§ 1501.2 Regulations that apply to the Support for Improvement of Postsecondary Education Program.

(a) Regulations. The following regulations apply to the Support for Improvement of Postsecondary Education Program:

(1) The Education Division General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 45 CFR Part 100a (Direct Grant Programs) and Part 100c (Definitions).

(2) The regulations in this Part 1501. (b) Exceptions to EDGAR. The following regulations in EDGAR do not apply to this program:

(1) 45 CFR 100a.201(a) (How to use unweighted selection criteria).

(2) 45 CFR 100a.217(a)(2) (Requiring three or more persons to review applications).

(c) How to use regulations; how to apply for funds. The "Introduction to Regulations of the Education Division" at the beginning of EDGAR includes general information to assist in

(1) Using regulations that apply to Education Division programs; and

(2) Applying for assistance under an Education Division program.

(20 U.S.C. 1221e-3(a)(1))
[45 FR 22546, Apr. 3, 1980]

As used in this part

"Combination of institutions of postsecondary education" means a group of institutions of postsecondary education that have entered into a cooperative arrangement for the purpose of carrying out a common objective, or a public or private nonprofit agency, organization, or institution designated or created by a group of institutions of postsecondary education for the purpose of carrying out a common objective on their behalf.

"Fund" means the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the unit within the Department of Education which administers the program covered by this part.

"Institution of postsecondary education” means an educational institution which admits as regular students only persons who have completed or left elementary or secondary school.

"Local government” means a local unit of government including specifically a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority. special district, intrastate district, council of governments, sponsor group representative organization, and other regional or interstate government entity, or any agency or instrumentality of a local government, exclusive of institutions of postsecondary education and hospitals.

"Other educational institution or agency" means an entity which (1) has engaged in activities involving education prior to submitting an application to the Fund, or (2) has jurisdiction over educational matters pursuant to state or local law.

§ 1501.7 Criteria for evaluating applications.

(a) A request for funds for the continuation of a project begun in a prior fiscal year and containing an approved multi-year work plan will be given priority over an application for the initiation of a new project. Requests for continuation awards will be approved only if (1) satisfactory progress, as indicated by site visits, progress reports and other relevant data, has been made in implementing the approved work program; (2) the project, in conformity with the funding criteria against which the original proposal was evaluated, is achieving the approved goals and objectives; and (3) the project has been successful, and

continues to offer promise of success, in terms of its relationship to the general goals of the Fund.

(b) An application or (in the case of the comprehensive program) a preapplication for initial assistance under this part shall be evaluated in terms of the extent to which the proposal therein:

(1) Has the potential for advancing one or more of the following general goals of the Fund:

(i) To increase the cost-effectiveness of educational services;

(ii) To achieve far-reaching improvements in postsecondary education;

(iii) To promote learner-centered improvements in postsecondary education;

(2) Represents an improvement upon, or significant departure from, existing practice;

(3) Involves processes, features, or products applicable in other postsecondary educational settings;

(4) Meets the following operational standards:

(i) Is feasible and has sound project design, including budget and evaluation plans;

(ii) Has the potential for having available financial resources for continuation beyond the period of Fund support, unless the project is self-terminating;

(iii) Gives evidence of commitment to the project, such as financial contributions, on the part of the applicant institution and any other institutions or organizations to be involved in the project;

(5) Is unlikely to be supported by other sources; and

(6) Meets one or more of the objectives of the Comprehensive Program set forth in § 1501.8.

(20 U.S.C. 1221d)

[40 FR 12266, Mar. 18, 1975, as amended at 41 FR 8791, Mar. 1, 1976]

§ 1501.8 Comprehensive Program objectives.

(a) The Comprehensive Program supports a wide range of projects which seek to improve postsecondary educational opportunities. Under this program, the Fund particularly seeks preapplications and applications

which address one or more of the following objectives:

(1) Increased availability of high quality programs for all postsecondary students: Developing educational programs and services which allow currently enrolled students from groups which previously have been excluded from postsecondary educational participation to complete their educational goals;

(2) Expansion of professional education and employment for women and minorities: Increasing access to postsecondary educational institutions at the graduate level and increasing employment opportunities within postsecondary educational institutions for these populations;

(3) Expanding learning opportunities for the full-time worker: Developing new educational programs and services for workers;

(4) Increased use of active modes of learning: Using educational processes such as internships, self-directed learning, group learning, and interactive electronic technologies, which allow learners to take greater responsibility for their own learning;

(5) Greater focus on knowledge and abilities: Developing new or redefined curricular content and educational subject matter; and

(6) Improved leadership for new eduIcational circumstances: Encouraging efforts to renew and implement the educational missions of individual institutions or systems of institutions and to improve the management of postsecondary educational institu

tions.

(b) Preapplications and applications which do not focus on the objectives set forth in paragraph (a) of this section are also eligible for support under the Comprehensive Program if they address significant problems in postsecondary education.

(20 U.S.C. 1221d)

[45 FR 26706, Apr. 21, 1980]

§ 1501.9 Targeted competitions.

The Fund may also conduct one or more targeted competitions. A targeted competition may focus on one or several problems or improvement approaches in postsecondary education.

The targeted competitions may include, for example:

(a) Special Focus competitions, in which the Fund supports projects addressing a particular problem area;

(b) National Project competitions, in which the Fund supports a number of projects addressing a particular problem area and, in some cases, using similar approaches. Recipients must collaborate with other National Project recipients to disseminate results;

(c) Network competitions, in which the Fund supports projects that bring together practitioners in a specific area of concern in a continuing association to improve practice in that area;

or

(d) Dissemination competitions, in which the Fund supports efforts by grantees to disseminate project ideas and results. Applicants in these competitions are limited to grantees whose projects are in the final year of funding.

(20 U.S.C. 1221d)

[45 FR 26706, Apr. 21, 1980]

§ 1501.10 Application procedures. (a) (b) [Reserved]

(c) A preapplication must contain the following information:

(1) A statement of the problem being addressed;

(2) A description of the specific criteria by which the success or failure of the project could be determined;

(3) A description of how the objectives are to be accomplished;

(4) A statement of the potential long-range outcomes of the project; and

(5) A statement of the estimated budget range and the nature and amount of major anticipated expenditures.

(d) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, an application submitted under the Comprehensive Program must contain the following information, in the format to be selected by the applicant:

(1) A diagnosis of the problem addressed, including a description of the problem and, as applicable, a discussion of pertinent empirical data and past attempts to deal with the problem.

(2) A description of the proposed project, including: Its methodology; qualifications of the persons who would conduct it; its short-term and long-term objectives; its specific allocation of available funds in the form of a budget; and the resources (facilities, equipment, and supplies) that the applicant plans to devote to the project.

(3) Evidence of commitment, including an indication of (i) the nature and extent of involvement in the project on the part of the applicant institution and any other institutions or organizations to be involved in the project, and (ii), unless the project is selfterminating, expected sources of financial support after the period of Fund support has elapsed.

(e)-(g) [Reserved]

(h) No application for assistance under this part to an institution of postsecondary education shall be approved until the Fund has submitted it to the State postsecondary education commission, if there is one, established or designated pursuant to section 1202 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in the State in which the institution is located and afforded the commission an opportunity to submit its comments and recommendations as to the application to the Fund.

(20 U.S.C. 1221d; OMB Circular No. A-102, Attachment M)

[40 FR 12266, Mar. 18. 1975, as amended at 41 FR 8791, Mar. 1, 1976; 45 FR 22547, Apr. 3, 1980; 45 FR 26706, Apr. 21, 1980]