{"64938":{"#nid":"64938","#data":{"type":"news","title":"House, Senate Agree on HOPE Reform","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReform to the HOPE Scholarship\nprogram is only a signature away from law following passage by the Senate and\nagreement by the House last week.\u0026nbsp; The\nlegislation marks the most dramatic rework of the program, one of the nation\u0027s\nmost generous merit-based scholarships, since its creation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing the introduction of the\nplan by Governor Deal nearly three weeks ago, House and Senate leaders made\nsmall but significant edits to the legislation in response to public\ninput.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn its original form, the proposal called\nfor college students to maintain a 3.5 GPA in order to continue receiving a\nZell Miller Scholarship, worth 100% of tuition.\u0026nbsp;\nAfter reviewing GPA information provided by the USG and hearing from\nstudent leaders, including Tech Student Body President Corey Boone, House\nlegislators lowered the requirement to a 3.3 GPA.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Senate also approved several\namendments, all of which were agreed to by the House.\u0026nbsp; Among them is a provision that allows high\nschool valedictorians and salutatorians to be automatically eligible for a Zell\nMiller Scholarship regardless of their GPA and SAT\/ACT score.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThough a formal \u201cgrandfather\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; clause\u0022 that would prevent changes for\ncurrent students was not included, there is thought to be inherent protection\nincluded for next academic year\u2019s juniors and seniors.\u0026nbsp; As the last two classes on the now defunct\n\u201cFixed for Four\u201d program, their tuition rates (which are fixed from the year of\nmatriculation) will be less than the 90% HOPE award amount based on FY11\ntuition rates. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EProtests by students and other\nadvocates pushing for protection of the status quo and provisions like the\ngrandfather clause dominated the capitol during much of the week.\u0026nbsp; However, the tone of Georgia Tech\u2019s students\nwas largely more controlled and well-received.\u0026nbsp;\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe commend the Georgia Tech Student\nGovernment Association for its respectful and meaningful engagement in the\nGeneral Assembly\u2019s discussions of the HOPE Scholarship,\u201d noted Dene Sheheane,\nExecutive Director of Government and Community Relations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudent Body President Corey Boone\nand his fellow student leaders provided valuable student voices that truly\nhelped shape the legislation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHB326 now awaits the\ngovernor\u2019s signature.\u0026nbsp; The reforms will\nthen officially take effect for Fall 2011.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Eligibility and maintenance requirements tweaked; Bill goes back to Governor Deal for signature"}],"uid":"27331","created_gmt":"2011-03-14 10:33:06","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:22","author":"George Ray","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-03-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"47398","name":"GCR (Office of Government and Community Relations)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"7784","name":"Georgia General Assembly"},{"id":"8300","name":"Georgia Tech Office of Government and Community Relations"},{"id":"1410","name":"HOPE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge Ray\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGCR Associate\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:george.ray@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Egeorge.ray@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["george.ray@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}