On Campus
A man arrested on campus was charged with driving with a suspended license and failure to appear on previous charges.
The city of Fayetteville is working towards creating a better transportation system.
The National Survey of Student Engagement is coming back to campus.
Graduation is just around the corner and it’s time to get ready with Graduate Salute at the bookstore.
In Northwest Arkansas
Protesters gathered around a controversial doctors office today.
Police are tracking a Fayetteville vandal.
Find out how you can take part in Olympic events right here in Northwest Arkansas.
Around the World
A NATO air strike mistakenly killed twenty-seven civilians in Afghanistan.
President Obama unveiled his plan to reform health care and hopes to revive the stalled legislation on the issue.
Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely at Kennedy Space Center after its two-week mission to the international space station.
Sports
The Diamond Hogs opened the season with a 2-1 series win over Ball State.
The 2010 Vancouver Olympic games continue this week. The United States currently leads the medal count with 24 total medals.
L.A. Dodgers outfielder said today that this would probably be his last year with the Dodgers.
More Information On The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery
When will the first lottery-funded scholarships be available?
The first lottery scholarships will be awarded to students entering Arkansas colleges and universities in the fall
of 2010.
How do you apply for a lottery-funded scholarship?
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) will administer the lottery-funded scholarships. ADHE plans to post a scholarship application form on its Web site, www.adhe.edu, on January 1. You may apply on-line, beginning in January 2010. If you have questions, we suggest you call ADHE financial aid at 1-800-54-STUDY. The lottery-funded scholarship will be known as the Arkansas Academic Challenge, and will replace the existing Academic Challenge scholarship program. More information is available at: http://www.adhe.edu/divisions/financialaid/Pages/fa_programs.aspx. Scroll down to Academic Challenge Scholarship and click on Arkansas Academic Challenge Overview.
Are students who graduate from both public and private high schools in Arkansas eligible for lottery-funded scholarships and can they use the scholarships at either public or private colleges or universities in the state?
Yes to both questions. Generally speaking, any student who graduates from an Arkansas high school, public or private, with a minimum 2.5 grade point average (on the Smart Core curriculum in public schools) or scores a 19 or higher on the ACT college entrance exam is eligible for a lottery-funded scholarship to any two-year or four-year institution of higher education in Arkansas, public or private.
Is there a way for students who didn’t complete college the first time around to go back to school on a lottery scholarship?
Yes, however, the eligibility rules for these non-traditional students are more complicated. They will be eligible for a lottery scholarship if they graduated from an Arkansas high school with a 2.5 grade-point average, or scored a 19 or higher on the ACT or equivalent college entrance exam, or completed at least 12 semester hours at a two-year or four-year college with a 2.5 grade-point average or higher. We hope a future legislative session will simplify these rules so we can encourage more non-traditional students to return to college to improve their job skills, heighten their job training or work toward a degree.
How much money will be generated for scholarships?
We project the Scholarship Lottery will produce $100 million in net proceeds for college scholarships, based on the lottery experience of the five lottery states that border Arkansas. We hope this forecast turns out to be low.
How big will the scholarships be?
We believe the Scholarship Lottery will produce sufficient revenue to fund a $5,000 annual scholarship for students in four-year colleges and a $2,500 annual scholarship for students in two-year colleges. The state legislature has set a sliding scale, dependent on projected lottery sales, that funds scholarships at between $1,250 and $3,000 for students in two-year colleges and 2,500 and $6,000 for students in four-year colleges. What we know for certain is that the Scholarship Lottery proceeds will be new financial aid for college. We believe the lottery will triple the amount of existing scholarship funding provided by the state.
What percentage of lottery sales will be set aside for prizes and what percentage for scholarships?
In the 42 states that currently operate lotteries, 50 to 60 percent of ticket sales are returned to buyers as prizes and 25 to 30 percent are net proceeds used to fund public programs. Another 5 to 7 percent go to the retailers who sell lottery tickets as commissions, leaving about 3 to 5 percent for administrative costs.
What assurances do we have that lottery-funded scholarships won’t simply replace state scholarship funding that is already available?
