joint county public defender commission to represent indigent persons.

(B) Counsel appointed by the court or selected by an indigent person under division (E) of section 120.16 or division (E) of section 120.26 of the Revised Code, who works in an area designated as an underserved community under section 3333.132 of the Revised Code for a minimum of five hundred twenty hours each service year.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:05 PM

Section 3333.131 | Rural practice incentive program.
 

There is hereby created the rural practice incentive program, which shall be administered by the chancellor of higher education. The purpose of the program is to provide loan repayment on behalf of attorneys who agree to employment as service attorneys in areas designated as underserved communities by the chancellor pursuant to section 3333.132 of the Revised Code.

Under the program, the chancellor, by means of a contract entered into under section 3333.135 of the Revised Code, may agree to repay up to the amount set pursuant to section 3333.135 of the Revised Code of the principal and interest of a government or other educational loan taken by an individual for the following expenses, so long as the expenses were incurred while the individual was enrolled in a law school in the United States that was, during the time enrolled, accredited by the American bar association, or a law school located outside the United States for which the individual received a foreign equivalency evaluation:

(A) Tuition;

(B) Other educational expenses, such as fees, books, and expenses, for specific purposes and in amounts determined to be reasonable by the chancellor;

(C) Room and board, in an amount determined reasonable by the chancellor.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:06 PM

Section 3333.132 | Underserved community designation.
 

Each biennium, the chancellor of higher education shall designate by rule any county with a ratio of attorneys to the population in the county equal to or less than one to seven hundred as an underserved community. The Ohio access to justice foundation, pursuant to division (A) of section 120.521 of the Revised Code, shall assist the chancellor by determining the ratio described in this section.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:06 PM

Section 3333.133 | Eligibility and application.
 

(A) An individual who meets all of the following requirements may apply for participation in the rural practice incentive program:

(1) The individual is a citizen of the United States, a national of the United States, or a permanent resident of the United States.

(2) The individual either:

(a) Is a student enrolled in the final year of law school; or

(b) Has been admitted to the practice of law in this state by the Ohio supreme court for less than eight years and remains in good standing.

(3) The individual is not enrolled in any other state or federally funded student loan repayment or debt forgiveness program, including under the public service loan forgiveness program, 34 C.F.R. 685.219, or the "John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2008," 34 U.S.C. 10671 et seq.

(B) An application for participation in the rural practice incentive program shall be submitted to the chancellor of higher education on a form that the chancellor shall prescribe. The individual shall submit the following information with an application:

(1) The individual's name, permanent address or address at which the individual is currently residing if different from the permanent address, and telephone number;

(2) The law school the individual is attending or attended, the dates of attendance, and verification of attendance;

(3) The individual's employer, as applicable;

(4) A summary and verification of the educational expenses for which the individual seeks reimbursement under the program;

(5) Verification that the individual has been admitted to the practice of law in this state for less than eight years by the Ohio supreme court and remains in good standing, unless the individual is a student;

(6) Verification the individual is a citizen of the United States, a national of the United States, or a permanent resident of the United States.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:07 PM

Section 3333.134 | Program acceptance and placement.
 

If funds are available in the rural practice incentive fund created under section 3333.136 of the Revised Code and the general assembly has appropriated funds for the rural practice incentive program, the chancellor of higher education shall approve an individual for participation in the program, for reimbursement up to fifty thousand dollars, if the chancellor finds that the individual is eligible for participation in the program.

Upon approval, the chancellor shall notify and enter into discussions with the individual. The object of the discussions is to facilitate the recruitment of the individual to become or remain employed as a service attorney within an underserved community.

If the chancellor and individual agree on the individual's employment as a service attorney within an underserved community, the individual shall prepare, sign, and deliver to the chancellor a letter of intent agreeing to that placement.

The chancellor shall approve individuals for participation in the rural practice incentive program in a manner proportionate to the number of each of the following types of attorneys who apply to the program, with an aim toward disbursing loan repayments equitably among each type:

(A) Attorneys employed by the prosecuting attorney of a county;

(B) Attorneys employed by the state public defender, a county public defender commission, or a joint county public defender commission to represent indigent persons;

(C) Attorneys described in division (B) of section 3333.13 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:07 PM

Section 3333.135 | Program contract.
 

(A) After signing a letter of intent under section 3333.134 of the Revised Code, an individual and the chancellor of higher education may enter into a contract for the individual's participation in the rural practice incentive program. The individual's employer also may be a party to the contract.

(B) The contract shall include all of the following obligations:

(1) The individual agrees to remain employed as a service attorney within the underserved community identified in the letter of intent for the number of hours and duration specified in the contract;

(2) The chancellor agrees, as provided in section 3333.131 of the Revised Code, to repay, so long as the individual satisfies the service obligation agreed to under division (B)(1) of this section, the following amount of the principal and interest of a government or other educational loan taken by the individual for expenses described in section 3333.131 of the Revised Code:

(a) For a three-year service obligation, up to thirty thousand dollars;

(b) For an additional fourth or fifth year of service, up to an additional twenty thousand dollars.

(3) The individual agrees to pay the chancellor an amount established by rules adopted under section 3333.137 of the Revised Code if the individual fails to complete the service obligation agreed to under division (B)(1) of this section.

(C) The contract shall include the following terms as agreed upon by the parties:

(1) The individual's required length of service in the underserved community, which must be at least three years with an optional fourth year and optional fifth year;

(2)(a) In the case of an attorney employed by the state public defender, the prosecuting attorney of a county, a county public defender commission, or a joint county public defender commission, the number of weekly hours the individual will be engaged in practice in the underserved community;

(b) In the case of private counsel appointed by the court or selected by an indigent person pursuant to Chapter 120. of the Revised Code, the number of hours over the service year the individual will be engaged in practice in the underserved community.

(3) The maximum amount that the chancellor will repay on behalf of the individual.

(D) If the amount specified in division (C)(3) of this section includes federal funds, the amount of state funds repaid on the individual's behalf shall be the same as the amount of those federal funds.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:07 PM

Section 3333.136 | Underserved community fund and rural practice incentive fund.
 

The chancellor of higher education may accept gifts of money from any source for the implementation and administration of sections 3333.13 to 3333.137 of the Revised Code. The chancellor shall pay all gifts accepted under this section into the state treasury to the credit of the underserved community fund, which is hereby created.

The chancellor shall pay all damages collected under division (B)(3) of section 3333.135 of the Revised Code into the state treasury to the credit of the rural practice incentive fund, which is hereby created.

The chancellor shall use the underserved community fund and the rural practice incentive fund for the implementation and administration of sections 3333.13 to 3333.137 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:08 PM

Section 3333.137 | Program rules.
 

The chancellor of higher education, in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules as necessary to implement and administer sections 3333.13 to 3333.136 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding any provision of section 121.95 of the Revised Code to the contrary, a regulatory restriction contained in a rule adopted under this section is not subject to sections 121.95 to 121.953 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 1:08 PM

Section 3333.14 | Public post high school technical education programs.
 

Effective July 1, 1971, all public post high school technical education programs shall be operated by technical colleges, community colleges, university branches, state colleges, state-affiliated universities and state universities. Subject to rules and regulations adopted by the chancellor of higher education, the board of trustees or directors of one of the above such institutions shall adopt a plan of transition governing each public post high school technical education program not specifically identified or included in this section which is located in the geographic region of such institution as defined by the chancellor. The plan of transition shall provide for the dissolution of such technical education programs either by transfer of a program's lands, buildings, and equipment to one of the above such institutions or by complete termination of the technical education program.

Section 3333.15 | Establishment of university branch by chancellor.
 

If the board of trustees of a state university fails to undertake appropriate action to establish a university branch campus within one year from the enactment of a capital improvement appropriation for the development of such university branch facility, the chancellor of higher education may act as the chancellor deems necessary in place of the board of trustees, including securing the release of construction planning and construction contract funds from the state controlling board. If the chancellor takes action to plan and construct a university branch in accordance with this section, the officers and staff of such university shall perform all necessary functions incident to the planning and construction of such university branch as directed by the chancellor.

Last updated May 26, 2021 at 1:48 PM

Section 3333.16 | Universal course equivalency classification system for state institutions of higher education.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "State institution of higher education" means an institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.12 of the Revised Code.

(2) "State university" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall do all of the following:

(1) Establish policies and procedures applicable to all state institutions of higher education that ensure that students can begin higher education at any state institution of higher education and transfer coursework and degrees to any other state institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers. The purpose of this requirement is to allow students to attain their highest educational aspirations in the most efficient and effective manner for the students and the state. These policies and procedures shall require state institutions of higher education to make changes or modifications, as needed, to strengthen course content so as to ensure equivalency for that course at any state institution of higher education.

(2) Develop and implement a universal course equivalency classification system for state institutions of higher education so that the transfer of students and the transfer and articulation of equivalent courses or specified learning modules or units completed by students are not inhibited by inconsistent judgment about the application of transfer credits. Coursework completed within such a system at one state institution of higher education and transferred to another institution shall be applied to the student's degree objective in the same manner as equivalent coursework completed at the receiving institution.

(3) Develop an electronic equivalency management tool to assist in the transfer of coursework and degrees between state institutions of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers, to help minimize inconsistent judgment about the application of transfer credits, and to assist in allowing transfer credits to be applied to a student's degree objective in the same manner at each state institution of higher education. The electronic equivalency management tool shall include the universal documentation of course and program equivalencies statewide. Additionally, the electronic equivalency management tool shall be incorporated into a web site.

(4) Develop a system of transfer policies that ensure that graduates with associate degrees which include completion of approved transfer modules shall be admitted to a state institution of higher education, shall be able to compete for admission to specific programs on the same basis as students native to the institution, and shall have priority over out-of-state associate degree graduates and transfer students. To assist a student in advising and transferring, all state institutions of higher education shall fully implement the information system for advising and transferring selected by, contracted for, or developed by the chancellor.

(5) Examine the feasibility of developing a transfer marketing agenda that includes materials and interactive technology to inform the citizens of Ohio about the availability of transfer options at state institutions of higher education and to encourage adults to return to colleges and universities for additional education;

(6) Study, in consultation with the state board of career colleges and schools, and in light of existing criteria and any other criteria developed by the articulation and transfer advisory council, the feasibility of credit recognition and transferability to state institutions of higher education for graduates who have received associate degrees from a career college or school with a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code.

(C) All provisions of the existing articulation and transfer policy developed by the chancellor shall remain in effect except where amended by this section.

(D) The chancellor shall update and implement the policies and procedures established pursuant to this section to ensure that any associate degree offered at a state institution of higher education may be transferred and applied to a bachelor degree program in an equivalent field at any other state institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers. The policies and procedures shall ensure that each transferred associate degree applies to the student's degree objective in the same manner as equivalent coursework completed by the student at the receiving institution.

When updating and implementing the policies and procedures pursuant to this division, the chancellor shall seek input from faculty and academic leaders in each academic field or discipline.

(E) If a state university refuses to accept and grant credit for any general education coursework that is both completed at a different state institution of higher education and subject to the policies, procedures, or systems prescribed under division (B) of this section, the state university shall provide the student that did not receive college credit for the completed general education coursework information to utilize the institution's transfer appeal process and information to utilize the department of higher education's student complaint portal.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 11:25 AM

Section 3333.161 | Statewide system for articulation agreements among state institutions of higher education for transfer students pursuing teacher education programs.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Articulation agreement" means an agreement between two or more state institutions of higher education to facilitate the transfer of students and credits between such institutions.

(2) "State institution of higher education" and "state university" have the same meanings as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Two year college" includes a community college, state community college, technical college, and university branch.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall adopt rules establishing a statewide system for articulation agreements among state institutions of higher education for transfer students pursuing teacher education programs. The rules shall require an articulation agreement between institutions to include all of the following:

(1) The development of a transfer module for teacher education that includes introductory level courses that are evaluated as appropriate by faculty employed by the state institutions of higher education that are parties to the articulation agreement;

(2) A foundation of general studies courses that have been identified as part of the transfer module for teacher education and have been evaluated as appropriate for the preparation of teachers and consistent with the academic content standards adopted under section 3301.079 of the Revised Code;

(3) A clear identification of university faculty who are partnered with two year college faculty;

(4) The publication of the articulation agreement that is available to all students, faculty, and staff.

Section 3333.162 | Criteria, policies, and procedures for transfer of courses.
 

(A) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" means an institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.12 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education, in consultation with the department of education and workforce, public adult and secondary career-technical education institutions and state institutions of higher education, shall establish criteria, policies, and procedures that enable students to transfer agreed upon technical courses completed through an adult career-technical education institution, a public secondary career-technical institution, or a state institution of higher education to a state institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers. The courses to which the criteria, policies, and procedures apply shall be those that adhere to recognized industry standards and equivalent coursework common to the secondary career pathway and adult career-technical education system and regionally accredited state institutions of higher education. Where applicable, the policies and procedures shall build upon the articulation agreement and transfer initiative course equivalency system required by section 3333.16 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:41 PM

Section 3333.163 | Standards for college credit based on advanced placement test scores.
 

(A) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than April 15, 2008, the articulation and transfer advisory council of the chancellor of higher education shall recommend to the chancellor standards for awarding course credit toward degree requirements at state institutions of higher education based on scores attained on advanced placement examinations. The recommended standards shall include a score on each advanced placement examination that the council considers to be a passing score for which course credit may be awarded. Upon adoption of the standards by the chancellor, each state institution of higher education shall comply with the standards in awarding course credit to any student enrolled in the institution who has attained a passing score on an advanced placement examination.

(C) Not later than April 15, 2025, the articulation and transfer advisory council of the chancellor of higher education shall recommend to the chancellor standards for awarding course credit toward degree requirements at state institutions of higher education based on scores attained on international baccalaureate examinations. The recommended standards shall include a score on each international baccalaureate examination that the council considers to be a passing score for which course credit may be awarded. Upon adoption of the standards by the chancellor, each state institution of higher education shall comply with the standards in awarding course credit to any student enrolled in the institution who has attained a passing score on an international baccalaureate examination.

(D) Each state institution of higher education shall make available to the public in an electronic format the standards and policies adopted and implemented under divisions (B) and (C) of this section and section 3345.38 of the Revised Code.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 11:27 AM

Section 3333.164 | College credit for military training, experience, and coursework.
 

(A) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than December 31, 2014, the chancellor of higher education shall do all of the following with regard to the awarding of college credit for military training, experience, and coursework:

(1) Develop a set of standards and procedures for state institutions of higher education to utilize in the granting of college credit for military training, experience, and coursework;

(2) Create a military articulation and transfer assurance guide for college credit that is earned through military training, experience, and coursework. The chancellor shall use the current articulation and transfer policy adopted pursuant to section 3333.16 of the Revised Code as a model in developing this guide.

(3) Create a web site that contains information related to the awarding of college credit for military training, experience, and coursework. The web site shall include both of the following:

(a) Standardized resources that address frequently asked questions regarding the awarding of such credit and related issues;

(b) A statewide database that shows how specified military training, experience, and coursework translates to college credit.

(4) Develop a statewide training program that prepares faculty and staff of state institutions of higher education to evaluate various military training, experience, and coursework and to award appropriate equivalent credit. The training program shall incorporate the best practices of awarding credit for military experiences, including both the recommendations of the American council on education and the standards developed by the council for adult and experiential learning.

(C) Beginning on July 1, 2015, state institutions of higher education shall ensure that appropriate equivalent credit is awarded for military training, experience, and coursework that meet the standards developed by the chancellor pursuant to this section.

Section 3333.165 | Annual report.
 

(A) At the end of each academic year, the chancellor of higher education shall develop and release a report that includes all of the following information:

(1) The total number of courses that were successfully transferred to state institutions of higher education under sections 3333.16 to 3333.164 of the Revised Code, during the most recent academic year for which data is available;

(2) The total number of courses that were not accepted for transfer at state institutions of higher education under sections 3333.16 to 3333.164 of the Revised Code, during the most recent academic year for which data is available;

(3) The number of students who earned an associate degree at a community college, a state community college, or a university branch that was successfully transferred to a state university under sections 3333.16 to 3333.164 of the Revised Code.

(B) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" and "state university" have the same meanings as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.166 | Transfer of credits.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "For-profit private college" means a career college in this state that holds a certificate of registration from the chancellor of higher education under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code or a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code.

(2) "State institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor shall prepare a transferability strategy plan that defines criteria, policies, procedures, and timelines that would enable students to transfer agreed upon courses completed through a for-profit private college to a state institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers. Where applicable, the policies and procedures in the strategy plan shall build upon the articulation agreement and transfer initiative course equivalency system required by section 3333.16 of the Revised Code.

