Article 6. California State University Educational Opportunity Program of California Education Code >> Division 8. >> Title 3. >> Part 55. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 6.

This article shall be known as the California State University Educational Opportunity Act.

There is a state student assistance program known as the State University Educational Opportunity Program. It is the purpose of the program to provide educational assistance and grants for undergraduate study at the California State University to students who are economically disadvantaged or educationally and economically disadvantaged, but who display potential for success in accredited curricula offered by the California State University. For the purposes of this chapter, the following applies:
  (a) "Educational agency" means an agency, other than a federal agency, which is supported in whole or in part by funds appropriated for educational purposes.
  (b) "State agency" means every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission.
  (c) "Trustees" means the Trustees of the California State University.
  (d) The residence of a recipient shall be determined in accordance with the rules for determining residence prescribed by Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 68000) of Part 41 and Article 1 (commencing with Section 89700) of Chapter 6 of Part 52.

California State University Educational Opportunity Program grants may be awarded to persons selected for enrollment in programs authorized by the trustees according to the procedures established by the trustees. A person selected for a grant shall be a resident of this state, shall be a high school graduate or have, pursuant to the procedures, equivalent qualifications, and shall have been nominated by his or her high school or community college, the Veterans Administration, a state agency or educational agency designated by the trustees, or a state university president. The trustees shall determine eligibility for grants awarded pursuant to this article. The grants may be granted and renewed according to standards set by the trustees until the student has received a baccalaureate degree or has completed five academic years, whichever occurs first. In special circumstances, as in the case of illness, military service, or family hardship, the trustees may renew the grant beyond the fifth year of study, provided the student has not received a baccalaureate degree. When the recipient is an enrollee in a special educational opportunity program approved by the trustees, for the purposes of this article, the state university sponsoring the program shall receive from the trustees reimbursement of up to sixty dollars ($60) per month per enrollee up to 12 months' support.

Grants shall be provided for students who display potential for success in accredited curricula offered by the California State University, but lack the necessary funds to pay for tuition, books, and room and board, provided the students meet the standards of the state university that they are attending or the requirements for the special admissions program established by the trustees.

Grants awarded pursuant to this article shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the costs of a student, during his or her course of study, for tuition, books, and room and board in accordance with his or her needs as shall be determined by the trustees. No student shall be awarded a grant in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per academic year. The trustees shall require that each applicant for a grant pursuant to this chapter also make prior or concurrent application for a federal basic educational opportunity grant, unless the trustees are satisfied that the applicant is not eligible for that federal grant.

The amount of the grant awarded pursuant to Section 89254 may be increased above the maximum amount specified in that section to the extent that the Legislature expressly makes funds available for purposes of this section in the budget for that fiscal year.

Each high school or community college in this state may nominate to the trustees students it deems deserving of the grants made available under this article. The trustees shall compile a list of students so nominated from which it may select students for grants in accordance with standards set by the trustees pursuant to this article. The Veterans Administration, any state agency, or educational agency designated by the trustees, or any president of a California State University may nominate persons whom they deem eligible for the grants.

Records of the academic progress of each student attending a campus of the California State University under a grant shall be kept by each campus of the California State University having a program and forwarded to the trustees in order that the program created by this article may be evaluated.

Each campus of the California State University may submit plans for a special educational opportunity program for approval by the trustees. Each program qualifying shall be authorized a program director and may be authorized as many special qualified counselors and advisers and the related operating and equipment support as is appropriate.