SF184 - Higher Education Policy Bill Summary

• Authorizes the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to match student enrollment and financial aid data for auditing and evaluating federal or state education programs.

• Modifies institution eligibility requirements for state student aid, requiring private institutions to participate in the federal Pell Grant program by July 1, 2010, or obtain disclosure forms; institutions losing Pell Grant eligibility become ineligible for state aid.

• Establishes first-come, first-served award procedures for Indian student scholarships and increases age requirement for senior citizen tuition benefits from 62 to 66 years old.

• Requires schools to refund tuition and fees within 30 days when contracts are deemed unenforceable and increases security requirements for institutions falling below federal financial standards.

• Creates pilot projects for surgical technologist training partnerships, local deposits of college reserves in community banks, and streamlines Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system office services to reduce expenditures.