(C) The chancellor shall convene the necessary stakeholders to assist in the preparation of the strategy plan. The chancellor shall complete and deliver to the governor, president and minority leader of the senate, and speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives an interim strategy plan on or before July 1, 2018, and the final strategy plan on or before January 1, 2019.

Section 3333.168 | Guaranteed transfer pathways; joint academic programming; dual enrollment.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Community college" means a community college established under Chapter 3354., a technical college established under Chapter 3357., or a state community college established under Chapter 3358. of the Revised Code.

(2) "Dual enrollment" means concurrent enrollment by an individual at both a state university and a community college.

(3) "Guaranteed pathway" means an articulation or transfer agreement included in the initiative established under this section that a state university and community college enter into in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted under section 3333.16 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Joint academic programming" means a structured pathway curriculum agreement that permits an individual to attain a specific degree that has been jointly developed by at least one community college and at least one state university.

(5) "State university" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) Pursuant to section 3333.16 of the Revised Code, the chancellor of higher education shall establish the Ohio guaranteed transfer pathways initiative. Each state university shall participate in the initiative. Under the initiative, a student shall be permitted to do both of the following:

(1) Complete an associate's degree at a community college and transfer those credits to a state university to continue making progress toward a bachelor's degree;

(2) Transfer credits from a community college to a state university, regardless of the geographic proximity between the college and university.

(C) Each state university shall enter into agreements with multiple community colleges to establish both joint academic programming and dual enrollment opportunities to assist students in completing their degrees in a timely and cost-effective manner.

(D) Each community college and state university annually shall report to the Ohio articulation and transfer network oversight board established by the chancellor the number of guaranteed pathways and joint academic programming or dual enrollment opportunities the college or university offers. The oversight board shall compile that reported information and provide a summary of it to the chancellor. That summary shall include both of the following:

(1) Confirmation that each community college and state university is in compliance with the requirements prescribed under this section;

(2) Any recommendations necessary to enhance and strengthen the guaranteed pathways and joint academic programming or dual enrollment opportunities offered by community colleges and state universities.

(E) The chancellor shall adopt rules to implement this section.

Last updated April 27, 2022 at 5:12 PM

Section 3333.17 | Reciprocal contracts with institutions in neighboring states for tuition and fees.
 

The chancellor of higher education may enter into contracts with the appropriate agency in a contiguous state whereby the agency provides for charging Ohio residents enrolled in state-assisted post-secondary educational institutions in the contiguous state, tuition and fees at rates no higher than the rates charged to students who are residents of that state, and whereby the chancellor, as part of such contracts, may provide that rates for tuition and fees charged to residents of the contiguous state who are enrolled in state-assisted post-secondary educational institutions in Ohio shall not exceed those charged Ohio residents.

State-assisted post-secondary educational institutions in Ohio may enter into contracts with appropriate state-assisted post-secondary educational institutions in a contiguous state whereby the state-assisted post-secondary educational institution provides for charging Ohio residents enrolled in the institution in the contiguous state, tuition and fees at rates no higher than the rates charged to students who are residents of that state, and whereby the Ohio state-assisted post-secondary institution, as part of such contracts, may provide that rates for tuition and fees charged to residents of the contiguous state who are enrolled in the state-assisted post-secondary educational institutions in Ohio shall not exceed those charged Ohio residents.

The contracts entered into by the chancellor or a state-assisted post-secondary educational institution may limit the type of academic program offered at the reciprocal rates. Residents of contiguous states enrolled in for credit courses taught at the main campus and identified off-campus sites at state-assisted post-secondary educational institutions in Ohio under such contracts shall be included in calculating the number of full-time equivalent students for state subsidy purposes. The chancellor and each state-assisted post-secondary educational institution shall periodically assess the costs and benefits of each such contract and the extent to which parity is achieved between Ohio and the contiguous state with respect to students benefiting from the contract. All Ohio state-assisted post-secondary educational institutions participating in these contracts shall report enrollments and other information annually to the chancellor. No contract shall be entered into under this section without the approval of the chancellor. The chancellor shall report the status of these contracts to the controlling board annually.

Section 3333.171 | Reciprocity agreement with midwestern higher education compact.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education may enter into a reciprocity agreement with the midwestern higher education compact whereby the agreement provides for both of the following:

(1) A participating institution in Ohio may enroll residents of a participating state in distance education programs at that institution without attaining prior approval from the appropriate agency of that participating state.

(2) A participating institution in another state may enroll Ohio residents in distance education programs at that institution without attaining prior approval from the chancellor.

(B) Under the terms of an agreement, the chancellor may do any of the following:

(1) Apply on behalf of the state of Ohio to become an eligible state to participate in the agreement;

(2) Designate the department of higher education as the lead agency to ensure that Ohio meets the eligibility requirements of the agreement, as determined by the midwestern higher education compact;

(3) Develop criteria and procedures for eligible institutions in Ohio to apply to participate in the agreement and for their continued participation in the agreement;

(4) Assess and collect fees, pursuant to rules adopted by the chancellor under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, from participating institutions in Ohio;

(5) Collect annual data, as prescribed by the chancellor or as required by the midwestern higher education compact, from participating institutions in Ohio;

(6) Develop a student grievance process to resolve complaints brought against participating institutions in Ohio in regard to the distance education programs that are eligible under the terms of the agreement;

(7) Work collaboratively with the state board of career colleges and schools to determine the eligibility of institutions authorized by that agency under section 3332.05 of the Revised Code for initial and continued participation in the agreement;

(8) Perform other duties and responsibilities as required for participation in the agreement.

(C) Any eligible institution in Ohio that wishes to participate in the agreement entered into under this section shall first attain approval for inclusion in the agreement from the chancellor. Thereafter, a participating institution in Ohio shall attain approval from the chancellor for any new distance education programs offered by that institution prior to enrolling residents of a participating state in such programs under the terms of the agreement.

(D) All other post-secondary activity that requires the chancellor's approval and is not included under the terms of the agreement entered into under this section is subject to the chancellor's review and approval pursuant to Chapters 1713. and 3333. of the Revised Code.

(E) The chancellor may terminate the agreement entered into under this section or remove the department as the lead agency on the agreement, if the chancellor determines that the agreement is not in the best interest of the state or the board.

(F) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Eligible institution in Ohio" is any of the following types of institutions, as long as it is degree-granting and is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States secretary of education:

(a) A state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;

(b) An Ohio institution of higher education that has received a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code;

(c) An Ohio institution of higher education authorized by the state board of career colleges and schools under section 3332.05 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Participating institution in Ohio" is any "eligible institution in Ohio" that has been approved by the chancellor for participation in the agreement entered into under this section.

(3) "Participating institution in another state" is any institution of higher education that is located outside of Ohio that meets the eligibility requirements under the terms of a similar reciprocity agreement and is approved by the appropriate agency of that institution's home state to participate in an agreement entered into with the midwestern higher education compact, the New England board of higher education, the southern regional education board, or the western interstate commission for higher education.

Section 3333.172 | Endorsement of midwest student exchange program.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education may endorse the midwest student exchange program of the midwestern higher education compact in order to permit state institutions of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, and nonprofit institutions that have been issued certificates of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code to participate in the program.

(B) If the chancellor endorses the program, a state institution of higher education or a nonprofit institution may participate in the program as long as its board of trustees adopts a resolution setting forth both of the following:

(1) The amount a participating student will be charged for i nstructional and general fees, provided that amount is in compliance with the program;

(2) The parameters for each student to participate in the program including any limitation on the number of students enrolled under the program and admission requirements for participation in the program.

(C) A state institution of higher education that participates in the program shall not receive state share of instruction funds for any student enrolled in the institution under the program, and the institution shall report the student to the chancellor as a nonresident student.

Section 3333.18 | Reciprocal contracts with institutions in neighboring states for financial aid funds.
 

The chancellor of higher education may enter into contracts with the appropriate agency in a contiguous state whereby financial aids from the funds of each state may be used by qualified student recipients to attend approved post-secondary educational institutions in the other state. Approved institutions in Ohio are those that are state-assisted or are nonprofit and have received certificates of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, or are private institutions exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code. Eligible post-secondary educational institutions in the contiguous state shall be similarly approved by the appropriate agency of that state. In formulating and executing such contracts with a contiguous state, the chancellor shall assure that the total cost to this state approximates the total cost to the contiguous state. Any contract entered into under this section shall be subject to the periodic review of, and approval by, the controlling board.

Section 3333.19 | Foreign exchange students - tuition and fees.
 

The chancellor of higher education may enter into agreements with the appropriate agency in a foreign country or with an agency or organization sponsoring foreign student exchanges under which the agency or organization ensures that Ohio residents enrolled in post-secondary educational institutions in the foreign country will pay tuition and fees at rates no higher than the rates charged to students who are residents of that country and under which the chancellor provides that rates for tuition and fees charged to a comparable number of students from the foreign country who are enrolled in state-assisted institutions of higher education in Ohio are to be no higher than the rates charged to students who are Ohio residents. Notwithstanding that an Ohio resident is enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution in a foreign country under one of these agreements, any such student who was previously enrolled in a state-assisted institution shall be counted as enrolled in such institution for state subsidy purposes in a manner prescribed by rules the chancellor shall adopt.

Section 3333.20 | Educational service standards for community colleges, university branches, technical colleges and state community colleges.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall adopt educational service standards that shall apply to all community colleges, university branches, technical colleges, and state community colleges established under Chapters 3354., 3355., 3357., and 3358. of the Revised Code, respectively. These standards shall provide for such institutions to offer or demonstrate at least the following:

(1) An appropriate range of career or technical programs designed to prepare individuals for employment in specific careers at the technical or paraprofessional level;

(2) Commitment to an effective array of developmental education services providing opportunities for academic skill enhancement;

(3) Partnerships with industry, business, government, and labor for the retraining of the workforce and the economic development of the community;

(4) Noncredit continuing education opportunities;

(5) College transfer programs or the initial two years of a baccalaureate degree for students planning to transfer to institutions offering baccalaureate programs;

(6) Linkages with high schools to ensure that graduates are adequately prepared for post-secondary instruction;

(7) Student access provided according to a convenient schedule and program quality provided at an affordable price;

(8) That student fees charged by any institution are as low as possible, especially if the institution is being supported by a local tax levy;

(9) A high level of community involvement in the decision-making process in such critical areas as course delivery, range of services, fees and budgets, and administrative personnel.

(B) The chancellor shall consult with representatives of state-assisted colleges and universities, as defined in section 3333.041 of the Revised Code, in developing appropriate methods for achieving or maintaining the standards adopted pursuant to division (A) of this section.

(C) In considering institutions that are co-located, the chancellor shall apply the standards to them in two manners:

(1) As a whole entity;

(2) As separate entities, applying the standards separately to each.

When distributing any state funds among institutions based on the degree to which they meet the standards, the chancellor shall provide to institutions that are co-located the higher amount produced by the two judgments under divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section.

Section 3333.21 | Academic scholarship program - basis of award.
 

As used in sections 3333.21 to 3333.23 of the Revised Code, "term" and "academic year" mean "term" and "academic year" as defined by the chancellor of higher education.

The chancellor shall establish and administer an academic scholarship program. Under the program, a total of one thousand new scholarships shall be awarded annually in the amount of not less than two thousand dollars per award. At least one such new scholarship shall be awarded annually to a student in each public high school and joint vocational school and each nonpublic high school for which the director of education and workforce prescribes minimum standards in accordance with section 3301.07 of the Revised Code.

To be eligible for the award of a scholarship, a student shall be a resident of Ohio and shall be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in an Ohio institution of higher education that meets the requirements of Title VI of the "Civil Rights Act of 1964" and is state-assisted, is nonprofit and holds a certificate of authorization issued under section 1713.02 of the Revised Code, is a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code, or holds a certificate of registration and program authorization issued under section 3332.05 of the Revised Code and awards an associate or bachelor's degree. Students who attend an institution holding a certificate of registration shall be enrolled in a program leading to an associate or bachelor's degree for which associate or bachelor's degree program the institution has program authorization to offer the program issued under section 3332.05 of the Revised Code.

"Resident" and "full-time student" shall be defined in rules adopted by the chancellor.

The chancellor shall award the scholarships on the basis of a formula designed by the chancellor to identify students with the highest capability for successful college study. The formula shall weigh the factor of achievement, as measured by grade point average, and the factor of ability, as measured by performance on a competitive examination specified by the chancellor. Students receiving scholarships shall be known as "Ohio academic scholars."

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:42 PM

Section 3333.22 | Award and renewal of scholarship - leave of absence.
 

Each Ohio academic scholarship shall be awarded for an academic year and may be renewed for each of three additional academic years. The scholarship amount awarded to a scholar for an academic year shall be not less than two thousand dollars. A scholarship shall be renewed if the scholar maintains an academic record satisfactory to the chancellor of higher education and meets any of the following conditions:

(A) The scholar is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate;

(B) The scholar was awarded an undergraduate degree in less than four academic years and is enrolled as a full-time graduate or professional student in an Ohio institution of higher education that meets the requirements of Title VI of the "Civil Rights Act of 1964" and is state-assisted or is nonprofit and holds a certificate of authorization issued under section 1713.02 of the Revised Code;

(C) The scholar is a full-time student concurrently enrolled as an undergraduate student and as a graduate or professional student in an Ohio institution of higher education that meets the requirements of division (B) of this section.

Each amount awarded shall be paid in equal installments to the scholar at the time of enrollment for each term of the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded or renewed. No scholar is eligible to receive an Ohio academic scholarship for more than the equivalent of four academic years.

If an Ohio academic scholar is temporarily unable to attend school because of illness or other cause satisfactory to the chancellor, the chancellor may grant a leave of absence for a designated period of time. If a scholar discontinues full-time attendance at the scholar's school during a term because of illness or other cause satisfactory to the chancellor, the scholar may either claim a prorated payment for the period of actual attendance or waive payment for that term. A term for which prorated payment is made shall be considered a full term for which a scholarship was received. A term for which payment is waived shall not be considered a term for which a scholarship was received.

Receipt of an Ohio academic scholarship shall not affect a scholar's eligibility for the Ohio instructional grant program.

Section 3333.23 | Scholastic record sent to chancellor - suspension or revocation of scholarship.
 

At the end of each term, each Ohio academic scholar shall request the registrar of the school to send a copy of the scholar's scholastic record to the chancellor of higher education. If the scholar's record fails to meet the standards established by the chancellor, further payments shall be suspended until the scholar demonstrates promise of successful progress in the academic program for which the award was made. The chancellor may revoke the scholarship if the scholar does not resume successful academic progress within a reasonable time.

Section 3333.24 | Ohio work ready grant program.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Eligible student" means a student to whom all of the following apply:

(a) The student is a resident of this state under rules adopted by the chancellor of higher education under section 3333.31 of the Revised Code.

(b) The student has completed a free application for federal student aid for the year for which the grant is to be awarded.

(c) The student enrolls in a qualified program at a community, state community, or technical college, an Ohio technical center, or a state university branch campus.

(2) "Qualified program" means a credit or noncredit program that leads to an industry-recognized credential, certificate, or degree and prepares the student for a job that meets either of the following criteria:

(a) It is identified as an "in-demand" or "critical" job as determined by the office of workforce transformation.

(b) It is submitted by a community, state community, or technical college, an Ohio technical center, or a state university branch campus and will meet regional workforce needs, as approved by the chancellor.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall establish the Ohio work ready grant program. Under the program, the chancellor shall award a grant of up to three thousand dollars to eligible students enrolled in a qualified program. Grant award amounts made to eligible students enrolled on either a full-time or part-time basis shall be computed in accordance with rules adopted by the chancellor. No student shall be eligible to receive a grant for more than six semesters or the equivalent of three academic years.

(C) Eligible students shall apply to participate in the program in a form and manner prescribed by the chancellor. The chancellor shall determine the form and manner of payments.

(D)(1) The program shall be funded in the sums and manner designated for such purpose by the general assembly, but the chancellor also may receive funds from other sources to support the program.

(2) If, for any academic year, the amounts available for support of the program are inadequate to provide grants to all eligible students, the chancellor may establish different grant amounts based on the number of applicants and the total amount of funds set aside for that purpose.

(E) The chancellor, in consultation with the providers of qualified programs, shall collect and report program metrics that include all of the following:

(1) Demographics of recipients, including:

(a) Age, disaggregated as follows:

(i) Twenty-four years and younger;

(ii) Twenty-five to thirty-four years;

(iii) Thirty-five to forty-nine years;

(iv) Fifty years and older.

(b) Gender;

(c) Race and ethnicity;

(d) Enrollment status as full- or part-time;

(e) Pell grant status.

(2) Success rates of recipients, including program retention and completion;

(3) Total number of industry-recognized credentials awarded, disaggregated by subject or program area.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 4:51 PM

Section 3333.25 | Academic scholarship payment fund.
 

