§1161g Patsy T. Mink Fellowship Program

Summary

Creates a fellowship program that gives grants to colleges and university departments to support highly qualified women and minorities working toward a doctorate or the highest degree their program offers. Students who get these awards are called "Patsy T. Mink Graduate Fellows." Eligible schools or groups of schools that run graduate programs can apply for money. The Education Secretary gives priority to schools that have a record of producing minority and women Ph.D.s, and will try to spread grants fairly across regions and between public and private schools. At least 30 percent of the funds should go, when possible, to institutions eligible under certain federal assistance rules. A school that gets a grant must plan to give at least ten fellowships (unless there is not enough money to do that). Schools can work with nonprofits on their applications. Fellowships go to minority students and women enrolled full time in doctoral or highest-degree programs who plan to teach in higher education. Recipients must agree to start teaching at a college or university within three years after finishing their degree (that deadline can be extended for unusual circumstances) and to work one year for each year of fellowship support. If a recipient breaks this promise, the total fellowship amount becomes a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan with interest from the award date and must be repaid under rules set by the Secretary. The Secretary will allow waivers for extreme hardship or permanent total disability. Each fellowship includes a stipend equal to the level given by the National Science Foundation’s graduate fellowship program, but adjusted so it does not exceed the student’s tuition and fees or the student’s demonstrated need, whichever is greater. Schools also get an institutional allowance per fellow (set at the same level as the allowance under section 1135d for 2009–2010 and later), which can be used for academic support and career-transition services but not for general department or institutional overhead; this allowance is reduced by any tuition the school charges the fellow. Funds were authorized as needed for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years. Schools are not required to favor or hire program graduates.