Illinois Code § 65.30

§ 65.30.

Equal opportunity scholarships. (a) The Commission may annually award a number of scholarships to students who are interested in pursuing studies in educational administration. Such scholarships shall be issued to students who make application to the Commission and who agree to take courses at qualified institutions of higher learning that will allow them to complete a degree in educational administration. (b) Scholarships awarded under this Section shall be issued pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Commission; provided that no rule or regulation promulgated by the State Board of Education prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993 pursuant to the exercise of any right, power, duty, responsibility or matter of pending business transferred from the State Board of Education to the Commission under this Section shall be affected thereby, and all such rules and regulations shall become the rules and regulations of the Commission until modified or changed by the Commission in accordance with law. (c) Such scholarships shall be utilized for the payment of tuition and non-revenue bond fees at any qualified institution of higher learning. Such tuition and fees shall only be available for courses that will enable the student to complete training in educational administration. The Commission shall determine which courses are eligible for tuition payments under this Section. (d) The Commission may make tuition payments directly to the qualified institution of higher learning which the student attends for the courses prescribed or may make payments to the student. Any student who receives payments and who fails to enroll in the courses prescribed shall refund the payments to the Commission. (e) The Commission, with the cooperation of the State Board of Education, shall assist students who have participated in the scholarship program established by this Section in finding employment in positions relating to educational administration. (f) Appropriations for the scholarships outlined in this Section shall be made to the Commission from funds appropriated by the General Assembly. (g) This Section is substantially the same as Section 30-4d of the School Code, which Section is repealed by this amendatory Act of 1993, and shall be construed as a continuation of the equal opportunity scholarship program established under that prior law, and not as a new or different equal opportunity scholarship program. The State Board of Education shall transfer to the Commission, as the successor to the State Board of Education for all purposes of administering and implementing the provisions of this Section, all books, accounts, records, papers, documents, contracts, agreements, and pending business in any way relating to the equal opportunity scholarship program continued under this Section; and all scholarships at any time awarded under that program by, and all applications for any such scholarship at any time made to, the State Board of Education shall be unaffected by the transfer to the Commission of all responsibility for the administration and implementation of the equal opportunity scholarship program continued under this Section. The State Board of Education shall furnish to the Commission such other information as the Commission may request to assist it in administering this Section. (h) For purposes of this Section: (1) "Qualified institution of higher learning" means the University of Illinois; Southern Illinois University; Chicago State University; Eastern Illinois University; Governors State University; Illinois State University; Northeastern Illinois University; Northern Illinois University; Western Illinois University; the public community colleges of the State; any other public universities, colleges and community colleges now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly; and any Illinois privately operated, not for profit institution located in this State which provides at least an organized 2-year program of collegiate grade in liberal arts or sciences, or both, directly applicable toward the attainment of a baccalaureate or graduate degree. (2) "Racial minority" means a person who is any of the following: (1) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America, including Central America, and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment). (2) Asian (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited to, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam). (3) Black or African American (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa). (4) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race). (5) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands). (3) "Student" means a woman or racial minority. (Source: P.A. 102-465, eff. 1-1-22.)