There is hereby created the Ohio academic scholarship payment fund, which shall be in the custody of the treasurer of state but shall not be a part of the state treasury. The fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated for the fund by the general assembly and other moneys otherwise made available to the fund. The payment fund shall be used for the payment of Ohio academic scholarships or for additional scholarships to recognize outstanding academic achievement and ability. The chancellor of higher education shall administer this section and establish rules for the distribution and awarding of any additional scholarships.

The chancellor may direct the treasurer of state to invest any moneys in the payment fund not currently needed for scholarship payments, in any kinds of investments in which moneys of the public employees retirement system may be invested.

The instruments of title of all investments shall be delivered to the treasurer of state or to a qualified trustee designated by the treasurer of state as provided in section 135.18 of the Revised Code. The treasurer of state shall collect both principal and investment earnings on all investments as they become due and pay them into the fund.

All deposits to the fund shall be made in financial institutions of this state secured as provided in section 135.18 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.26 | Waiving tuition for child or spouse of public service officer killed in line of duty.
 

(A) Any citizen of this state who has resided within the state for one year, who was in the active service of the United States as a soldier, sailor, nurse, or marine between September 1, 1939, and September 2, 1945, and who has been honorably discharged from that service, shall be admitted to any school, college, or university that receives state funds in support thereof, without being required to pay any tuition or matriculation fee, but is not relieved from the payment of laboratory or similar fees.

(B)(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Volunteer firefighter" has the meaning as in division (B)(1) of section 146.01 of the Revised Code.

(b) "Public service officer" means an Ohio firefighter, volunteer firefighter, police officer, member of the state highway patrol, employee designated to exercise the powers of police officers pursuant to section 1545.13 of the Revised Code, or other peace officer as defined by division (B) of section 2935.01 of the Revised Code, or a person holding any equivalent position in another state.

(c) "Qualified former spouse" means the former spouse of a public service officer, or of a member of the armed services of the United States, who is the custodial parent of a minor child of that marriage pursuant to an order allocating the parental rights and responsibilities for care of the child issued pursuant to section 3109.04 of the Revised Code.

(d) "Operation enduring freedom" means that period of conflict which began October 7, 2001, and ends on a date declared by the president of the United States or the congress.

(e) "Operation Iraqi freedom" means that period of conflict which began March 20, 2003, and ends on a date declared by the president of the United States or the congress.

(f) "Combat zone" means an area that the president of the United States by executive order designates, for purposes of 26 U.S.C. 112, as an area in which armed forces of the United States are or have engaged in combat.

(2) Subject to division (D) of this section, any resident of this state who is under twenty-six years of age, or under thirty years of age if the resident has been honorably discharged from the armed services of the United States, who is the child of a public service officer killed in the line of duty or of a member of the armed services of the United States killed in the line of duty during operation enduring freedom or operation Iraqi freedom, and who is admitted to any state university or college as defined in division (A)(1) of section 3345.12 of the Revised Code, community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college shall not be required to pay any tuition or any student fee for up to four academic years of education, which shall be at the undergraduate level, or a certificate program as prescribed under division (E) of this section.

A child of a member of the armed services of the United States killed in the line of duty during operation enduring freedom or operation Iraqi freedom is eligible for a waiver of tuition and student fees under this division only if the student is not eligible for a war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship authorized by Chapter 5910. of the Revised Code. In any year in which the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board reduces the percentage of tuition covered by a war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship below one hundred per cent pursuant to division (A) of section 5910.04 of the Revised Code, the waiver of tuition and student fees under this division for a child of a member of the armed services of the United States killed in the line of duty during operation enduring freedom or operation Iraqi freedom shall be reduced by the same percentage.

(3) Subject to division (D) of this section, any resident of this state who is the spouse or qualified former spouse of a public service officer killed in the line of duty, and who is admitted to any state university or college as defined in division (A)(1) of section 3345.12 of the Revised Code, community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college, shall not be required to pay any tuition or any student fee for up to four academic years of education, which shall be at the undergraduate level, or a certificate program as prescribed under division (E) of this section.

(4) Any resident of this state who is the spouse or qualified former spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States killed in the line of duty while serving in a combat zone after May 7, 1975, and who is admitted to any state university or college as defined in division (A)(1) of section 3345.12 of the Revised Code, community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college, shall not be required to pay any tuition or any student fee for up to four years of academic education, which shall be at the undergraduate level, or a certificate program as prescribed under division (E) of this section. In order to qualify under division (B)(4) of this section, the spouse or qualified former spouse shall have been a resident of this state at the time the member was killed in the line of duty.

(C) Any institution that is not subject to division (B) of this section and that holds a valid certificate of registration issued under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code, a valid certificate issued under Chapter 4709. of the Revised Code, or a valid license issued under Chapter 4713. of the Revised Code, or that is nonprofit and has a certificate of authorization issued under section 1713.02 of the Revised Code, or that is a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code, which reduces tuition and student fees of a student who is eligible to attend an institution of higher education under the provisions of division (B) of this section by an amount indicated by the chancellor of higher education shall be eligible to receive a grant in that amount from the chancellor.

Each institution that enrolls students under division (B) of this section shall report to the chancellor, by the first day of July of each year, the number of students who were so enrolled and the average amount of all such tuition and student fees waived during the preceding year. The chancellor shall determine the average amount of all such tuition and student fees waived during the preceding year. The average amount of the tuition and student fees waived under division (B) of this section during the preceding year shall be the amount of grants that participating institutions shall receive under this division during the current year, but no grant under this division shall exceed the tuition and student fees due and payable by the student prior to the reduction referred to in this division. The grants shall be made for two certificate programs or four years of undergraduate education of an eligible student.

(D) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in section 3333.31 of the Revised Code, for the purposes of divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, the child, spouse, or qualified former spouse of a public service officer or a member of the armed services of the United States killed in the line of duty shall be considered a resident of this state for the purposes of this section if the child, spouse, or qualified former spouse was a resident of this state at the time that the public service officer or member of the armed services was killed.

However, no child, spouse, or qualified former spouse of a public service officer or a member of the armed services of the United States killed in the line of duty shall be required to be a resident of this state at the time the public service officer or member of the armed services of the United States was killed in order to receive benefits under divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section.

(E) A child, spouse, or qualified former spouse of a public service officer or a member of the armed services killed in the line of duty shall receive benefits for a certificate program in accordance with division (B) or (C) of this section, except that a particular child, spouse, or qualified former spouse shall not receive benefits for:

(1) More than two certificate programs;

(2) A total number of academic credits or instructional hours equivalent to more than four academic years;

(3) For any particular academic year, an amount that is greater than eight thousand dollars.

Last updated August 2, 2023 at 1:55 PM

Section 3333.28 | Nurse education assistance program - fund.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall establish the nurse education assistance program, the purpose of which shall be to make loans to students enrolled in prelicensure nurse education programs at institutions approved by the board of nursing under section 4723.06 of the Revised Code and postlicensure nurse education programs approved by the chancellor under section 3333.04 of the Revised Code or offered by an institution holding a certificate of authorization issued under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code. The board of nursing shall assist the chancellor in administering the program.

(B) There is hereby created in the state treasury the nurse education assistance fund, which shall consist of all money transferred to it pursuant to section 4743.05 of the Revised Code. The fund shall be used by the chancellor for loans made under division (A) of this section and for expenses of administering the loan program.

(C) Between July 1, 2005, and January 1, 2012, the chancellor shall distribute money in the nurse education assistance fund in the following manner:

(1)(a) Fifty per cent of available funds shall be awarded as loans to registered nurses enrolled in postlicensure nurse education programs described in division (A) of this section. To be eligible for a loan, the applicant shall provide the chancellor with a letter of intent to practice as a faculty member at a prelicensure or postlicensure program for nursing in this state upon completion of the applicant's academic program.

(b) If the borrower of a loan under division (C)(1)(a) of this section secures employment as a faculty member of an approved nursing education program in this state within six months following graduation from an approved nurse education program, the chancellor may forgive the principal and interest of the student's loans received under division (C)(1)(a) of this section at a rate of twenty-five per cent per year, for a maximum of four years, for each year in which the borrower is so employed. A deferment of the service obligation, and other conditions regarding the forgiveness of loans may be granted as provided by the rules adopted under division (D)(7) of this section.

(c) Loans awarded under division (C)(1)(a) of this section shall be awarded on the basis of the student's expected family contribution, with preference given to those applicants with the lowest expected family contribution. However, the chancellor may consider other factors the chancellor determines relevant in ranking the applications.

(d) Each loan awarded to a student under division (C)(1)(a) of this section shall be not less than five thousand dollars per year.

(2) Twenty-five per cent of available funds shall be awarded to students enrolled in prelicensure nurse education programs for registered nurses, as defined in section 4723.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) Twenty-five per cent of available funds shall be awarded to students enrolled in nurse education programs as determined by the chancellor, with preference given to programs aimed at increasing enrollment in an area of need.

After January 1, 2012, the chancellor shall determine the manner in which to distribute loans under this section.

(D) Subject to the requirements specified in division (C) of this section, the chancellor shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing:

(1) Eligibility criteria for receipt of a loan;

(2) Loan application procedures;

(3) The amounts in which loans may be made and the total amount that may be loaned to an individual;

(4) The total amount of loans that can be made each year;

(5) The percentage of the money in the fund that must remain in the fund at all times as a fund balance;

(6) Interest and principal repayment schedules;

(7) Conditions under which a portion of principal and interest obligations incurred by an individual under the program will be forgiven;

(8) Conditions under which all or a portion of the principal and interest obligations incurred by an individual who is deployed on active duty outside of the state or who is the spouse of a person deployed on active duty outside of the state may be deferred or forgiven.

(9) Ways that the program may be used to encourage individuals who are members of minority groups to enter the nursing profession;

(10) Any other matters incidental to the operation of the program.

(E) The obligation to repay a portion of the principal and interest on a loan made under this section shall be forgiven if the recipient of the loan meets the criteria for forgiveness established by division (C)(1)(b) of this section, in the case of loans awarded under division (C)(1)(a) of this section, or by the chancellor under the rule adopted under division (D)(7) of this section, in the case of other loans awarded under this section.

(F) The obligation to repay all or a portion of the principal and interest on a loan made under this section may be deferred or forgiven if the recipient of the loan meets the criteria for deferment or forgiveness established by the chancellor under the rule adopted under division (D)(8) of this section.

(G) The receipt of a loan under this section shall not affect a student's eligibility for assistance, or the amount of that assistance, granted under section 3333.122, 3333.22, 3333.26, 5910.03, 5910.032, or 5919.34 of the Revised Code, but the rules of the chancellor may provide for taking assistance received under those sections into consideration when determining a student's eligibility for a loan under this section.

(H) As used in this section, "active duty" means active duty pursuant to an executive order of the president of the United States, an act of the congress of the United States, or section 5919.29 or 5923.21 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 2, 2023 at 1:59 PM

Section 3333.29 | Facilitation of communication, cooperation, and partnerships among state institutions of higher education with nursing education programs.
 

(A) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall establish, within the Ohio skills bank, a mechanism to facilitate communication, cooperation, and partnerships among state institutions of higher education with nursing education programs and between state institutions of higher education and hospitals in this state to meet regional and statewide nursing education needs.

Section 3333.30 | Web site access to career information.
 

The chancellor of higher education may enter into an agreement with private entities to provide log-in access or an internet link to free career information for students via the web site maintained by the chancellor. A log-in access or internet link authorized under this section shall not be considered an advertisement, endorsement, or sponsorship for purposes of the regulation of state-controlled web sites under any section of the Revised Code, any rule of the Administrative Code, or any other policy or directive adopted or issued by the office of information technology or any other state agency.

Section 3333.301 | FAFSA completion tracking system.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education, in collaboration with the management council of the Ohio education computer network established under section 3301.0715 of the Revised Code, shall establish a data system to track the free application for federal student aid form completion rate of public and chartered nonpublic school students in the state.

(B) The chancellor and the management council shall develop guidelines and procedures for the operation of the system.

(C) The chancellor may publish and share aggregate data regarding the free application for federal student aid, including completion counts and rates for the state and each school district, chartered nonpublic school, community school established under Chapter 3314., STEM school established under Chapter 3326., and college-preparatory boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code. Such data may be used for the benefit of public and chartered nonpublic schools, to increase public understanding regarding the free application for federal student aid, and to assist in encouraging student completion of the free application for federal student aid form.

Last updated September 9, 2021 at 9:50 AM

Section 3333.303 | Statewide FAFSA support system.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "FAFSA" means the free application for federal student aid.

(2) "Public schools" means school districts, community schools established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, and STEM schools established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall designate a statewide system of FAFSA support teams to support public schools with FAFSA completion and college access programming. The chancellor shall divide the state into regions based on available resources and assign at least one FAFSA support team to operate in each region. A FAFSA support team may include existing efforts by educational service centers, colleges and universities, and community-based organizations.

(C) The chancellor shall do all of the following in administering the statewide FAFSA support system:

(1) Develop with state and local stakeholders a comprehensive, multiyear, and statewide strategy for increasing FAFSA completion in this state that coordinates the new and ongoing efforts to increase completion at the state and local level;

(2) Oversee the selection and coordination of FAFSA support teams;

(3) Provide continuous information updates to FAFSA support teams;

(4) Identify strategies that have been successful nationally to increase FAFSA completion and college access and share them with stakeholders in this state;

(5) Develop and expand partnerships with existing organizations that work to expand college access and success for the purpose of assisting high school students in this state;

(6) Partner with states that have implemented FAFSA requirements to learn best practices.

(D) Each FAFSA support team shall do all of the following:

(1) Offer FAFSA programming and training for all public schools in the team's region, including supplementing existing programs;

(2) Provide annual updates on FAFSA changes to all public schools in the team's region;

(3) Coordinate and financially support FAFSA and college application completion events for public schools in the team's region;

(4) Contribute to the marketing of local FAFSA and college access events;

(5) Analyze FAFSA data and report the results of that data to the chancellor;

(6) Partner with local institutions of higher education to expand current strategies and services to public schools in the team's region;

(7) Commit to participate in professional development regarding any updated FAFSA requirements;

(8) Develop new strategies to increase FAFSA completion rates based on the team's knowledge and experiences.

Last updated August 31, 2023 at 3:53 PM

Section 3333.31 | Rules for determining student residency.
 

(A) For state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, status as a resident of Ohio shall be defined by the chancellor of higher education by rule promulgated pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. No adjudication as to the status of any person under such rule, however, shall be required to be made pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. The term "resident" for these purposes shall not be equated with the definition of that term as it is employed elsewhere under the laws of this state and other states, and shall not carry with it any of the legal connotations appurtenant thereto. Rather, except as provided in divisions (B), (C), (D), (F), and (G) of this section, for such purposes, the rule promulgated under this section shall have the objective of excluding from treatment as residents those who are present in the state primarily for the purpose of attending a state-supported or state-assisted institution of higher education, and may prescribe presumptive rules, rebuttable or conclusive, as to such purpose based upon the source or sources of support of the student, residence prior to first enrollment, evidence of intention to remain in the state after completion of studies, or such other factors as the chancellor deems relevant.

(B) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to a veteran and to the veteran's spouse and any dependent of the veteran, if both of the following conditions are met:

(1) The veteran either:

(a) Served one or more years on active military duty and was honorably discharged or received a medical discharge that was related to the military service;

(b) Was killed while serving on active military duty or has been declared to be missing in action or a prisoner of war.

(2) If the veteran seeks residency status for tuition surcharge purposes, the veteran has established domicile in this state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education. If the spouse or a dependent of the veteran seeks residency status for tuition surcharge purposes, the veteran and the spouse or dependent seeking residency status have established domicile in this state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education, except that if the veteran was killed while serving on active military duty, has been declared to be missing in action or a prisoner of war, or is deceased after discharge, only the spouse or dependent seeking residency status shall be required to have established domicile in accordance with this division.

(C) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to both of the following:

(1) A veteran who is the recipient of federal veterans' benefits under the "All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program," 38 U.S.C. 3001 et seq., or "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program," 38 U.S.C. 3301 et seq., or any successor program, if the veteran meets all of the following criteria:

(a) The veteran served at least ninety days on active duty.

(b) The veteran enrolls in a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(c) The veteran lives in the state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in the state institution of higher education.

(2) A person who is the recipient of the federal Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship or transferred federal veterans' benefits under any of the programs described in division (C)(1) of this section, if the person meets both of the following criteria:

(a) The person enrolls in a state institution of higher education.

(b) The person lives in the state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in the state institution of higher education.

In order for a person using transferred federal veterans' benefits to qualify under division (C)(2) of this section, the veteran who transferred the benefits must have served at least ninety days on active duty or the service member who transferred the benefits must be on active duty.

