Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Department of Education

Certificate Application Packet

Council Approved June 22, 2011

P.O. Box 737, Ignacio, CO 81137

Phone: (970) 563-0237, Fax: (970) 563-0382

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Table of Contents

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Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Department Of Education

Welcome to the Education Certificate Scholarship Program of the Southern Ute Indian

Tribe. As a Southern Ute Indian Tribal Member you are eligible for certain benefits

through the Education Certificate Scholarship Program, which include full-time

scholarships, part-time scholarships and approved summer sessions for certificate

programs. These benefits come with a strict set of rules and responsibilities, approved

by the Tribal Council, with which you must comply.

This program is designed to operate in an efficient and timely manner. The process

ensures adequate thought and planning on the part of the applicant to gain a successful

educational experience and meet the goals of a desired degree program. Applicants

who have not completed the necessary requirements needed for a scholarship two

weeks before school starts will not be approved for an award.

In addition to our commitment to provide a high quality education, the scholarship

program will no longer fund “for profit” institutions of higher learning. For alternate

schools see an Academic Advisor at the Southern Ute Department of Education or refer

to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_for-profit_universities_and_colleges.

It is not the responsibility of the Department of Education to complete your application.

This responsibility lies solely with the applicants. Incomplete or late applications will

not be considered. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Certificate awards can be approved year around. The Department of Education only has

a limited amount of spaces for the Certificate program and it is first come, first serve.

Part-time awards can be approved year around, which include: tuition, books and fees;

mileage at the federal rate is also available to part-time students commuting from home

to attend an institution of higher education. . Scholarship awards cannot be used to

pay pre-existing bills or be used for any purpose other than current academic

school year expenses, such as books, fees, and reasonable living expenses.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in disqualification, a loss of

benefits and, in some instances, repayment of funds already received.

Color Code

Blue- refers to Grade Point Average (GPA)

Red-refers to dates and deadlines

Green-refers to official transcripts

DEFINITIONS

“Academic achievement” shall mean awards or memberships based on GPA or other

educational achievements, including, but not limited to, the National Honor Society, Phi

Beta Kappa, Dean’s List, President's Award, and Tri-Beta.

“Accredited” shall mean approved by an accrediting organization recognized by the

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) www.chea.org. and state approved

schools.

“Adult Occupational Training Coordinator” shall mean the AOTC of the Tribal

Department of Education.

“Commuting” shall mean a commuting distance of no more than one hundred (100)

miles round trip from a student's primary residence to the institution of higher education.

“Director” shall mean the Director of the Tribal Department of Education.

“For Profit” shall mean any educational institutions that are run by private, profit-seeking

companies or organizations and that do not apply transferrable credits. Please see

attached list.

“Good cause” shall mean death of an immediate family member, a medical condition

certified by a doctor that justifies withdrawal, hospitalization of the student or immediate

family member, or other situations beyond the control of the student, as determined by

the committee.

“Immediate family member” shall mean: the student's father, mother, brother, sister,

husband, wife or child; other extended family members, including step or in-law

relations, may be considered on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the committee.

‘Institution of higher education” shall mean an accredited college, university, vocational

or technical school.

"Official Transcript” shall mean a sealed transcript that is sent directly from the student's

Institution of Higher Education to the Department of Education.

“Scholarship Committee” shall mean the staff of the tribal Department of Education,

excluding the K-12 staff.

“PIN number” shall mean a personal identification number issued by the college,

university or institution of higher education to access student records.

“Probation Period” shall mean the term following the term in which the student received

an unsatisfactory grade point average between a 1.1-1.9 for certificates.

“Third Party Payment Form” shall mean a form authorizing payment of tuition or tuition,

fees and books on behalf of a student.

“Tribal member” shall mean an enrolled member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

“Tribe” shall mean the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

“Tribal Employee” shall mean an employee of any entity of the Southern Ute Indian

Tribe.

“Unofficial Transcript” shall mean any transcript, i.e web based or issued to the student

other than an Official Transcript as described above.

SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION

COMPLIANCE.

Students must comply with all scholarship policies, including repayment, and

Satisfy all program requirements before students will be considered for another

full-time scholarship or any services that require funding from the Department of

Education, except for the internship and tutoring programs.

