To assure that your Rules remain current, please record this document on your Bulletin index and retain it with your manual.

The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, through emergency rule, will now allow TOPS Tech, Opportunity, Performance and Honor awardees who enroll in occupational and technical programs to continue to enroll in an occupational or technical program after earning a certificate, diploma or nonacademic degree, up to their maximum entitlement provided by statute.

Prior to this revision, TOPS Tech awardees were not renewed once they had earned a certificate, diploma or non-academic degree, even if the time to complete that program was less than the two academic years allowed for the award. Also, TOPS Opportunity, Performance and Honors awardees were limited to two years in a technical program of study, and could only use the remaining eligibility if enrolled in an academic program.

Under the revised rule, TOPS will pay for up to two full years while enrolled in technical programs of study, as long as the student meets all satisfactory academic and continuous enrollment requirements. Also, it will allow for TOPS Opportunity, Performance and Honors awardees to receive funding beyond two years in technical and non-academic programs.

This amendment is retroactive to the 2004-2005 academic year. The full compilation of the TOPS rules, with all changes incorporated to date, may be viewed on our web site at www.osfa.state.la.us. The revisions, with inserted text underlined and stricken text lined through, follow:

DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY

Student Financial Assistance Commission
Office of Student Financial Assistance

Scholarship/Grant Programs - Maintaining Eligibility
(LAC 28:IV.705, 805)

The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC) is exercising the emergency provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act [R.S. 49:953(B)] to amend and re-promulgate the rules of the Scholarship/Grant programs (R.S. 17:3021-3025, R.S. 3041.10-3041.15, and R.S. 17:3042.1.1-3042.8, R.S. 17:3048.1, R.S. 56:797.D(2)).

The emergency rules are necessary to implement changes to the Scholarship/Grant programs to allow the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance and state educational institutions to effectively administer these programs. A delay in promulgating rules would have an adverse impact on the financial welfare of the eligible students and the financial condition of their families resulting in students being unable to attend college and thereby depriving these students of a postsecondary education and weakening the state's workforce. LASFAC has determined that these emergency rules are necessary to prevent imminent financial peril to the welfare of the affected students.

This declaration of emergency is effective August 11, 2005, and shall remain in effect for the maximum period allowed under the Administrative Procedure Act. (SG0664E)

Title 28
EDUCATION
Part IV. Student Financial Assistance- Higher
Education Scholarship and Grant Programs

Chapter 7. Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Opportunity; Performance and Honors Awards

...

§705. Maintaining Eligibility

* * *

A.1 – 8. …

   9. has not enrolled in a program for a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma or a non-academic undergraduate degree after having received a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma, or a non-academic undergraduate degree; and

   10.9. through the 2003-2004 Academic Year (College), has not been enrolled in a program for a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma or a non-academic undergraduate degree for more than two years.

B. – D. …

* * *

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:3021-3025, and R.S. 17:3048.1.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Adopted by the Student Financial Assistance Commission, Office of Student Financial Assistance LR 17: 959 (October 1991), amended LR 22:338 (May 1996), LR 23:1648. Promulgated LR 24:637 (April 1998), amended LR 24:1904 (October 1998), LR 25:257 (February 1999); LR 25:656 (April 1999), LR 25:1091 (June 1999), LR 26:67 (January 2000), LR 26:688 (April 2000), LR 26, 1996, 2001 (September 2000), LR 27:1853 (November 2001), LR 28:447 (March 2002), LR 28:772 (April 2002), LR 28:2332 (November 2002), LR 29:2373 (November 2003), LR 30:781 (April 2004), LR 30:1163 (June 2004), LR 30:2019 (September 2004).

Chapter 8. TOPS-TECH Award

§801. General Provisions

§805. Maintaining Eligibility

A.1. – 5. …

   6. has not received a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma, or a non-academic undergraduate degree, or a baccalaureate degree; and

   7.6. has maintained Steady Academic Progress as defined in §301; and

   8.7. maintain, by the end of the spring term, a cumulative college grade point average of at least 2.50 on a 4.00 maximum scale; and

   9.8. earn a total of at least 24 college credit hours as determined by totaling the earned hours reported by the institution for each semester or term in the Program Year (Non-Academic Program). Unless granted an exception for cause by LASFAC, failure to earn the required number of hours will result in permanent cancellation of the recipient’s eligibility.

B. – C. …

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:3021-3025 and R.S. 17:3048.1.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Student Financial Assistance Commission, Office of Student Financial Assistance, LR 24:1905 (October 1998) LR 25:1091 (June 1999), LR 26:68 (January 2000), LR 26:689 (April 2000), LR 26:1997, 2002 (September 2000), LR 27:1856 (November 2001), LR 28:774 (April 2002), LR 28:2332 (November 2002), LR 29:880 (June 2003), LR 29:2373 (November 2003), LR 30:781 (April 2004), LR 30:1165 (June 2004), LR 30:2019 (September 2004).

George Badge Eldredge
General Counsel