(D) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to a service member who is on active duty and to the service member's spouse and any dependent of the service member while the service member is on active duty. In order to qualify under division (D) of this section, the rules shall require the student seeking in-state tuition rates to live in the state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in the state institution of higher education, but shall not require the service member or the service member's spouse or dependent to establish domicile in this state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education.

(E) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall not deny residency status to a student who is either a dependent child of a parent, or the spouse of a person who, as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education, has accepted full-time employment and established domicile in this state for reasons other than gaining the benefit of favorable tuition rates.

Documentation of full-time employment and domicile shall include both of the following documents:

(1) A sworn statement from the employer or the employer's representative on the letterhead of the employer or the employer's representative certifying that the parent or spouse of the student is employed full-time in Ohio;

(2) A copy of the lease under which the parent or spouse is the lessee and occupant of rented residential property in the state, a copy of the closing statement on residential real property of which the parent or spouse is the owner and occupant in this state or, if the parent or spouse is not the lessee or owner of the residence in which the parent or spouse has established domicile, a letter from the owner of the residence certifying that the parent or spouse resides at that residence.

Residency officers may also evaluate, in accordance with the chancellor's rule, requests for immediate residency status from dependent students whose parents are not living and whose domicile follows that of a legal guardian who has accepted full-time employment and established domicile in the state for reasons other than gaining the benefit of favorable tuition rates.

(F)(1) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to a person who enrolls in an institution of higher education and establishes domicile in this state, regardless of the student's residence prior to that enrollment and satisfies either of the following conditions:

(a) The person, while a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, graduated from a high school in this state or completed the final year of education at home as authorized under section 3321.042 of the Revised Code.

(b) The person meets all of the following criteria:

(i) The person officially withdrew from a school in this state while the person was a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes.

(ii) The person has not received a high school diploma or honors diploma awarded under section 3313.61, 3313.611, 3313.612, or 3325.08 of the Revised Code or a high school diploma awarded by a school located in another state or country.

(iii) The person, while a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, both took a high school equivalency test and was awarded a certificate of high school equivalence.

(2) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall not grant residency status to an alien if the alien is not also an immigrant or a nonimmigrant.

(G) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency status shall grant residency status to a person to whom all of the following apply:

(1) The person, while not a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, lives in this state and completes a bachelor's degree program at an institution of higher education in this state.

(2) The person, upon completing that bachelor's degree program, immediately enrolls in a graduate degree program, as determined appropriate by the chancellor, offered at any state institution of higher education.

(3) The person, while enrolled in the graduate degree program, resides in this state.

The chancellor's rules adopted under this section shall define "immediately" for the purposes of division (G) of this section.

(H) As used in this section:

(1) "Dependent," "domicile," "institution of higher education," and "residency officer" have the meanings ascribed in the chancellor's rules adopted under this section.

(2) "Alien" means a person who is not a United States citizen or a United States national.

(3) "Immigrant" means an alien who has been granted the right by the United States bureau of citizenship and immigration services to reside permanently in the United States and to work without restrictions in the United States.

(4) "Nonimmigrant" means an alien who has been granted the right by the United States bureau of citizenship and immigration services to reside temporarily in the United States.

(5) "Veteran" means any person who has completed service in the uniformed services, as defined in section 3511.01 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Service member" has the same meaning as in section 5903.01 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Certificate of high school equivalence" means either of the following:

(a) A certificate of high school equivalence awarded by the department of education and workforce under division (A) of section 3301.80 of the Revised Code;

(b) The equivalent of a certificate of high school equivalence awarded by the state board of education under former law, as defined in division (C)(1) of section 3301.80 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:45 PM

Section 3333.311 | Residency of veterans and veterans' spouses.
 

(A) For the purpose of admission to any state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, a veteran and that veteran's spouse and dependent shall be considered residents of this state, if the veteran either:

(1) Served one or more years on active military duty and was honorably discharged or received a medical discharge that was related to the military service;

(2) Was killed while serving on active military duty or has been declared to be missing in action or a prisoner of war.

(B) If a veteran or that veteran's spouse or dependent meets the criteria prescribed in division (A) of this section, no state institution of higher education shall apply any residency-related quotas or restrictions to that individual's application for admission to the institution.

(C) The term "resident" for the purposes of this section shall not be equated with the definition of that term as it is employed elsewhere under the laws of this state and other states, and shall not carry with it any of the legal connotations appurtenant thereto.

Section 3333.32 | Conditions for resident status.
 

For purposes of state subsidy and tuition and fee surcharges, a student attending a state university listed in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, a community college, a technical college, a university branch, or a state community college has resident status if all of the following conditions apply:

(A) The student resides in a contiguous state.

(B) The student is employed in Ohio by a business, organization, or government agency located in Ohio.

(C) The employer enters into a contract with the institution of higher education under which the employer pays all of the student's tuition and fees directly to the institution and agrees not to charge or seek reimbursement from the student in any manner for any part of the tuition and fees.

Section 3333.33 | Establishment of tuition guarantee program.
 

(A) A community college established under Chapter 3354. of the Revised Code, state community college established under Chapter 3358. of the Revised Code, or technical college established under Chapter 3357. of the Revised Code may establish a tuition guarantee program, subject to approval of the chancellor of higher education.

(B) The chancellor shall establish guidelines for the board of trustees of a community college, state community college, or technical college to follow when developing a tuition guarantee program and submitting applications to the chancellor.

Section 3333.34 | College-level certificates transferable to college credit.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Pre-college stackable certificate" means a certificate earned before an adult is enrolled in an institution of higher education that can be transferred to college credit based on standards established by the chancellor of higher education and the department of education and workforce.

(2) "College-level certificate" means a certificate earned while an adult is enrolled in an institution of higher education that can be transferred to college credit based on standards established by the chancellor and the department.

(B) The chancellor and the department shall create a system of pre-college stackable certificates to provide a clear and accessible path for adults seeking to advance their education. The system shall do all of the following:

(1) Be uniform across the state;

(2) Be available from an array of providers, including adult career centers, institutions of higher education, and employers;

(3) Be structured to respond to the expectations of both the workplace and higher education;

(4) Be articulated in a way that ensures the most effective interconnection of competencies offered in specialized training programs;

(5) Establish standards for earning pre-college certificates;

(6) Establish transferability of pre-college certificates to college credit.

(C) The chancellor shall develop college-level certificates that can be transferred to college credit in different subject competencies. The certificates shall be based on competencies and experience and not on classroom seat time.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:46 PM

Section 3333.342 | Certificates of value.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education may designate a "certificate of value" for a certificate program at any adult career-technical education institution or state institution of higher education, as defined under section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, based on the standards adopted under division (B) of this section.

(B) The chancellor shall develop standards for designation of the certificates of value for certificate programs at adult career-technical education institutions and state institutions of higher education. The standards shall include at least the following considerations:

(1) The quality of the certificate program;

(2) The ability to transfer agreed-upon technical courses completed through an adult career-technical education institution to a state institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers;

(3) The extent to which the certificate program encourages a student to obtain an associate's or bachelor's degree;

(4) The extent to which the certificate program increases a student's likelihood to complete other certificate programs or an associate's or bachelor's degree;

(5) The ability of the certificate program to meet the expectations of the workplace and higher education;

(6) The extent to which the certificate program is aligned with the strengths of the regional economy;

(7) The extent to which the certificate program increases the amount of individuals who remain in or enter the state's workforce;

(8) The extent of a certificate program's relationship with private companies in the state to fill potential job growth.

(C) The designation of a certificate of value under this section shall expire six years after its designation date.

(D) The chancellor may revoke a designation prior to its expiration date if the chancellor determines that the program no longer complies with the standards developed under division (B) of this section.

(E) Any revocation of a certificate of value under this section shall become effective one hundred eighty days after the date the revocation was declared by the chancellor.

(F) Any adult career-technical education institution or state institution of higher education that desires to be eligible to receive a designation of certificate of value for one or more of its certificate programs shall comply with all records and data requests required by the chancellor.

Section 3333.35 | Cooperative efforts with state board of education.
 

The department of education and workforce and the chancellor of higher education shall strive to reduce unnecessary student remediation costs incurred by colleges and universities in this state, increase overall access for students to higher education, and enhance the college credit plus program in accordance with Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code. The state board of education shall strive to enhance the alternative resident educator licensure program in accordance with section 3319.26 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:47 PM

Section 3333.36 | Allocation of funds for certain scholarships.
 

If the chancellor of higher education determines that sufficient funds are available from general revenue fund appropriations made to the department of higher education or to the chancellor, the chancellor shall allocate the following:

(A) Up to seventy thousand dollars in each fiscal year to make payments to the Columbus program in intergovernmental issues, an Ohio internship program at Kent state university, for scholarships of up to two thousand dollars for each student enrolled in the program;

(B) Up to one hundred sixty-five thousand dollars in each fiscal year to make payments to the Washington center for scholarships provided to undergraduates of Ohio's four-year public and private institutions of higher education selected to participate in the Washington center internship program. The amount of a student's scholarship shall not exceed the amount specified for such scholarships in the biennial operating appropriations act.

The chancellor may utilize any general revenue funds appropriated to the department or to the chancellor that the chancellor determines to be available for purposes of this section.

Section 3333.37 | Outstanding scholarship, priority needs fellowship program definitions.
 

As used in sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code, the following words and terms have the following meanings unless the context indicates a different meaning or intent:

(A) "Cost of attendance" means all costs of a student incurred in connection with a program of study at an eligible institution, as determined by the institution, including tuition; instructional fees; room and board; books, computers, and supplies; and other related fees, charges, and expenses.

(B) "Eligible institution" means one of the following:

(1) A state-assisted post-secondary educational institution within the state;

(2) A nonprofit institution of higher education within the state that holds a certificate of authorization issued under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, that is accredited by the appropriate regional and, when appropriate, professional accrediting associations within whose jurisdiction it falls, is authorized to grant a bachelor's degree or higher, and satisfies other conditions as set forth in the policy guidelines;

(3) A private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Eligible student" means either of the following:

(1) An undergraduate student who meets all of the following:

(a) Is a resident of this state;

(b) Has graduated from any Ohio secondary school for which the director of education and workforce prescribes minimum standards in accordance with section 3301.07 of the Revised Code;

(c) Is attending and in good standing, or has been accepted for attendance, at any eligible institution as a full-time student to pursue a bachelor's degree.

(2) A graduate student who is a resident of this state, and is attending and in good standing, or has been accepted for attendance, at any eligible institution.

(D) "Fellowship" or "fellowship program" means the Ohio priority needs fellowship created by sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Full-time student" has the meaning as defined by rule of the chancellor of higher education.

(F) "Ohio outstanding scholar" means a student who is the recipient of a scholarship under sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

(G) "Policy guidelines" means the rules adopted by the chancellor pursuant to section 3333.374 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Priority needs fellow" means a student who is the recipient of a fellowship under sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

(I) "Priority needs field of study" means those academic majors and disciplines as determined by the chancellor that support the purposes and intent of sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code as described in section 3333.371 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Scholarship" or "scholarship program" means the Ohio outstanding scholarship created by sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:04 PM

Section 3333.371 | Purposes of scholarship and fellowship programs.
 

The purposes of sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code are to create both of the following:

(A) A scholarship program for undergraduate students who are residents of this state and are pursuing a baccalaureate degree in any field of study to encourage the retention of Ohio outstanding students;

(B) A fellowship program for graduate students who are residents of this state for attendance at Ohio institutions of higher education to encourage such students to pursue fields of study that are determined to be a priority for the state in advancing its economic, technological, and academic interests.

Section 3333.372 | Outstanding scholarship and priority needs fellowship programs.
 

(A) There are hereby authorized the "Ohio outstanding scholarship" and the "Ohio priority needs fellowship" programs, which shall be established and administered by the chancellor of higher education for eligible students. The programs shall provide scholarships to eligible undergraduate students and fellowships to eligible graduate students, equal to the annual cost of attendance at eligible institutions, to pursue baccalaureate degrees and post-baccalaureate degrees in priority needs field of study consistent with section 3333.371 of the Revised Code.

(B) The scholarship and fellowship programs created under sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code and any necessary administrative expenses shall be funded solely from the Ohio outstanding scholarship and the Ohio priority needs fellowship programs payment funds established pursuant to section 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

(C) The scholarships shall be renewable for each of three additional years for undergraduate study, and the fellowships shall be renewable for each of two additional years for graduate study, provided the Ohio outstanding scholar or priority needs fellow remains an eligible student at an eligible institution.

Section 3333.373 | Scholarship rules advisory committee.
 

(A) The scholarship rules advisory committee is hereby established. The committee shall consist of the chancellor of higher education or the chancellor's designee, the treasurer of state or the treasurer of state's designee, the director of development or the director's designee, one state senator appointed by the president of the senate, one state representative appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and two public members appointed by the chancellor of higher education representing the interests of the state-assisted eligible institutions and private nonprofit eligible institutions, respectively.

(B) The committee shall provide recommendations to the chancellor of higher education as to rules, criteria, and guidelines necessary and appropriate to implement the scholarship and fellowship programs created by sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

(C) The committee shall meet at least annually to review the scholarship and fellowship programs guidelines; make recommendations to amend, rescind, or modify the policy guidelines; and approve scholarship and fellowship awards to eligible students.

(D) Sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code do not apply to this section.

Section 3333.374 | Rules establishing scholarship policy guidelines.
 

(A) After receipt of recommendations from the scholarship rules advisory committee or if no recommendations are received, the chancellor of higher education, with the approval of the treasurer of state, shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, establishing policy guidelines for the implementation of the scholarship and fellowship programs.

(B) Nothing in this section or section 3333.373 of the Revised Code shall prevent the chancellor, with the approval of the treasurer of state, from amending or rescinding rules adopted pursuant to division (A) of this section, or from adopting new rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, from time to time as are necessary to further the purposes of sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.375 | Ohio outstanding scholarship and Ohio priority needs fellowship programs payment funds.
 

(A)(1) There are hereby created the Ohio outstanding scholarship and the Ohio priority needs fellowship programs payment funds, which shall be in the custody of the treasurer of state, but shall not be a part of the state treasury.

(2) The payment funds shall consist solely of all moneys returned to the treasurer of state, as issuer of certain tax-exempt student loan revenue bonds, from all indentures of trust, both presently existing and future, created as a result of tax-exempt student loan revenue bonds issued under Chapter 3366. of the Revised Code, and any moneys earned from allowable investments of the payment funds under division (B) of this section.

(3) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, the payment funds shall be used solely for scholarship and fellowships awarded under sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code by the chancellor of higher education and for any necessary administrative expenses incurred by the chancellor in administering the scholarship and fellowship programs.

(B) The treasurer of state may invest any moneys in the payment funds not currently needed for scholarship and fellowship payments in any kind of investments in which moneys of the public employees retirement system may be invested under Chapter 145. of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) The instruments of title of all investments shall be delivered to the treasurer of state or to a qualified trustee designated by the treasurer of state as provided in section 135.18 of the Revised Code.

(2) The treasurer of state shall collect both principal and investment earnings on all investments as they become due and pay them into the payment funds.

(3) All deposits to the payment funds shall be made in public depositories of this state and secured as provided in section 135.18 of the Revised Code.

(D) On or before March 1, 2001, and on or before the first day of March in each subsequent year, the treasurer of state shall provide to the chancellor a statement indicating the moneys in the Ohio outstanding scholarship and the Ohio priority needs fellowship programs payment funds that are available for the upcoming academic year to award scholarships and fellowships under sections 3333.37 to 3333.375 of the Revised Code.

(E) The chancellor may use funds the treasurer has indicated as available pursuant to division (D) of this section to support distribution of state need-based financial aid in accordance with section 3333.122 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 2, 2023 at 2:04 PM

Section 3333.38 | Ineligibility for student financial assistance supported by state funds.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Institution of higher education" includes all of the following:

(a) A state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;

(b) A nonprofit institution issued a certificate of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code;

(c) A private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code, as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code;

(d) An institution of higher education with a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code.

(2) "Student financial assistance supported by state funds" includes assistance granted under sections 3315.33, 3333.122, 3333.125, 3333.21, 3333.26, 3333.28, 3333.372, 3333.391, 5910.03, 5910.032, and 5919.34 of the Revised Code, financed by an award under the choose Ohio first scholarship program established under section 3333.61 of the Revised Code, or financed by an award under the Ohio co-op/internship program established under section 3333.72 of the Revised Code, and any other post-secondary student financial assistance supported by state funds.

