§ 667-c. Part-time tuition assistance program awards. 1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the president of the higher education services corporation is authorized to make tuition assistance program awards to part-time students enrolled at the state university, a community college, the city university of New York, and a non-profit college or university incorporated by the regents or by the legislature who meet all requirements for tuition assistance program awards except for the students' part-time attendance.

2. For purposes of this section, a part-time student is one who:

a. enrolled as a first-time freshman during the two thousand six--two thousand seven academic year or thereafter at a college or university within the state university, including a statutory or contract college, a community college established pursuant to article one hundred twenty-six of this chapter, the city university of New York, or a non-profit college or university incorporated by the regents or by the legislature;

b. has earned at least twelve credits in each of two consecutive semesters at one of the institutions named in paragraph a of this subdivision by the time of the awards;

c. is enrolled for at least six but less than twelve semester hours, or the equivalent, per semester in an approved undergraduate degree program; and

d. has a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00.

3. a. For part-time students defined in this section, the award shall be calculated as provided in section six hundred sixty-seven of this article and shall be in an amount equal to the enrollment factor percent of the award the student would have been eligible for if the student were enrolled full-time. The enrollment factor percent is the percentage obtained by dividing the number of credits the student is enrolled in, as certified by the school, by the number of credits required for full-time study in the semester, quarter or term as defined by the commissioner.

b. Any semester, quarter or term of attendance during which a student receives an award pursuant to this section shall be counted as the enrollment factor percent of a semester, quarter or term toward the maximum term of eligibility for tuition assistance awards pursuant to section six hundred sixty-seven of this article. The total period of study for which payment may be made shall not exceed the equivalent of the maximum period authorized for that award.