§2053.  Payments to independent institutions of higher learning for educating Louisiana residents

A.  The Board of Regents shall semiannually, in January and June of each year, upon application therefor, reimburse nonpublic institutions of higher education located within the state for educating Louisiana residents.  Such payments shall be made only from funds appropriated solely for this purpose.  The Board of Regents shall report to the legislature annually the eligible institutions, the number of Louisiana residents enrolled, and the total amount paid to each institution hereunder.

B.  Payments to such eligible institutions for each semester completed by a Louisiana resident who is a full-time undergraduate or graduate or professional student shall be one tenth of the average state formula appropriated per full-time equivalent student in Louisiana publicly supported colleges and universities during the preceding fiscal year.  Reimbursement for educating Louisiana residents will be limited to eight full-time semesters at the undergraduate level and eight full-time semesters at the graduate or professional level.

C.  Reimbursement for the education of Louisiana residents who are part-time students shall be calculated according to the following formula.  At the end of each semester, the total of all semester hours of instruction completed by Louisiana residents who are part-time undergraduate students shall be divided by twelve to establish full-time equivalency, and the total of all semester hours of instruction completed by part-time graduate students and by part-time professional students shall be divided by nine to establish full-time equivalency.  Payments to the eligible nonpublic institutions for educating part-time Louisiana residents shall then be the product of this aggregate full-time equivalency multiplied by one tenth of the average state formula appropriated per full-time equivalent student in Louisiana's publicly supported colleges and universities during the preceding year.  Reimbursement for educating part-time students shall be limited to the equivalent of eight full-time semesters at the undergraduate level and eight full-time semesters at the graduate or professional level provided funds are appropriated for such purpose by the Louisiana Legislature.

D.  As used in this Section, the term "eligible institutions" shall mean Centenary College, Dillard University, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, Louisiana College, Loyola University, Our Lady of the Lake College, St. Joseph Seminary College, Tulane University, and Xavier University, all in Louisiana. In order to qualify for payments made by the Board of Regents under this Section, eligible institutions shall:

(1)  Simultaneously with their application for reimbursement, submit semiannually to the Board of Regents such reports as are required by the board pertaining to this Section.

(2)  Maintain and make available for inspection, such records as are necessary for the administration of this Section.

(3)  Admit students without regard to race, religion, color, or national origin.

(4)  Admit and matriculate students without regard to employment status.

E.  In computing the amount due eligible institutions under this Section, there shall be excluded completed semester hours of instruction that have been included for purposes of reimbursement pursuant to any other state statutory program.  Students majoring in theology or divinity shall be excluded from the computation of reimbursement due to any eligible institution.

F.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, the total payments to any eligible institution in any year shall not exceed fifteen per cent of its total educational and general expenditures.

G.  In determining who is a Louisiana resident for purposes of this Section, the Board of Regents shall apply the same criteria as it applies in determining who qualifies for resident tuition fees at Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.  Each nonpublic institution receiving state funds authorized by this Section shall determine the resident status of its students under the criteria promulgated by the Board of Regents and shall maintain residence records of those students who are Louisiana residents.  Such records shall be made available to the Board of Regents according to the provisions of Subsection D above.

H.  No institution receiving funds under the provisions of this Section shall use any of those funds for religious or intercollegiate athletic purposes.  The Board of Regents shall adopt and implement appropriate regulations to assure that no funds granted to an eligible institution under the provisions of this Section are used for religious or intercollegiate athletic purposes.

I.  The Board of Regents shall adopt, implement, and enforce regulations to insure that all funds herein provided are used solely for academic purposes.

J.  Nothing in this Section shall prohibit an eligible institution from accepting funds for the benefit of students who are Louisiana residents and using such funds as student aid.

Added by Acts 1975, No. 562, §1.  Amended by Acts 1976, No. 522, §§1, 2; Acts 1976, No. 491, §§1, 2; Acts 1979, No. 274, §1; Acts 1983, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 17, §1; Acts 1984, No. 887, §1; Acts 1985, No. 410, §1, eff. July 10, 1985; Acts 1995, No. 159, §1, eff. June 12, 1995; Acts 2000, 2d Ex. Sess., No. 13, §1, eff. June 28, 2000; Acts 2008, No. 418, §1, eff. June 21, 2008.