(B) An individual who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for one of the following violations shall be ineligible to receive any student financial assistance supported by state funds at an institution of higher education for two calendar years from the time the individual applies for assistance of that nature:

(1) A violation of section 2917.02 or 2917.03 of the Revised Code;

(2) A violation of section 2917.04 of the Revised Code that is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree;

(3) A violation of section 2917.13 of the Revised Code that is a misdemeanor of the fourth or first degree and occurs within the proximate area where four or more others are acting in a course of conduct in violation of section 2917.11 of the Revised Code.

(C) If an individual is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a violation of section 2917.02 or 2917.03 of the Revised Code, and if the individual is enrolled in a state-supported institution of higher education, the institution in which the individual is enrolled shall immediately dismiss the individual. No state-supported institution of higher education shall admit an individual of that nature for one academic year after the individual applies for admission to a state-supported institution of higher education. This division does not limit or affect the ability of a state-supported institution of higher education to suspend or otherwise discipline its students.

Last updated August 2, 2023 at 2:05 PM

Section 3333.39 | Teach Ohio program.
 

The chancellor of higher education and the department of education and workforce shall establish and administer the teach Ohio program to promote and encourage citizens of this state to consider teaching as a profession. The program shall include all of the following:

(A) A statewide program administered by a nonprofit corporation that has been in existence for at least fifteen years with demonstrated results in encouraging high school students from economically disadvantaged groups to enter the teaching profession. The chancellor and the department jointly shall select the nonprofit corporation.

(B) The Ohio teaching fellows program established under sections 3333.391 and 3333.392 of the Revised Code;

(C) The Ohio teacher residency program established under section 3319.223 of the Revised Code;

(D) Alternative licensure procedures established under section 3319.26 of the Revised Code;

(E) Any other program as identified by the chancellor and the department.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:09 PM

Section 3333.391 | Ohio teaching fellows program.
 

(A) As used in this section and in section 3333.392 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Academic year" shall be as defined by the chancellor of higher education.

(2) "Hard-to-staff school" and "hard-to-staff subject" shall be as defined by the department of education and workforce.

(3) "Parent" means the parent, guardian, or custodian of a qualified student.

(4) "Qualified service" means teaching at a qualifying school.

(5) "Qualifying school" means a hard-to-staff school district building or a school district building that has a persistently low performance rating, as determined jointly by the chancellor and the department of education and workforce, under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code at the time the recipient becomes employed by the district.

(B) If the chancellor of higher education determines that sufficient funds are available from general revenue fund appropriations made to the department of higher education or to the chancellor, the chancellor and the department of education and workforce jointly may develop and agree on a plan for the Ohio teaching fellows program to promote and encourage high school seniors to enter and remain in the teaching profession. Upon agreement of such a plan, the chancellor shall establish and administer the program in conjunction with the department of education and workforce and with the cooperation of teacher training institutions. Under the program, the chancellor annually shall provide scholarships to students who commit to teaching in a qualifying school for a minimum of four years upon graduation from a teacher training program at a state institution of higher education or an Ohio nonprofit institution of higher education that has a certificate of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code. The scholarships shall be for up to four years at the undergraduate level at an amount determined by the chancellor based on state appropriations.

(C) The chancellor shall adopt a competitive process for awarding scholarships under the teaching fellows program, which shall include minimum grade point average and scores on national standardized tests for college admission. The process shall also give additional consideration to all of the following:

(1) A person who has participated in the program described in division (A) of section 3333.39 of the Revised Code;

(2) A person who plans to specialize in teaching students with special needs;

(3) A person who plans to teach in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

The chancellor shall require that all applicants to the teaching fellows program shall file a statement of service status in compliance with section 3345.32 of the Revised Code, if applicable, and that all applicants have not been convicted of, plead guilty to, or adjudicated a delinquent child for any violation listed in section 3333.38 of the Revised Code.

(D) Teaching fellows shall complete the four-year teaching commitment within not more than seven years after graduating from the teacher training program. Failure to fulfill the commitment shall convert the scholarship into a loan to be repaid under section 3333.392 of the Revised Code.

(E) The chancellor shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to administer this section and section 3333.392 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:09 PM

Section 3333.392 | Scholarships; Termination; Repayment.
 

(A) Each recipient who accepts a scholarship under the Ohio teaching fellows program created under section 3333.391 of the Revised Code, or the recipient's parent if the recipient is younger than eighteen years of age, shall sign a promissory note payable to the state in the event the recipient does not satisfy the service requirement of division (D) of section 3333.391 of the Revised Code or the scholarship is terminated. The amount payable under the note shall be the amount of total scholarships accepted by the recipient under the program plus ten per cent interest accrued annually beginning on the first day of September after graduating from the teacher training program or immediately after termination of the scholarship. The period of repayment under the note shall be determined by the chancellor of higher education. The note shall stipulate that the obligation to make payments under the note is canceled following completion of four years of qualified service by the recipient in accordance with division (D) of section 3333.391 of the Revised Code, or if the recipient dies, becomes totally and permanently disabled, or is unable to complete the required qualified service as a result of a reduction in force at the recipient's school of employment before the obligation under the note has been satisfied.

(B) Repayment of the principal amount of the scholarship and interest accrued shall be deferred while the recipient is enrolled in an approved teaching program, while the recipient is seeking employment to fulfill the service obligation, for a period not to exceed six months, or while the recipient is engaged in qualified service.

(C) During the seven-year period following the recipient's graduation from an approved teaching program, the chancellor shall deduct twenty-five per cent of the outstanding balance that may be converted to a loan for each year the recipient teaches at a qualifying school.

(D) The chancellor may terminate the scholarship, in which case the scholarship shall be converted to a loan to be repaid under division (A) of this section.

(E) The scholarship shall be deemed terminated upon the recipient's withdrawal from school or the recipient's failure to meet the standards of the scholarship as determined by the chancellor and shall be converted to a loan to be repaid under division (A) of this section.

(F) The chancellor and the attorney general shall collect payments on the converted loan in accordance with section 131.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.393 | Grow your own teacher program.
 

(A) As used in this section and in section 3333.394 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Academic year" shall be as defined by the chancellor of higher education.

(2) "Parent" means the parent, guardian, or custodian of a qualified student as described by this section.

(3) "Qualified service" means teaching at a qualifying school.

(4) "Qualifying school" means a school district building identified as "high need" by the chancellor and meets both of the following conditions:

(a) The school building has difficulty attracting and retaining classroom teachers who hold a valid educator license issued under section 3319.22 of the Revised Code;

(b) The school is operated by the same school district from which the recipient of a scholarship graduated from high school or was employed.

(5) "Qualifying employee" means an individual employed at a qualifying school and who either holds an educational aide permit or educational paraprofessional license issued under section 3319.088 or a substitute license under section 3319.226 of the Revised Code.

(B) The grow your own teacher college scholarship program is hereby established. Under the program, the chancellor of higher education, in conjunction with the department of education and workforce, shall award scholarships to the following:

(1) Low-income high school seniors who commit to teaching in a qualifying school for a minimum of four years upon graduation from a teacher training program at a state institution of higher education or an Ohio nonprofit institution of higher education that has a certificate of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

(2) Qualifying employees who commit to teaching in a qualifying school for a minimum of four years upon graduation from a teacher training program at a state institution of higher education or an Ohio nonprofit institution of higher education that has a certificate of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

Each scholarship shall be awarded for up to four academic years and shall not exceed $7,500 for each academic year.

(C) The department and the chancellor shall develop an application process for awarding scholarships under the program. The department and the chancellor also shall appoint a highly qualified and diverse application committee to assist in the selection of scholarship recipients.

(D)(1) Scholarships shall be awarded to students under division (B)(1) of this section who meet both of the following conditions:

(a) Received a high school diploma or honors diploma under section 3313.61 of the Revised Code;

(b) Commit to completing the four-year teaching obligation within not more than six years after graduating from the teacher training program.

(2) Scholarships shall be awarded to qualifying employees under division (B)(2) of this section who commit to completing the four-year teaching obligation within not more than six years after graduating from the teacher training program. Qualifying employees shall be permitted to complete coursework associated with a teacher training program on evenings or weekends as necessary while maintaining employment at a qualifying school.

(E) A teacher training program, in consultation with the department of education and workforce, may grant credit to a qualifying employee who has commensurate work experience at a qualifying school under this section for completion of a teacher training program.

(F) The chancellor shall require that all applicants to the grow your own teacher program file a statement of service status in compliance with section 3345.32 of the Revised Code, if applicable, and that all applicants have not been convicted of, plead guilty to, or adjudicated a delinquent child for any violation listed in section 3333.38 of the Revised Code.

(G) Recipients shall complete the four-year teaching commitment within not more than six years after graduating from the teacher training program. Failure to fulfill the commitment shall convert the scholarship into a loan to be repaid under section 3333.394 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 31, 2023 at 3:54 PM

Section 3333.394 | Grow your own teacher program - scholarship; termination; repayment.
 

(A)(1) Each recipient who accepts a scholarship under the grow your own teacher program under section 3333.393 of the Revised Code shall sign a promissory note payable to the state in the event the recipient does not satisfy the service requirement under division (G) of section 3333.393 of the Revised Code or the scholarship is terminated. The amount payable under the note shall be the amount of total scholarships accepted by the recipient under the program.

(2) Each recipient shall be awarded an amount of up to $7,500 at the beginning of each school year in which the recipient begins or maintains qualifying employment as defined in section 3333.393 of the Revised Code. Upon completion of that school year, the amount the recipient received at the beginning of the year shall be forgiven. An individual may receive an award under this division for up to four years.

(3) Failure to complete a full school year of employment converts the award made under division (A)(1) of this section into a loan to be repaid. The loan to be repaid shall be the amount of the award made at the beginning of that school year.

(4) An award made under this division shall not exceed $7,500 in each school year. The total amount awarded to an individual under this section and section 3333.393 of the Revised Code shall not exceed the total cost of a qualifying employee's loans for a teacher training program.

(B)(1) As specified in division (A)(2) of this section, the amount of the annual award made under division (A) of this section shall be forgiven following completion of one year of qualified employment by the recipient in accordance with division (G) of section 3333.393 of the Revised Code.

(2) An award also shall be forgiven in the event that a recipient dies, becomes totally and permanently disabled, or is unable to complete the required qualified service as a result of a reduction in force at the recipient's school of employment before the end of the academic year.

(C) The scholarship shall be deemed terminated upon the recipient's separation from employment at a qualifying school or the recipient's failure to meet the standards of the scholarship as determined by the department and the chancellor and shall be converted to a loan to be repaid under division (A) of this section.

(D) The chancellor and the attorney general shall collect payments on the converted loan in accordance with section 131.02 of the Revised Code, but shall not charge an interest rate on such payments.

Last updated August 31, 2023 at 3:55 PM

Section 3333.40 | Midwestern Higher Education Compact.
 

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact is hereby ratified, enacted into law, and entered into by this state as a party thereto with any other state that has heretofore legally joined in the compact and that may hereafter legally join in the compact as follows:

"MIDWESTERN HIGHER EDUCATION COMPACT

Article I. Purpose

The purpose of the midwestern higher education compact shall be to provide greater higher education opportunities and services in the midwestern region, with the aim of furthering regional access to, research in, and choice of higher education for the citizens residing in the several states which are parties to this compact.

Article II. The Commission

(A) The compacting states hereby create the midwestern higher education commission, hereinafter called the commission. The commission shall be a body corporate of each compacting state. The commission shall have all the responsibilities, powers, and duties set forth herein, including the power to sue and be sued, and such additional powers as may be conferred upon it by subsequent action of the respective legislatures of the compacting states in accordance with terms of this compact.

(B) The commission shall consist of five resident members of each state as follows: the governor or the governor's designee who shall serve during the tenure of office of the governor; two legislators, one from each house (except Nebraska, which may appoint two legislators from its unicameral legislature), who shall serve two-year terms and be appointed by the appropriate appointing authority in each house of the legislature; and two other at-large members, at least one of whom shall be selected from the field of higher education. The at-large members shall be appointed in a manner provided by the laws of the appointing state. One of the two at-large members initially appointed in each state shall serve a two-year term. The other, and any regularly appointed successor to either at-large member, shall serve a four-year term. All vacancies shall be filled in accordance with the laws of the appointing states. Any commissioner appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve until the end of the incomplete term.

(C) The commission shall select annually, from among its members, a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a treasurer.

(D) The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall serve at its pleasure and who shall act as secretary to the commission. The treasurer, the executive director, and such other personnel as the commission may determine shall be bonded in such amounts as the commission may require.

(E) The commission shall meet at least once each calendar year. The chairperson may call additional meetings and, upon the request of a majority of the commission members of three or more compacting states, shall call additional meetings. Public notice shall be given of all meetings and meetings shall be open to the public.

(F) Each compacting state represented at any meeting of the commission is entitled to one vote. A majority of the compacting states shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless a larger quorum is required by the bylaws of the commission.

Article III. Powers and Duties of the Commission

(A) The commission shall adopt a seal and suitable bylaws governing its management and operations.

(B) Irrespective of the civil service, personnel, or other merit system laws of any of the compacting states, the commission in its bylaws shall provide for the personnel policies and programs of the compact.

(C) The commission shall submit a budget to the governor and legislature of each compacting state at such time and for such period as may be required. The budget shall contain specific recommendations of the amount or amounts to be appropriated by each of the compacting states.

(D) The commission shall report annually to the legislatures and governors of the compacting states, to the midwestern governors' conference and to the midwestern legislative conference of the council of state governments concerning the activities of the commission during the preceding year. Such reports shall also embody any recommendations that may have been adopted by the commission.

(E) The commission may borrow, accept, or contract for the services of personnel from any state or the United States or any subdivision or agency thereof, from any interstate agency, or from any institution, foundation, person, firm, or corporation.

(F) The commission may accept for any of its purposes and functions under the compact any and all donations, and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services (conditional or otherwise) from any state or the United States or any subdivision or agency thereof, or interstate agency, or from any institution, foundation, person, firm, or corporation, and may receive, utilize, and dispose of the same.

(G) The commission may enter into agreements with any other interstate education organizations or agencies and with higher education institutions located in nonmember states and with any of the various states of these United States to provide adequate programs and services in higher education for the citizens of the respective compacting states. The commission shall, after negotiations with interested institutions and interstate organizations or agencies, determine the cost of providing the programs and services in higher education for use in these agreements.

(H) The commission may establish and maintain offices, which shall be located within one or more of the compacting states.

(I) The commission may establish committees and hire staff as it deems necessary for the carrying out of its functions.

(J) The commission may provide for actual and necessary expenses for attendance of its members at official meetings of the commission or its designated committees.

Article IV. Activities of the Commission

(A) The commission shall collect data on the long-range effects of the compact on higher education. By the end of the fourth year from the effective date of the compact and every two years thereafter, the commission shall review its accomplishments and make recommendations to the governors and legislatures of the compacting states on the continuance of the compact.

(B) The commission shall study issues in higher education of particular concern to the midwestern region. The commission shall also study the needs for higher education programs and services in the compacting states and the resources for meeting such needs. The commission shall, from time to time, prepare reports on such research for presentation to the governors and legislatures of the compacting states and other interested parties. In conducting such studies, the commission may confer with any national or regional planning body. The commission may draft and recommend to the governors and legislatures of the various compacting states suggested legislation dealing with problems of higher education.

(C) The commission shall study the need for provision of adequate programs and services in higher education, such as undergraduate, graduate, or professional student exchanges in the region. If a need for exchange in a field is apparent, the commission may enter into such agreements with any higher education institution and with any of the compacting states to provide programs and services in higher education for the citizens of the respective compacting states. The commission shall, after negotiations with interested institutions and the compacting states, determine the cost of providing the programs and services in higher education for use in its agreements. The contracting states shall contribute the funds not otherwise provided, as determined by the commission, for carrying out the agreements. The commission may also serve as the administrative and fiscal agent in carrying out agreements for higher education programs and services.

(D) The commission shall serve as a clearinghouse on information regarding higher education activities among institutions and agencies.

(E) In addition to the activities of the commission previously noted, the commission may provide services and research in other areas of regional concern.

Article V. Finance

(A) The moneys necessary to finance the general operations of the commission not otherwise provided for in carrying forth its duties, responsibilities, and powers as stated herein shall be appropriated to the commission by the compacting states, when authorized by the respective legislatures, by equal apportionment among the compacting states.

(B) The commission shall not incur any obligations of any kind prior to the making of appropriations adequate to meet the same; nor shall the commission pledge the credit of any of the compacting states, except by and with the authority of the compacting state.

(C) The commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements. The receipts and disbursements of the commission shall be subject to the audit and accounting procedures established under its bylaws. However, all receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the commission shall be audited yearly by a certified or licensed public accountant and the report of the audit shall be included in and become part of the annual report of the commission.

(D) The accounts of the commission shall be open at any reasonable time for inspection by duly authorized representatives of the compacting states and persons authorized by the commission.

