20-26-611. Administration of scholarship program. (1) The commissioner of higher education, under the authority of the board and in consultation with the council, shall administer the governor's postsecondary scholarship program.
     (2) The board shall adopt procedures to implement the requirements of this part, including but not limited to:
     (a) procedures for obtaining lists from Montana accredited high schools, including accredited nonpublic high schools, of those high school seniors who are eligible to receive a governor's postsecondary scholarship;
     (b) when possible, procedures for obtaining lists of nontraditional students or recipients of general educational development equivalency diplomas in the current year;
     (c) procedures for an application process for at-large students;
     (d) procedures regarding the application process for eligible students to obtain a scholarship and regarding notification to students, parents, teachers, and school administrators of all criteria, procedures, and timelines for applying for the scholarships;
     (e) procedures for entering into cooperative agreements with Montana tribal community colleges;
     (f) procedures for the annual disbursement of money to postsecondary institutions and Montana private colleges to pay for scholarships awarded to eligible students.
     (3) The board shall develop procedures:
     (a) to transmit the payment for each scholarship to the financial officer of the postsecondary institution or the Montana private college;
     (b) to be used by the postsecondary institution or the Montana private college in certifying the eligibility status of each student who receives a scholarship.
     (4) Each postsecondary institution or Montana private college that receives scholarship payments shall prepare and submit to the board, by a date established by the board, a report that includes an audit of the postsecondary institution's or Montana private college's administration of the scholarships and a complete accounting of scholarship funds.
     (5) The board shall establish procedures:
     (a) to allow a student to transfer from one postsecondary institution to another without loss of the scholarship; and
     (b) to ensure compliance with 20-26-602(4) if a student transfers from a postsecondary institution to a Montana private college.
     (6) Funds from a scholarship may not be used to pay for remedial or college-preparatory course work.

     History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 489, L. 2005.