The constitutional amendment authorizing the Scholarship Lottery that Arkansas voters approved in November 2008 specifically states that lottery-generated scholarship proceeds must be added on top of existing state scholarship funding. If a future legislature attempts to cut scholarship funding available from sources other than the state lottery that would be grounds for a lawsuit by any Arkansas citizen.
Are the lottery-funded scholarships limited to incoming college freshmen?
No. Lottery scholarships are available to other undergraduate students including students who are close to completing their two-year or four-year degree, currently enrolled college students, and students returning to college. The exact process for qualifying for these scholarships is being developed by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Are there family income restrictions for students applying for scholarships?
There are no income limits for the Academic Challenge, which is the mainline lottery-funded scholarship. All Arkansas students who achieve the required grade-point average or college entrance-exam score will be eligible for the Academic Challenge, regardless of family income.
Will Arkansans who go to college part time qualify for a scholarship?
Yes, if the students are enrolled in at least 6 credit hours per semester.
Are home-schooled students eligible for lottery-funded scholarships?
Yes. If home-school students score a 19 or higher on the ACT or an equivalent college entrance exam they would be eligible.
Will there be a family maximum for scholarship aid?
There is no family maximum. Any member of an Arkansas family who meets the academic requirements is eligible for the full scholarship to either a two-year or four-year college or university in Arkansas.
Why limit the scholarship to students attending colleges in Arkansas?
The hope is that students who earn their degrees at Arkansas colleges will remain in Arkansas to live and work. We want to build up the knowledge base in Arkansas. Business and industry gravitate to states that have well-educated and highly trained work force. Students who go to college outside Arkansas are less likely to return to their home state after earning their degree.
Can students receive a lottery scholarship if they also receive other scholarships or grants, such as the G.I. Bill benefits?
Yes, lottery scholarships can be “stacked” with other scholarships and grants as long as the total of the awards doesn’t exceed the cost of college attendance. Students are not allowed to make money off their financial aid package.
Will the lottery scholarships be renewed from one year to the next?
Yes, as long as the students maintain a 2.5 grade-point-average or higher.
So students keep their lottery scholarship if they transfer to another college?
Yes, the scholarships will follow the students if they transfer to another approved institution of higher education in Arkansas. If a student with a lottery scholarship transfers from a four-year college to a two-year college, the scholarship would be reduced to the size of a two-year award. The scholarship for a full-time student enrolled in two-year approved institution of higher education is one-half of the scholarship for a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year approved institution of higher education.
Will illegal immigrants be eligible for scholarships?
No, the constitutional amendment authorizing the Scholarship Lottery restricts the awards to Arkansas citizens.
Will the size of the scholarship be based on a student’s grade point average or test scores?
The size of the lottery scholarships will be the same for any student who achieves a minimum 2.5 grade point average or scores at least a 19 on the ACT or equivalent college entrance exam. There are other state-funded scholarships that provide scholarships based on higher academic achievement.
Why are lottery proceeds limited to college scholarships when so many other programs need funding, such as health care, economic development and roads?
The Scholarship Lottery focuses on making a significant impact on one readily identifiable need, which is higher education. It’s important that all Arkansans can be sure that net lottery proceeds will be used only for college scholarships for Arkansas citizens to go to Arkansas colleges and universities.
Will scholarships be available to students who enroll in a religious institution?
The scholarships follow the student. Any student admitted to an accredited institution of higher education, public or private, will be eligible for a scholarship.
Will the lottery-funded scholarships be available for students in graduate school or doctoral programs?
Initially, the Scholarship Lottery program focuses on students seeking undergraduate degrees at two-year or four-year colleges and universities in Arkansas. Over time, if the lottery produces sufficient revenue, the scholarship program could be expanded in a future legislative session to cover graduate students and doctoral students enrolled in Arkansas colleges and universities.
If a student who receives a lottery-funded scholarship has to suspend his studies for medical reasons, will his scholarship be renewed when he returns to college?
Yes, as long as the leave of absence is approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. Examples of an approved leave of absence, as defined in the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Act, include:
* A medical condition of the student or a member of the student’s immediate family;
* A personal or family emergency;
* Military service;
* A commitment for 12 months or more for community, national, or global humanitarian service; or
*Any other reason approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Source: http://ltgovernor.arkansas.gov