Article VI. Eligible Parties and Entry into FORCE

(A) The states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin shall be eligible to become party to this compact. Additional states will be eligible if approved by a majority of the compacting states.

(B) As to any eligible party state, this compact shall become effective when its legislature shall have enacted the same into law, provided that it shall not become initially effective until enacted into law by five states prior to the thirty-first day of December, 1995.

(C) Amendments to the compact shall become effective upon their enactment by the legislatures of all compacting states.

Article VII. Withdrawal, Default, and Termination

(A) Any compacting state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the compact, but such withdrawal shall not become effective until two years after the enactment of such statute. A withdrawing state shall be liable for any obligations which it may have incurred on account of its party status up to the effective date of withdrawal, except that if the withdrawing state has specifically undertaken or committed itself to any performance of an obligation extending beyond the effective date of withdrawal, it shall remain liable to the extent of such obligation.

(B) If any compacting state shall at any time default in the performance of any of its obligations, assumed or imposed, in accordance with the provisions of this compact, all rights, privileges, and benefits conferred by this compact or agreements hereunder shall be suspended from the effective date of such default as fixed by the commission, and the commission shall stipulate the conditions and maximum time for compliance under which the defaulting state may resume its regular status. Unless such default shall be remedied under the stipulations and within the time period set forth by the commission, this compact may be terminated with respect to such defaulting state by affirmative vote of a majority of the other member states. Any such defaulting state may be reinstated by performing all acts and obligations as stipulated by the commission.

Article VIII. Severability and Construction

The provisions of this compact entered into hereunder shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any compacting state or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact entered into hereunder shall be held contrary to the constitution of any compacting state, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters. The provisions of this compact entered into pursuant hereto shall be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes thereof."

Section 3333.41 | Members of midwestern higher education commission.
 

(A) As provided in Article II, paragraph (B) of the midwestern higher education compact in section 3333.40 of the Revised Code:

(1) The governor, or a person he designates, shall serve as a member of the midwestern higher education commission during the tenure in office of the governor.

(2) The president of the senate shall appoint one member of the senate to the midwestern higher education commission to serve a two-year term.

(3) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member of the house of representatives to the midwestern higher education commission to serve a two-year term.

(4) The governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint two at-large members from this state to the midwestern higher education commission. At least one of these members shall be from the field of higher education. Of the two at-large members initially appointed, the governor shall appoint one for a two-year term and the other for a four-year term. All succeeding at-large members shall serve four-year terms.

Each member appointed from this state to the midwestern higher education commission shall serve from the date of his appointment until the end of the term for which he was appointed. Any vacancy in the members appointed from this state shall be filled in the manner provided by this section for the original appointments. Any member filling a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall serve for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue to serve subsequent to the expiration date of his term until the date on which his successor is appointed or, in the case of the governor, takes office.

(B) As used in Article V, paragraph (D) of the midwestern higher education compact in section 3333.40 of the Revised Code, "duly authorized representative" for this state means the auditor of state or a person designated by him to make the inspection described in that article and paragraph of the compact.

Section 3333.42 | Nonresident student military personnel tuition.
 

No state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, shall charge a nonresident student who is a member of the armed forces of the United States and who is stationed in this state pursuant to military orders or who is a member of the Ohio national guard, or who is the spouse or dependent child of such a student, rates for tuition and fees that are higher than the rates charged to an Ohio resident.

Section 3333.421 | Ohio hidden hero scholarship programs.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Eligible caregiver" means an individual who is enrolled as a family caregiver under the "Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers," 38 U.S.C. 1720G and who provides care to a veteran, as defined in section 3333.31 of the Revised Code, who has a one hundred per cent service-connected disability.

(2) "Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each institution of higher education may establish an Ohio hidden hero scholarship program. Under the program, an institution shall accept applications to participate in the program from eligible caregivers who enroll in the institution. In each academic year in which an institution receives applications to participate in the program, the institution may approve one or more eligible caregivers to participate for that year. For each approved participant, the institution shall do all of the following:

(1) For each academic year in which the participant is enrolled, waive any instructional and general fees remaining for the participant after all other financial aid for which the participant qualifies has been applied to the participant's account, as determined by the institution;

(2) Provide the participant with a stipend, in an amount determined by the institution, to purchase textbooks in each academic year in which the participant is enrolled;

(3) Provide assistance to the participant to ensure that any college credits earned by the participant while enrolled in the institution may be transferred to another institution of higher education;

(4) Provide the participant with an opportunity to earn college credits for which the participant qualifies, as determined by the institution, based on the participant's caregiver experience.

(C) The chancellor of higher education shall establish guidelines and procedures for programs established under this section including an application form and an application deadline. Under the application, the chancellor shall require an applicant to provide a letter of eligibility from the United States department of veterans affairs. Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section, the chancellor shall establish a web site regarding programs established under this section, which shall include a list of each institution that has established a program.

Last updated January 20, 2023 at 4:28 PM

Section 3333.43 | Statements for three-year baccalaureate degrees.
 

This section does not apply to any baccalaureate degree program that is a cooperative education program, as defined in section 3333.71 of the Revised Code.

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall require all state institutions of higher education that offer baccalaureate degrees, as a condition of reauthorization for certification of each baccalaureate program offered by the institution, to submit a statement describing how each major for which the school offers a baccalaureate degree may be completed within three academic years. The chronology of the statement shall begin with the fall semester of a student's first year of the baccalaureate program.

(B) The statement required under this section may include, but not be limited to, any of the following methods to contribute to earning a baccalaureate degree in three years:

(1) Advanced placement credit;

(2) International baccalaureate program credit;

(3) A waiver of degree and credit-hour requirements by completion of courses that are widely available at community colleges in the state or through online programs offered by state institutions of higher education or private nonprofit institutions of higher education holding certificates of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, and through courses taken by the student through the college credit plus program under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code;

(4) Completion of coursework during summer sessions;

(5) A waiver of foreign-language degree requirements based on a proficiency examination specified by the institution.

(C)(1) Not later than October 15, 2012, each state institution of higher education shall provide statements required under this section for ten per cent of all baccalaureate degree programs offered by the institution.

(2) Not later than June 30, 2014, each state institution of higher education shall provide statements required under this section for sixty per cent of all baccalaureate degree programs offered by the institution.

(D) Each state institution of higher education required to submit statements under this section shall post its three-year option on its web site and also provide that information to the department of education and workforce. The department shall distribute that information to the superintendent, high school principal, and guidance counselor, or equivalents, of each school district, community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, and STEM school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section requires an institution to take any action that would violate the requirements of any independent association accrediting baccalaureate degree programs.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:11 PM

Section 3333.44 | Postsecondary globalization liaison.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall designate a postsecondary globalization liaison to work with state institutions of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, other state agencies, and representatives of the business community to enhance the state's globalization efforts.

The chancellor may designate a person already employed by the chancellor as the liaison.

Section 3333.45 | Partnership to provide competency - based education programs.
 

(A) For purposes of this section, "eligible institution of higher education" means any of the following:

(1) A regionally accredited private, nonprofit institution of higher education that is created by the governors of several states. At least one of the governors of these states shall also be a member of the institution's board of trustees.

(2) A state institution of higher education, as that term is defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;

(3) A private, nonprofit institution of higher education that has received a certificate of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

(B) The chancellor of higher education may recognize or endorse an eligible institution of higher education for the purpose of providing competency-based education programs.

(C) In recognizing or endorsing an eligible institution of higher education described in division (A)(1) of this section, the chancellor may specify all of the following:

(1) The eligibility of students enrolled in the institution for state student financial aid programs;

(2) Any articulation and transfer policies of the chancellor that apply to the institution;

(3) The reporting requirements for the institution.

(D) In recognizing or endorsing any eligible institution of higher education, the chancellor may:

(1) Recognize competency-based education as an important component of this state's higher education system;

(2) Eliminate any unnecessary barriers to the delivery of competency-based education;

(3) Facilitate opportunities to share best practices on the delivery of competency-based education with any eligible institution of higher education;

(4) Establish any other requirements that the chancellor determines are in the best interest of this state.

(E) The chancellor shall not provide any public operating or capital assistance to an eligible institution of higher education described in division (A)(1) of this section for the purpose of providing competency-based education in this state.

Section 3333.50 | Critical needs rapid response system.
 

The chancellor of higher education, in consultation with the governor and the department of development, shall develop a critical needs rapid response system to respond quickly to critical workforce shortages in the state. Not later than ninety days after a critical workforce shortage is identified, the chancellor shall submit to the governor a proposal for addressing the shortage through initiatives of the department of higher education or institutions of higher education.

Section 3333.55 | Health information and imaging technology workforce development pilot project.
 

(A) The health information and imaging technology workforce development pilot project is hereby established. Under the project, in fiscal years 2008 through 2010, the chancellor of higher education shall design and implement a three-year pilot program to test, in the vicinity of Clark, Greene, and Montgomery counties, how a P-16 public-private education and workforce development collaborative may address each of the following goals:

(1) Increase the number of students taking and mastering high-level science, technology, engineering, or mathematics courses and pursuing careers in those subjects, in all demographic regions of the state;

(2) Increase the number of students pursuing professional careers in health information and imaging technology upon receiving related technical education and professional experience, in all demographic regions of the state;

(3) Unify efforts among schools, career centers, post-secondary programs, and employers in a region for career and workforce development, preservation, and public education.

(B) The project shall focus on enhancing P-16 education and workforce development in the field of health information and imaging technology through such activities as increased academic intervention in related areas of study, after-school and summer intervention programs, tutoring, career and job fairs and other promotional and recruitment activities, externships, professional development, field trips, academic competitions, development of related specialized study modules, development of honors programs, and development and enhancement of dual high school and college enrollment programs.

(C) Project participants shall include Clark-Shawnee local school district, Springfield city school district, Greene county career center, Clark state community college, Central state university, Wright state university, Cedarville university, Wittenberg university, the university of Dayton, and private employers in the health information and imaging technology industry in the vicinity of Clark, Greene, and Montgomery counties, selected by the chancellor.

For the third year of the project, the chancellor may add as participants the Dayton city school district and Xenia city school district.

(D) Wittenberg university shall be the lead coordinating agent and Clark state community college shall be the fiscal agent for the project.

(E) The chancellor shall create an advisory council made up of representatives of the participating entities to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the project. The advisory council shall submit an annual activity report to the chancellor by a date specified by the chancellor.

Section 3333.59 | Bonds.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Allocated state share of instruction" means, for any fiscal year, the amount of the state share of instruction appropriated to the department of higher education by the general assembly that is allocated to a community or technical college or community or technical college district for such fiscal year.

(2) "Issuing authority" has the same meaning as in section 154.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Bond service charges" has the same meaning as in section 154.01 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Chancellor" means the chancellor of higher education.

(5) "Community or technical college" or "college" means any of the following state-supported or state-assisted institutions of higher education:

(a) A community college as defined in section 3354.01 of the Revised Code;

(b) A technical college as defined in section 3357.01 of the Revised Code;

(c) A state community college as defined in section 3358.01 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Community or technical college district" or "district" means any of the following institutions of higher education that are state-supported or state-assisted:

(a) A community college district as defined in section 3354.01 of the Revised Code;

(b) A technical college district as defined in section 3357.01 of the Revised Code;

(c) A state community college district as defined in section 3358.01 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Credit enhancement facilities" has the same meaning as in section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

(8) "Obligations" has the meaning as in section 154.01 or 3345.12 of the Revised Code, as the context requires.

(B) The board of trustees of any community or technical college district authorizing the issuance of obligations under section 3354.12, 3354.121, 3357.11, 3357.112, 3358.10, or 3358.11 of the Revised Code, or for whose benefit and on whose behalf the issuing authority proposes to issue obligations under section 154.25 of the Revised Code, may adopt a resolution requesting the chancellor to enter into an agreement with the community or technical college district and the primary paying agent or fiscal agent for such obligations, providing for the withholding and deposit of funds otherwise due the district or the community or technical college it operates in respect of its allocated state share of instruction, for the payment of bond service charges on such obligations.

The board of trustees shall deliver to the chancellor a copy of the resolution and any additional pertinent information the chancellor may require.

The chancellor and the office of budget and management, and the issuing authority in the case of obligations to be issued by the issuing authority, shall evaluate each request received from a community or technical college district under this section. The chancellor, with the advice and consent of the director of budget and management and the issuing authority in the case of obligations to be issued by the issuing authority, shall approve each request if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) Approval of the request will enhance the marketability of the obligations for which the request is made;

(2) The chancellor and the office of budget and management, and the issuing authority in the case of obligations to be issued by the issuing authority, have no reason to believe the requesting community or technical college district or the community or technical college it operates will be unable to pay when due the bond service charges on the obligations for which the request is made, and bond service charges on those obligations are therefore not anticipated to be paid pursuant to this section from the allocated state share of instruction for purposes of Section 17 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution.

(3) Any other pertinent conditions established in rules adopted under division (H) of this section.

(C) If the chancellor approves the request of a community or technical college district to withhold and deposit funds pursuant to this section, the chancellor shall enter into a written agreement with the district and the primary paying agent or fiscal agent for the obligations, which agreement shall provide for the withholding of funds pursuant to this section for the payment of bond service charges on those obligations. The agreement may also include both of the following:

(1) Provisions for certification by the district to the chancellor, prior to the deadline for payment of the applicable bond service charges, whether the district and the community or technical college it operates are able to pay those bond service charges when due;

(2) Requirements that the district or the community or technical college it operates deposits amounts for the payment of those bond service charges with the primary paying agent or fiscal agent for the obligations prior to the date on which the bond service charges are due to the owners or holders of the obligations.

(D) Whenever a district or the community or technical college it operates notifies the chancellor that it will not be able to pay the bond service charges when they are due, subject to the withholding provisions of this section, or whenever the applicable paying agent or fiscal agent notifies the chancellor that it has not timely received from a district or from the college it operates the full amount needed for payment of the bond service charges when due to the holders or owners of such obligations, the chancellor shall immediately contact the district or college and the paying agent or fiscal agent to confirm that the district and the college are not able to make the required payment by the date on which it is due.

If the chancellor confirms that the district and the college are not able to make the payment and the payment will not be made pursuant to a credit enhancement facility, the chancellor shall promptly pay to the applicable primary paying agent or fiscal agent the lesser of the amount due for bond service charges or the amount of the next periodic distribution scheduled to be made to the district or to the college in respect of its allocated state share of instruction. If this amount is insufficient to pay the total amount then due the agent for the payment of bond service charges, the chancellor shall continue to pay to the agent from each periodic distribution thereafter, and until the full amount due the agent for unpaid bond service charges is paid in full, the lesser of the remaining amount due the agent for bond service charges or the amount of the next periodic distribution scheduled to be made to the district or college in respect of its allocated state share of instruction.

(E) The chancellor may make any payments under this section by direct deposit of funds by electronic transfer.

Any amount received by a paying agent or fiscal agent under this section shall be applied only to the payment of bond service charges on the obligations of the community or technical college district or community or technical college subject to this section or to the reimbursement of the provider of a credit enhancement facility that has paid the bond service charges.

(F) The chancellor may make payments under this section to paying agents or fiscal agents during any fiscal biennium of the state only from and to the extent that money is appropriated to the department by the general assembly for distribution during such biennium for the state share of instruction and only to the extent that a portion of the state share of instruction has been allocated to the community or technical college district or community or technical college. Obligations of the issuing authority or of a community or technical college district to which this section is made applicable do not constitute an obligation or a debt or a pledge of the faith, credit, or taxing power of the state, and the holders or owners of those obligations have no right to have excises or taxes levied or appropriations made by the general assembly for the payment of bond service charges on the obligations, and the obligations shall contain a statement to that effect. The agreement for or the actual withholding and payment of money under this section does not constitute the assumption by the state of any debt of a community or technical college district or a community or technical college, and bond service charges on the related obligations are not anticipated to be paid from the state general revenue fund for purposes of Section 17 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution.

(G) In the case of obligations subject to the withholding provisions of this section, the issuing community or technical college district, or the issuing authority in the case of obligations issued by the issuing authority, shall appoint a paying agent or fiscal agent who is not an officer or employee of the district or college.

(H) The chancellor, with the advice and consent of the office of budget and management, may adopt reasonable rules not inconsistent with this section for the implementation of this section to secure payment of bond service charges on obligations issued by a community or technical college district or by the issuing authority for the benefit of a community or technical college district or the community or technical college it operates. Those rules shall include criteria for the evaluation and approval or denial of community or technical college district requests for withholding under this section.

(I) The authority granted by this section is in addition to and not a limitation on any other authorizations granted by or pursuant to law for the same or similar purposes.

Section 3333.60 | Choose Ohio first scholarship definitions.
 

As used in sections 3333.61 to 3333.69 of the Revised Code:

(A) "State university or college" has the same meaning as in section 3345.12 of the Revised Code.

