23-38.53:18 - Amount of scholarships; contract terms and conditions; repayment of scholarship through employment ...
§ 23-38.53:18. Amount of scholarships; contract terms and conditions;repayment of scholarship through employment in an occupational area wherethere is high demand for workers in the Commonwealth.
A. An eligible student may participate in AVIP for up to ten semesters, ortheir equivalent, whether or not consecutive, and may be awarded ascholarship of up to $3,000 per academic year by the Council, not to exceed amaximum of $12,000, to be used for tuition, books, or fees. No student shallparticipate in AVIP more than seven years after beginning such participation.
B. Before an AVIP scholarship is awarded, a student shall sign a writtencontract under the terms of which he agrees to be employed in a qualifiedjob, as designated by the Council pursuant to § 23-38.53:16. Such employmentshall begin within one calendar year after the student's graduation from aneligible institution and continue thereafter until he has been continuouslyemployed in a qualified job for a period of years equal in number to theyears that he has been or shall be a beneficiary of an AVIP scholarship. Theemployment qualifying as repayment of an AVIP scholarship shall be approvedby the Council on a yearly basis, with each year of approved employmentqualifying the student for repayment of one year's AVIP scholarship.
C. The contract shall provide that if the student fails to comply with theprovisions thereof, he shall repay all amounts received by him as abeneficiary of an AVIP scholarship with interest, such repayment to be uponsuch terms and conditions as may be determined by the Council. Such contractshall contain such other provisions as may be necessary, convenient, ordesirable in the opinion of the Council to accomplish the purposes of thischapter.
D. As further evidence of the student's promise to make repayment by fillinga qualified job, he shall, as to each AVIP scholarship awarded to him and atthe time such scholarship is awarded, be required to execute and deliver tothe Council a note in a principal sum equal to the amount of such scholarshipwith interest and penalties, if any, to be determined by the Council. Thenote shall be accepted by the Council upon the condition that such note, andany other similar notes so given, shall be cancelled by the Council upon thebasis of one note for each year in which the student shall be continuouslyemployed in a qualified job. No student shall be permitted to plead thestatute of limitations or interpose a plea of infancy in the event of anaction being brought against him on any such note.
E. As part of its regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter,the Council shall specify repayment procedures in the event a student failsor refuses to maintain eligibility for AVIP during the scholarship year or tofulfill the terms and conditions of his contract with the Council.
(2000, c. 765; 2001, c. 765; 2004, c. 872.)