The chancellor of higher education shall establish a competitive process for making awards under the choose Ohio first scholarship program and the Ohio research scholars program. The chancellor, on completion of that process, shall make a recommendation to the controlling board asking for approval of each award selected by the chancellor.

Any state university or college may apply for one or more awards under one or both programs. The state university or college shall submit a proposal and other documentation required by the chancellor, in the form and manner prescribed by the chancellor, for each award it seeks. A proposal may propose an initiative to be implemented solely by the state university or college or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education, nonpublic Ohio universities or colleges, or other public or nonpublic Ohio entities. A single proposal may seek an award under one or both programs.

The chancellor shall determine which proposals will receive awards each fiscal year, and the amount of each award, on the basis of the merit of each proposal, which the chancellor, subject to approval by the controlling board, shall determine based on one or more of the following criteria:

(A) The quality of the program that is the subject of the proposal and the extent to which additional resources will enhance its quality;

(B) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with the strengths of the regional economy;

(C) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with centers of research excellence within the private sector;

(D) The amount of other institutional, public, or private resources, whether monetary or nonmonetary, that the proposal pledges to leverage;

(E) The extent to which the proposal is collaborative with other public or nonpublic Ohio institutions of higher education;

(F) The extent to which the proposal is integrated with the university's or college's mission and does not displace existing resources already committed to the mission;

(G) The extent to which the proposal facilitates a more efficient utilization of existing faculty and programs;

(H) The extent to which the proposal meets a statewide educational need;

(I) The demonstrated productivity or future capacity of the students or scientists to be recruited;

(J) The extent to which the proposal will create additional capacity in educational or economic areas of need;

(K) The extent to which the proposal will encourage students who received degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine from two-year institutions to transfer to state universities or colleges to pursue baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine;

(L) The extent to which the proposal encourages students enrolled in state universities to transfer into science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine programs;

(M) The extent to which the proposal facilitates the completion of a baccalaureate degree in a cost-effective manner, for example, by facilitating students' completing two years at a two-year institution and two years at a state university or college;

(N) The extent to which the proposal allows attendance at a state university or college of students who otherwise could not afford to attend;

(O) The extent to which other institutional, public, or private resources pledged to the proposal will be deployed to assist in sustaining students' scholarships over their academic careers;

(P) The extent to which the proposal increases the likelihood that students will successfully complete their degree programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine or in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medical education;

(Q) The extent to which the proposal ensures that a student who is awarded a scholarship is appropriately qualified and prepared to successfully complete a degree program in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine or in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medical education;

(R) The extent to which the proposal will increase the number of women participating in the choose Ohio first scholarship program;

(S) The extent to which the proposal encourages students to complete a certificate program at a state university or college.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 7/17/2009.

Effective Date: 2007 HB119 06-30-2007