(B) "State university" and "state institution of higher education" have the same meanings as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 28, 2021 at 5:46 PM

Section 3333.61 | Choose Ohio first scholarship program.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer the choose Ohio first scholarship program. Under the program, the chancellor, subject to approval by the controlling board, shall make awards to state universities or colleges for programs and initiatives that recruit students and provide work-based learning opportunities in the fields of science, including health professions, technology, engineering, and mathematics to state universities or colleges, in order to enhance regional educational and economic strengths and meet the needs of the state's regional economies. Awards may be granted for programs and initiatives to be implemented by a state university or college alone or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education, nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges, or other public or private Ohio entities. If the chancellor makes an award to a program or initiative that is intended to be implemented by a state university or college 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 choose Ohio first scholarship program.

The choose Ohio first scholarship program shall assign a number of scholarships to state universities and colleges to recruit Ohio residents as undergraduate or graduate students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, education. The chancellor also may assign a number of choose Ohio first scholarships to state universities and colleges to recruit Ohio residents to enroll in certificate programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Choose Ohio first scholarships shall be awarded to each participating eligible student as a grant to the state university or college the student is attending and shall be reflected on the student's tuition bill. Choose Ohio first scholarships are student-centered grants from the state to students to use to attend a university or college and are not grants from the state to universities or colleges.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or sections 3333.62 to 3333.69 of the Revised Code, a nonpublic four-year Ohio institution of higher education may submit a proposal for choose Ohio first scholarships. If the chancellor awards a nonpublic institution scholarships, the nonpublic institution shall comply with all requirements of this section, sections 3333.62 to 3333.69 of the Revised Code, and the rules adopted under this section that apply to state universities or colleges awarded choose Ohio first scholarships.

The chancellor shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to administer the program.

Last updated September 28, 2021 at 5:48 PM

Section 3333.613 | Choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund.
 

There is hereby created in the state treasury the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund to consist of such amounts designated for the purposes of the fund by the general assembly or the federal government. As soon as possible following the end of each fiscal year, the chancellor of higher education shall certify to the director of budget and management the unencumbered balance of the general revenue fund appropriations made in the immediately preceding fiscal year for purposes of the choose Ohio first scholarship program created in section 3333.61 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the certification, the director of budget and management may transfer an amount not exceeding the certified amount from the general revenue fund to the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund. Moneys in the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund shall be used to pay scholarship obligations in excess of the general revenue fund appropriations made for that purpose.

The director of budget and management may transfer any unencumbered balance from the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund to the general revenue fund.

If it is determined that general revenue fund appropriations are insufficient to meet the obligations for the choose Ohio first scholarship in a fiscal year, the director of budget and management may transfer funds from the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund to the general revenue fund in order to meet those obligations. The amount transferred is hereby appropriated. If the funds transferred from the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund are not needed, the director of budget and management may transfer the unexpended balance from the general revenue fund back to the choose Ohio first scholarship reserve fund.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 11:19 AM

Section 3333.615 | Elimination of certain choose Ohio first scholarship components.
 

The primary care medical student, primary care nursing student, and primary care dental student components of the choose Ohio first scholarship program created under former sections 3333.611, 3333.612, and 3333.614 of the Revised Code as those sections existed prior to the effective date of this section are abolished on the effective date of this section.

Last updated September 9, 2021 at 9:51 AM

Section 3333.62 | Competitive process for program awards.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall establish a competitive process for making awards under the choose Ohio first scholarship program. The chancellor, on completion of that process, shall make a recommendation to the controlling board asking for approval of each award selected by the chancellor.

Any state university or college may apply for an award under the program. The state university or college shall submit a proposal and other documentation required by the chancellor, in the form and manner prescribed by the chancellor. A proposal may propose an initiative to be implemented solely by the state university or college or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education, nonpublic Ohio universities or colleges, or other public or nonpublic Ohio entities.

The chancellor shall determine which proposals will receive awards each fiscal year, and the amount of each award, on the basis of the merit of each proposal, which the chancellor, subject to approval by the controlling board, shall determine based on the extent to which a proposal recruits underrepresented populations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or science, technology, engineering, or mathematics education, along with one or more of the following criteria:

(A) The quality of the program that is the subject of the proposal and the extent to which additional resources will enhance its quality;

(B) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with the strengths of the regional economy;

(C) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with the university's or college's mission and does not displace existing resources already committed to the mission;

(D) The extent to which the university or college has committed to, or demonstrated, an increase in total graduates within the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or science, technology, engineering, or mathematics education, consistent with a goal to increase the total number of Ohio residents in the workforce who are highly qualified in these disciplines;

(E) The extent to which the proposal meets a statewide educational need;

(F) The extent to which the proposal facilitates the completion of an associate or a baccalaureate degree in a cost-effective manner, for example, by facilitating students' completing two years at a two-year institution and two years at a state university or college;

(G) The extent to which the proposal encourages students to complete a certificate program at a state university or college.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 12:40 PM

Section 3333.63 | Meeting prior to making awards - proposal summary review.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall conduct at least one public meeting annually, prior to deciding awards under the choose Ohio first scholarship program. At the meeting, an employee of the chancellor shall summarize the proposals submitted for consideration, and each state university or college that has a proposal pending shall have the opportunity to review the summary of their proposal prepared by the chancellor's staff and answer questions or respond to concerns about the proposal raised by the chancellor's staff.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 12:41 PM

Section 3333.64 | Fiscal and distributive goals; work-based learning requirement.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall endeavor to make awards under the choose Ohio first scholarship program such that the aggregate, statewide amount of other institutional, public, and private money pledged to the program in each fiscal year equals at least one hundred per cent of the aggregate amount of the money awarded under the program that year. All students receiving a choose Ohio first scholarship shall be involved in work-based learning through a co-op, internship, experience in a university, college, or private laboratory, or other work-based learning experience. State universities or colleges or nonpublic four-year Ohio institutions of higher education may appeal to the chancellor for a waiver of this requirement in cases where exceptional circumstances make one hundred per cent placement in a work-based learning environment impractical or significantly unachievable. The value of institutional, public, or private industry co-ops and internships shall count toward the statewide aggregate amount of other institutional, public, or private money specified in this paragraph.

The chancellor also shall endeavor to provide that students from all regions of the state are able to participate in the scholarship program.

Last updated September 28, 2021 at 5:51 PM

Section 3333.65 | Award recipients to enter use agreement.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall require each state university or college, and any nonpublic Ohio university or college with which the state university or college is collaborating, that the controlling board approves to receive an award under the choose Ohio first scholarship program to enter into an agreement governing the use of an award under the program. The agreement shall contain terms the chancellor determines to be necessary.

The chancellor may require a state university or college or a nonpublic Ohio university or college that violates the terms of the agreement to repay the award plus interest at the rate required by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 12:42 PM

Section 3333.66 | Scholarship amounts.
 

(A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, in each academic year, no student who receives a choose Ohio first scholarship shall receive less than one thousand five hundred dollars or more than one-half of the highest in-state undergraduate instructional and general fees charged by all state universities. For this purpose, if Miami university is implementing the pilot tuition restructuring plan originally recognized in Am. Sub. H.B. 95 of the 125th general assembly, that university's instructional and general fees shall be considered to be the average full-time in-state undergraduate instructional and general fee amount after taking into account the Ohio resident and Ohio leader scholarships and any other credit provided to all Ohio residents.

(2) The chancellor of higher education may authorize a state university or college or a nonpublic Ohio institution of higher education to award a choose Ohio first scholarship in the amount of not less than five hundred dollars but not more than one-half of the highest in-state undergraduate instructional and general fees charged by all state universities to a student enrolled in a certificate program designated as an eligible program by the chancellor.

(3) A student receiving multiple awards under division (A) of this section may not exceed the maximum permitted amount for each individual award.

(B) The general assembly intends that money appropriated for the choose Ohio first scholarship program in each fiscal year be used for scholarships in the following academic year.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:12 PM

Section 3333.68 | College proposal preference for future awards.
 

When making an award under the choose Ohio first scholarship program, the chancellor of higher education, subject to approval by the controlling board, may commit to giving a state university's or college's proposal preference for future awards after the current fiscal year or fiscal biennium. A proposal's eligibility for future awards remains conditional on all of the following:

(A) Future appropriations of the general assembly;

(B) The university's or college's adherence to the agreement entered into under section 3333.65 of the Revised Code, including its fulfillment of pledges of other institutional, public, or nonpublic resources;

(C) A demonstration that the students receiving the scholarship are satisfied with the state universities or colleges selected by the chancellor to offer the scholarships.

The chancellor and the controlling board shall not commit to awarding any proposal for more than five fiscal years at a time. However, when a commitment for future awards expires, the chancellor and the controlling board may grant a one-time extension of the award for a period not to exceed four years.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 11:23 AM

Section 3333.69 | Monitor of initiatives for which award granted.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall monitor each initiative for which an award is granted under the choose Ohio first scholarship program to ensure the following:

(A) Fiscal accountability, so that the award is used in accordance with the agreement entered into under section 3333.65 of the Revised Code;

(B) Operating progress, so that the initiative is managed to achieve the goals stated in the proposal and in the agreement, and so that problems may be promptly identified and remedied;

(C) Desired outcomes, so that the initiative contributes to the program's goals of enhancing regional educational and economic strengths and meeting regional economic needs.

Last updated August 12, 2021 at 11:23 AM

Section 3333.70 | Ohio higher education innovation grant program.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer the Ohio higher education innovation grant program to promote educational excellence and economic efficiency throughout the state in order to stabilize or reduce student tuition rates at institutions of higher education. Under the program, the chancellor shall award grants to state institutions of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, and private nonprofit institutions for innovative projects that incorporate academic achievement and economic efficiencies. State institutions of higher education and private nonprofit institutions may apply for grants and initiate collaboration with other institutions of higher education, either public or private, on such projects.

(B) The chancellor shall adopt rules to administer the program including, but not limited to, requirements that each grant application provides for all of the following:

(1) A system by which to measure academic achievement and reductions in expenditures, both in funding and administration;

(2) Demonstration of how the project will be sustained beyond the grant period and continue to provide substantial value and lasting impact;

(3) Proof of commitment from all parties responsible for the implementation of the project;

(4) Implementation of an ongoing evaluation process and improvement plans, as necessary.

(C) As used in this section, "private nonprofit institution" means a nonprofit institution in this state that has a certificate of authorization pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 21, 2023 at 4:03 PM

Section 3333.71 | Choose Ohio first co-op/internship program definitions.
 

As used in sections 3333.71 to 3333.79 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Cooperative education program" means a partnership between students, institutions of higher education, and employers that formally integrates students' academic study with work experience in cooperating employer organizations and that meets all of the following conditions:

(1) Alternates or combines periods of academic study and work experience in appropriate fields as an integral part of student education;

(2) Provides students with compensation from the cooperative employer in the form of wages or salaries for work performed;

(3) Evaluates each participating student's performance in the cooperative position, both from the perspective of the student's institution of higher education and the student's cooperative employer;

(4) Provides participating students with academic credit from the institution of higher education upon successful completion of their cooperative education;

(5) Is part of an overall degree or certificate program for which a percentage of the total program acceptable to the chancellor of higher education involves cooperative education.

(B) "Internship program" means a partnership between students, institutions of higher education, and employers that formally integrates students' academic study with work or community service experience and that does both of the following:

(1) Offers internships of specified and definite duration;

(2) Evaluates each participating student's performance in the internship position, both from the perspective of the student's institution of higher education and the student's internship employer.

An internship program may provide participating students with academic credit upon successful completion of the internship, and may provide students with compensation in the form of wages or salaries, stipends, or scholarships.

(C) "Nonpublic university or college" means a nonprofit institution holding a certificate of authorization issued under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.

(D) "State institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.72 | Choose Ohio first co-op/internship program.
 

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.

Section 3333.73 | Competitive process for making awards under program.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall establish a competitive process for making awards under the Ohio co-op/internship program. The chancellor, on completion of that process, shall make a recommendation to the controlling board asking for approval of each award selected by the chancellor.

The state institution of higher education shall submit a proposal and other documentation required by the chancellor, in the form and manner prescribed by the chancellor, for each award it seeks. A proposal may propose an initiative to be implemented solely by the state institution of higher education or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities or colleges.

The chancellor shall determine which proposals will receive awards each fiscal year, and the amount of each award, on the basis of the merit of each proposal, which the chancellor, subject to approval by the controlling board, shall determine based on one or more of the following criteria:

(A) The extent to which the proposal will keep Ohio students in Ohio institutions of higher education;

(B) The extent to which the proposal will attract Ohio residents who left Ohio to attend out-of-state institutions of higher education to return to Ohio institutions of higher education;

(C) The extent to which the proposal will increase the number of Ohio graduates who remain in Ohio and enter Ohio's workforce;

(D) The quality of the program that is the subject of the proposal and the extent to which additional resources will enhance its quality;

(E) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with the strengths of the regional economy;

(F) The extent to which the proposal supports the workforce policies of the governor's office of workforce transformation to meet the workforce needs of the state and to provide a student participating in the program with the skills needed for workplace success;

(G) The extent to which the proposal facilitates the development of high quality academic programs with a cooperative education program or a significant internship program at state institutions of higher education;

(H) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with supporting private companies to fill potential job growth, is responsive to the needs of employers, aligns with the skills identified by employers as necessary to fill high-demand job openings, particularly job openings in targeted industry sectors as identified by the governor's office of workforce transformation;

(I) The amount of other institutional, public, or private resources, whether monetary or nonmonetary, the proposal pledges to leverage that are in addition to the monetary cost-sharing requirement prescribed in section 3333.74 of the Revised Code;

(J) The extent to which the proposal is collaborative with other Ohio institutions of higher education;

(K) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with the institution's mission;

(L) The extent to which the proposal meets a statewide educational need at the undergraduate or graduate level;

(M) The demonstrated productivity or future capacity of the students to be recruited;

(N) The extent to which the proposal will create additional capacity in a high quality academic program with a cooperative education program or significant internship program;

(O) The extent to which the proposal will encourage students who received degrees from two-year institutions to pursue baccalaureate degrees;

(P) The extent to which the proposal facilitates the completion of a baccalaureate degree in a cost-effective manner;

(Q) The extent to which other institutional, public, or private resources that are pledged to the proposal, in addition to the monetary cost-sharing requirement prescribed in section 3333.74 of the Revised Code, will be deployed to assist in sustaining the academic program of excellence;

(R) The extent to which the proposal increases the likelihood that students will successfully complete their degree programs or certificate programs;

(S) The extent to which the proposal ensures that a student participating in the high quality academic program funded by the Ohio co-op/internship program is appropriately qualified and prepared to successfully transition into professions in Ohio's growing companies and industries.

Section 3333.74 | Private pledge required for program awards.
 

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, each award under the Ohio co-op/internship program shall require a pledge of private funds equal to the following:

(1) In the case of a program, initiative, or scholarships for undergraduate students, at least one hundred per cent of the money awarded;

(2) In the case of a program, initiative, or scholarships for graduate students, at least one hundred fifty per cent of the money awarded.

(B) The chancellor of higher education may waive the requirement of division (A) of this section if the chancellor finds that exceptional circumstances exist to do so, provided that the chancellor provides an explanation for the waiver to the controlling board.

(C) The chancellor shall endeavor to distribute awards in such a way that a wide range of disciplines is supported and that all regions of the state benefit from the economic development impact of the program.

Last updated August 2, 2023 at 2:16 PM

Section 3333.75 | Agreement governing use of program award.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall require each state institution of higher education that the controlling board approves to receive an award under the Ohio co-op/internship program to enter into an agreement governing the use of the award. The agreement shall contain terms the chancellor determines to be necessary, which shall include performance measures, reporting requirements, and an obligation to fulfill pledges of other institutional, public, or nonpublic resources for the proposal.

The chancellor may require a state institution of higher education that violates the terms of its agreement to repay the award plus interest at the rate required by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code to the chancellor.

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 enter into an agreement with the collaborating universities or colleges that permits awards to be received directly by the collaborating universities or colleges consistent with the terms of the program or initiative. In that case, the chancellor shall incorporate into the agreement terms consistent with the requirements of this section.

Section 3333.76 | Recruiting Ohio residents in out-of-state institutions.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall encourage state institutions of higher education, alone or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges, to submit proposals under the Ohio co-op/internship program for initiatives that recruit Ohio residents enrolled in colleges and universities in other states or other countries to return to Ohio and enroll in state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges as graduate students in a high quality academic program that uses a cooperative education program, a significant internship program in a private industry or institutional laboratory, or a similar model involving a variation of cooperative education or internship programs common to graduate education, and is in an educational area, industry, or industry sector of need.

