Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
The National Need Graduate Fellowship Program (NNGFP) would promote high-quality, graduate-level teaching and research in areas of national need and encourage women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities to prepare for postsecondary academic careers in such fields in which they are, and have traditionally been, underrepresented.
The NNGFP continues the Department's efforts over the past four years to consolidate the existing graduate education programs (Javits, Harris, GAANN). The single program streamlines and simplifies program management for both grantees and the Department, while maintaining key elements of the previously existing graduate education programs.
National Need: The Secretary will designate areas of national need such as the arts, humanities, social sciences, life sciences and physical sciences. The Department will consult with the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Academy of Sciences and other appropriate agencies and organizations to determine national need. The determination of national need will be based on a systematic analysis that considers relevant statistics, the extent to which other Federal and non-Federal programs support postbaccalureate study in these areas, an assessment of how this program would achieve the most significant impact with available resources, and the extent to which women, individuals from minority groups, and individuals with disabilities are, and have traditionally been, underrepresented in such fields.
Underrepresented Populations: The Secretary would designate areas of national need in which women, individuals from minority groups, and individuals with disabilities are, and have traditionally been, underrepresented. Special consideration will be given to applicants that indicate strong past and continuing performance in serving populations traditionally underrepresented, including women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities, in such areas.
Academic and Research Careers: The Department will evaluate applications based on the applicant's previous experience in training students who obtain teaching and research positions at institutions of higher education.
Institutional-Based Awards: Grants will be awarded to institutions rather than individuals. Although this does not allow for portability, an institutional fellowship is a vehicle for strengthening institutional capacity. In addition, an institutional award will reduce the administrative burden on the institution and the Department.
Institutional match: There will be an institutional match based on the GAANN 25% model -- the grantee will provide from non-Federal funds, an amount equal to at least 25% of the amount of Federal funds received.
Duration of grants: Grants would provide for three years of support or until completion of the degree, whichever is less. Students must demonstrate academic progress to continue to receive fellowship funding. A 25% match from the institutions will ensure a faculty, departmental, and institutional commitment.
Supervised training: The academic department will be required to provide at least one year of supervised training in the instruction of students.
Maximum Stipend: The stipend for individuals will be set according to the NSF-stipend and will no longer be needs-based. The maximum institutional allowance will be a $10,000 1997-98 base adjusted annually for inflation as determined by the Department of Labor.
Continuation Grants: Budgeted funds will include a set-aside to fund continuation grants for prior awards under GAANN, Javits, and Harris prior to funding new awards. Those grants will be funded under the original terms of award.
Last updated: April 3, 2002 by [pss]
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