The chancellor may encourage state institutions of higher education, alone or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges, to submit proposals for initiatives that recruit Ohio residents who have received baccalaureate degrees to remain in Ohio and enroll in state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges as graduate students in a high quality academic program of the type described in the preceding paragraph.

Section 3333.77 | Proposal preference to institution for future years.
 

When making an award under the Ohio co-op/internship program, the chancellor of higher education, subject to approval by the controlling board, may commit to giving a state institution of higher education's proposal preference for future awards after the current fiscal year or fiscal biennium. A proposal's eligibility for future awards remains conditional on all of the following:

(A) Future appropriations of the general assembly;

(B) The institution's adherence to the agreement entered into under section 3333.75 of the Revised Code, including its fulfillment of pledges of other institutional, public, or nonpublic resources;

(C) A demonstration that the students participating in the programs and initiatives or receiving scholarships financed by the awards are satisfied with the institutions selected by the chancellor to offer the programs, initiatives, or scholarships financed by the awards.

The chancellor and the controlling board shall not commit to awarding any proposal for a period that exceeds five fiscal years. However, when an award, or the commitment for an award, expires, a state institution of higher education may apply for a new award.

Section 3333.78 | Monitor of initiatives for which awards granted.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall monitor each initiative for which an award is granted under the Ohio co-op/internship program to ensure the following:

(A) Fiscal accountability, so that the award is used in accordance with the agreement entered into under section 3333.75 of the Revised Code;

(B) Operating progress, so that the initiative is managed to achieve the goals stated in the proposal and in the agreement, and so that problems may be promptly identified and remedied;

(C) Desired outcomes, so that the initiative contributes to the program's goal of retaining Ohio's students after graduation.

Section 3333.79 | Ohio co-op/internship program minority outreach.
 

(A) As used in this section, "minority" has the same meaning as in section 184.17 of the Revised Code. The term also includes an individual who is economically disadvantaged.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall conduct outreach activities in Ohio that seek to include minorities in the Ohio co-op/internship program established under section 3333.72 of the Revised Code. The outreach activities shall include the following, when appropriate:

(1) Identifying and partnering with historically black colleges and universities;

(2) Working with all institutions of higher education in the state to support minority faculty and students involved in cooperative and intern programs;

(3) Developing a plan to contact by telephone minorities and other economically disadvantaged individuals to notify them of opportunities to participate in the co-op/internship program;

(4) Identifying minority professional and trade associations and economic development assistance organizations and notifying them of the co-op/internship program;

(5) Partnering with regional technology councils to foster local efforts to support minority participation in the co-op/internship program.

(C) To the extent possible, outreach activities described in this section shall be conducted in conjunction with the EDGE program created in section 122.922 of the Revised Code.

Last updated October 4, 2021 at 1:35 PM

Section 3333.81 | Clearinghouse of computer-based courses definitions.
 

As used in sections 3333.81 to 3333.88 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Clearinghouse" means the clearinghouse established under section 3333.82 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Community school" means a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code.

(C) "Common statewide platform" means a software program that facilitates the delivery of courses via computers from multiple course providers to multiple end users, tracks the progress of the end user, and includes an integrated searchable database of standards-based course content.

(D) "Course provider" means a school district, community school, STEM school, state institution of higher education, private college or university, or nonprofit or for-profit private entity that creates or is an agent of the creator of original course content for a course offered through the clearinghouse.

(E) "Instructor" means an individual who holds a license issued by the state board of education, as defined in section 3319.31 of the Revised Code, or an individual employed as an instructor or professor by a state institution of higher education or a private college or university.

(F) "State institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(G) "STEM school" means a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code.

(H) A "student's community school" means the community school in which the student is enrolled instead of being enrolled in a school operated by a school district.

(I) A "student's school district" means the school district operating the school in which the student is lawfully enrolled.

(J) A "student's STEM school" means the STEM school in which the student is enrolled instead of being enrolled in a school operated by a school district.

(K) "School district" means a city, exempted village, local, or joint vocational school district.

(L) "Digital texts" has the same meaning as defined in section 3317.06 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.82 | Chancellor to establish clearinghouse of digital texts and distance learning courses.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall establish a clearinghouse of digital texts, interactive distance learning courses, and other distance learning courses delivered via a computer-based method offered by school districts, community schools, STEM schools, state institutions of higher education, private colleges and universities, and other nonprofit and for-profit course providers for sharing with other school districts, community schools, STEM schools, state institutions of higher education, private colleges and universities, and individuals for the fee set pursuant to section 3333.84 of the Revised Code. The chancellor shall not be responsible for the content of digital texts or courses offered through the clearinghouse; however, all such digital texts and courses shall be delivered only in accordance with technical specifications approved by the chancellor and on a common statewide platform administered by the chancellor. The chancellor may provide professional development and training on the use of the distance learning clearinghouse.

The clearinghouse's distance learning program for students in grades kindergarten to twelve shall be based on the following principles:

(1) All Ohio students shall have access to high quality digital texts and distance learning courses at any point in their educational careers.

(2) All students shall be able to customize their education using digital texts and distance learning courses offered through the clearinghouse and no student shall be denied access to any digital text or course in the clearinghouse in which the student is eligible to enroll.

(3) Students may take distance learning courses for all or any portion of their curriculum requirements and may utilize a combination of digital texts and distance learning courses and courses taught in a traditional classroom setting.

(4) Students may earn an unlimited number of academic credits through distance learning courses.

(5) Students may take distance learning courses at any time of the calendar year.

(6) Student advancement to higher coursework shall be based on a demonstration of subject area competency instead of completion of any particular number of hours of instruction.

(B) To offer digital texts or a course through the clearinghouse, a provider shall apply to the chancellor in a form and manner prescribed by the chancellor. The application for each digital text or course shall describe the digital text or course of study in as much detail as required by the chancellor, whether an instructor is provided, the qualification and credentials of the instructor, the number of hours of instruction, and any other information required by the chancellor. The chancellor may require course providers to include in their applications information recommended by the state board of education under former section 3353.30 of the Revised Code.

(C) The chancellor shall review the technical specifications of each application submitted under division (B) of this section. In reviewing applications, the chancellor may consult with the department of education and workforce; however, the responsibility to either approve or not approve a digital text or course for the clearinghouse belongs to the chancellor. The chancellor may request additional information from a provider that submits an application under division (B) of this section, if the chancellor determines that such information is necessary. The chancellor may negotiate changes in the proposal to offer a digital text or course, if the chancellor determines that changes are necessary in order to approve the digital text or course.

(D) The chancellor shall catalog each digital text or course approved for the clearinghouse, through a print or electronic medium, displaying the following:

(1) Information necessary for a student and the student's parent, guardian, or custodian and the student's school district, community school, STEM school, college, or university to decide whether to enroll in or subscribe to the course;

(2) Instructions for enrolling in that digital text or course, including deadlines for enrollment.

(E) Any expenses related to the installation of a course into the common statewide platform shall be borne by the course provider.

(F) The chancellor may contract with an entity to perform any or all of the chancellor's duties under sections 3333.81 to 3333.88 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:13 PM

Section 3333.83 | Enrollment in clearinghouse course - participation - withdrawal.
 

(A) Each school district, community school, and STEM school shall encourage students to take advantage of the distance learning opportunities offered through the clearinghouse and shall assist any student electing to participate in the clearinghouse with the selection and scheduling of courses that satisfy the district's or school's curriculum requirements and promote the student's post-secondary college or career plans.

(B) For each student enrolled in a school operated by a school district or in a community school or STEM school who is enrolling in a course provided through the clearinghouse by another school district, community school, or STEM school, the student's school district, community school, or STEM school shall transmit the student's name to the course provider.

The course provider may request from the student's school district, community school, or STEM school other information from the student's school record. The district or school shall provide the requested information only in accordance with section 3319.321 of the Revised Code.

(C) The student's school district, community school, or STEM school shall determine the manner in which and facilities at which the student shall participate in the course consistent with specifications for technology and connectivity adopted by the chancellor of higher education.

(D) A student may withdraw from a course prior to the end of the course only by a date and in a manner prescribed by the student's school district, community school, or STEM school.

(E) A student who is enrolled in a school operated by a school district or in a community school or STEM school and who takes a course through the clearinghouse shall be counted in the formula ADM of a school district under section 3317.03 of the Revised Code as if the student were taking the course from the student's school district, community school, or STEM school.

Section 3333.84 | Fees charged for texts or courses offered through clearinghouse.
 

(A) The fee charged for any digital text or course offered through the clearinghouse shall be set by the provider.

(B) The chancellor of higher education shall prescribe the manner in which the fee for a digital text or course shall be collected or deducted from the school district, school, college or university, or individual subscribing to the digital text or course and in which manner the fee shall be paid to the provider.

(C) The chancellor may retain a percentage of the fee charged for a digital text or course to offset the cost of maintaining and operating the clearinghouse, including the payment of compensation for an entity or a private entity that is under contract with the chancellor under division (F) of section 3333.82 of the Revised Code. The percentage retained shall be determined by the chancellor.

(D) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the school district, community school, or STEM school in which a student is enrolled to pay the fee charged for a digital text or course taken by the student.

Section 3333.85 | Assignment of course grade; credit.
 

(A) The grade for a student enrolled in a school operated by a school district or in a community school or STEM school for a course provided through the clearinghouse by another school district, community school, or STEM school shall be assigned by the course provider and shall be transmitted to the student's school district, community school, or STEM school.

(B) The district or school enrolling the student shall award the student credit for successful completion of the course. The credit awarded shall be equivalent to any credit that would be granted for successful completion of a similar course offered by the district or school.

(C) No district or school shall prohibit or otherwise limit any student's access to or participation in courses offered through the clearinghouse, or refuse to recognize such courses as fulfilling curriculum requirements, including the requirements for a high school diploma under section 3313.603 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.86 | Offering of course as dual enrollment program.
 

The chancellor of higher education may determine the manner in which a course included in the clearinghouse may be offered as an advanced standing program as defined in section 3313.6013 of the Revised Code, may be offered to students who are enrolled in nonpublic schools or are educated at home pursuant to section 3321.042 of the Revised Code, or may be offered at times outside the normal school day or school week, including any necessary additional fees and methods of payment for a course so offered.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:14 PM

Section 3333.87 | Clearinghouse implementation rules.
 

The chancellor of higher education and the department of education and workforce jointly shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code prescribing procedures for the implementation of sections 3333.81 to 3333.86 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:15 PM

Section 3333.88 | Alternative means for offering computer-based courses.
 

Nothing in sections 3333.81 to 3333.87 of the Revised Code, or in rules implementing those sections, shall prohibit a school district, community school, STEM school, or college or university from offering an interactive distance learning course or other distance learning course using a computer-based method through any means other than the clearinghouse established and maintained under those sections.

Section 3333.90 | Course and program sharing network.
 

(A) The chancellor of higher education shall establish a course and program sharing network that enables members of the university system of Ohio and adult career centers to share curricula for existing courses and academic programs with one another. The purpose of the network shall be to increase course availability across the state and to avoid unnecessary course duplication through the sharing of existing curricula.

(B) The chancellor shall adopt rules to administer the course and program sharing network established under this section.

(C) As used in this section, "member of the university system of Ohio" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Section 3333.91 | Plan for the adult basic and literacy education program.
 

The governor's office of workforce transformation, in collaboration with the chancellor of higher education, the director of education and workforce, and the department of job and family services, shall develop and submit to the appropriate federal agency a single, state unified plan required under the "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act," 29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq., which shall include the information required for the adult basic and literacy education program administered by the United States secretary of education and the "Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act," 20 U.S.C. 2301, et seq., as amended. Following the plan's initial submission to the appropriate federal agency, the governor's office of workforce transformation may update it as necessary. If the plan is updated, the governor's office of workforce transformation shall submit the updated plan to the appropriate federal agency.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:16 PM

Section 3333.92 | Participation in adult basic and literacy education; creation of account with OhioMeansJobs website.
 

(A) As used in this section, "OhioMeansJobs web site" has the same meaning as in section 6301.01 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) Each participant in an adult basic and literacy education funded training or education program shall create an account with the OhioMeansJobs web site at the twelfth week of the program.

(2) Each participant in an Ohio technical center funded training or education program shall create an account with the OhioMeansJobs web site at the time of enrollment in the program.

(C) Division (B) of this section does not apply to any individual who is legally prohibited from using a computer, has a physical or visual impairment that makes the individual unable to use a computer, or has a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand a language in which the OhioMeansJobs web site is available.

Section 3333.93 | Workforce-education partnership programs.
 

(A) As used in this section, "college or university" means both of the following:

(1) A state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(2) A private college as defined in section 3365.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A college or university and employers may establish a workforce-education partnership program to provide assistance to students to allow the students to graduate from the college or university with no student loan indebtedness. The chancellor of higher education shall create a template for a college or university and employers to use to establish a program. The chancellor shall consult with state and local workforce and economic development agencies to develop the template and include all of the following in the template:

(1) The process for an employer to participate in the program;

(2) A requirement that, to be eligible to participate in the program, a student be enrolled in a degree-granting program at a college or university on at least a half-time basis, as determined by the chancellor, and be a paid employee of an employer participating in the program;

(3) The process for an eligible student under division (B)(2) of this section to enroll in the program;

(4) Guidance for the college or university to designate a mentor to assist students within the college or university;

(5) Guidance for an employer to designate a mentor to assist students at the employer's workplace;

(6) Guidance for the college or university and employers to create a process to make a housing stipend available to students enrolled in the program;

(7) Guidance for the college or university and employers to make life management and professional skills training available to students enrolled in the program;

(8) A requirement that an employer establish an educational assistance program pursuant to section 127 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 26 U.S.C. 127 and provide tuition assistance for a student enrolled at the college or university while working for the employer, up to the maximum amount that the employer may exclude from the employer's gross income under that section;

(9) A requirement that the college or university work with students enrolled in the program to ensure that the students have applied for and are receiving the maximum amount of financial aid, in the form of scholarships and grants, that the students are eligible to receive to cover the student's costs to attend the college or university;

(10) A requirement that the college or university and employers seek out additional sources of funding to cover any remaining costs to attend the college or university that are not covered under divisions (B)(8) and (9) of this section for students enrolled in the program.

(C) The chancellor shall evaluate the effectiveness of the workforce-education partnership programs established under this section to determine whether additional training and employment programs may use the template created in division (B) of this section to establish a workforce-education partnership program.

Section 3333.94 | Inventory of credit and non-credit certificate programs and industry-recognized credentials; preferential funding.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "In-demand job" means a job that is determined to be in demand in this state and its regions under section 6301.11 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Ohio technical center" means a center that provides adult technical education services and is recognized by the chancellor of higher education.

(3) "State institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than January 1, 2018, the chancellor of higher education shall create an inventory of both credit and non-credit certificate programs and industry-recognized credentials offered at state institutions of higher education and Ohio technical centers that align with in-demand jobs in the state.

When awarding funds from the OhioMeansJobs workforce development revolving loan fund established under section 6301.14 of the Revised Code, the chancellor shall give preference to certificate programs that support adult learners and are included in the inventory.

Section 3333.95 | Efficiency advisory committee.
 

The chancellor of higher education shall maintain an efficiency advisory committee for the purpose of generating institutional efficiency reports for campuses, identifying shared services opportunities, streamlining administrative operations, and sharing best practices in efficiencies among public institutions of higher education. The committee shall meet at the call of the chancellor or the chancellor's designee. Each state institution of higher education shall designate an employee to serve as its efficiency officer responsible for the evaluation and improvement of operational efficiencies on campus. Each efficiency officer shall serve on the efficiency advisory committee.

By the thirty-first day of December of each year, the chancellor of higher education shall provide a report to the office of budget and management, the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives compiling efficiency reports from all public institutions of higher education. The report shall also be made available to the public on the department of higher education's web site.

Section 3333.951 | Higher education textbook study.
 

(A) As used in this section, "state institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each state institution of higher education that is co-located with another state institution of higher education annually shall review best practices and shared services in order to improve academic and other services and reduce costs for students. Each state institution shall report its findings to the efficiency advisory committee established under section 3333.95 of the Revised Code. The committee shall include the information reported under this section in the committee's annual report.

(C) Each state institution of higher education annually shall report to the efficiency advisory committee on its efforts to reduce textbook costs to students.

(D) Each state institution of higher education shall conduct a study to determine the current cost of textbooks for students enrolled in the institution, and shall submit the study to the chancellor of higher education annually by a date prescribed by the chancellor.

Section 3333.99 | Governing boards of state colleges and universities retain former powers and duties.
 

Except as expressly provided in Chapter 3333. nothing in such Chapter shall be construed to deprive the governing boards of the state colleges and universities of the duties and powers conferred upon them by law in the government of the institutions under their control.