SCHOLARSHIP PAYMENTS.

All scholarship payments will be made according to the Annual Scholarship

Distribution Schedule contained herein. The Director may request that payments

be held for those students requiring special consultations or for those students

not in compliance with the scholarship policies. Without demonstrated “good

cause,” as defined in these policies, payments will not be held for student

pickup or given out early.

COMMUNICATION.

If the student is 18 years of age or older, the Department of Education will

communicate solely with the student unless the student provides a signed

release of information form to the Director, authorizing communications with

another individual.

PAYMENT OF TUITION.

All tuition will be paid directly to the institution of higher education. It is the

student’s responsibility to submit tuition costs to the Department of Education in a

timely manner. It is also the student’s responsibility to determine whether a Third

Party Payment Form is required. If a student is dropped from classes for any

reason, re-enrollment and any fees incurred will be the student’s financial

responsibility. Students are responsible for paying for failed or retaken courses.

RE-IMBURSEMENT.

Tuition will not be reimbursed to the student it will be routed through the

institution for reimbursement. Part Time students will be reimbursed from the

Department of Education for books and fees with proof of receipt or a direct bill

from the institution.

SOUTHERN UTE TRIBAL EMPLOYEES & ELECTED OR APPOINTED

OFFICIALS.

Scholarships will not be awarded to elected or appointed tribal officials, excluding

committee members (Council members, Chief Judge and Executive Officer) or

Education Department employees. Only part-time scholarships will be awarded

to full-time tribal employees. Tribal employees must follow Tribal Personnel

Policy regarding class scheduling, absences and work hours.

TRAVEL.

An accepted student who needs financial assistance for orientation may request

per diem at the federal rate from the Department of Education two weeks in

advance. Students requesting funds for International studies will only be forded a

maximum of $2,000. The Department does not pay for travel to and from school

for full time students.

ONLINE EDUCATION.

Students must be accepted to a “Regional” accredited “Not For Profit” institution.

Online certificates will be part-time funding only!

PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

CRITERIA.

1. Be an enrolled member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe;

2. Submit all documents required; and

3. Demonstrate compliance with previous scholarship award

requirements.

PROCEDURES.

In preparing applications for this scholarship, it is important that the following be

completed in order to expedite the application process:

1.

APPLICATION.

Each applicant applying for a scholarship must submit a complete scholarship

application packet to the Department of Education. Incomplete and late

applications will not be considered.

2.

EDUCATION PLAN.

An Education Plan consists of:

a. A one page letter explaining career goals, selection of accredited

institution, desired certificate and how long to complete it.

b. The institution of higher education course catalog (for the year

accepted) that outlines the certificate and courses needed.

Accepted Scholarship Recipients.

Approved students must abide by scholarship policies (pg 7-10).

Scholarship Policies

GENERAL (Applies to All Students).

1.

A completed scholarship application packet must be returned to the

Department of Education, no later than two weeks before school starts.

It is the responsibility of students to notify the Department of

Education in writing of any address or phone number change. The

students must accept their mail from the Department of Education at

all times. If certified mail is returned to the Department of Education,

students must come into the Department of Education or contact the

office for the certified mail before the next scholarship check is

issued.

Students must submit placement test scores from the institution of higher

education the student will be attending, or proof of a waiver of this

requirement is submitted, no later than two weeks after school has

started.

Students must submit proof of Vocational/Technical certificate completion

for continued scholarship funding or any other services that require

funding from the Department of Education.

10.

Changes in course enrollment, withdrawal from classes or transfers must

be approved by the Adult Occupational Training Coordinator and the

Director before changes are made. If a student changes a course which

affects tuition and/or fees, the student will be responsible for any

additional tuition, fees and associated costs, such as books and supplies.

Students who fail, repeat or drop a course or courses for which the Tribe

has paid separate tuition must make up those course credits or pay the

tuition back before the start of the next academic year.

Simultaneous attendance at two institutions of higher education must be

approved by the Adult Occupational Training Coordinator and the Director.

This arrangement must be justified in terms of relevance to the student’s

certificate program.

Students who have been denied a scholarship may re-apply the following

year if they fulfill all necessary criteria.

Special situations, such as students with documented learning disabilities

or medical conditions, will be reviewed by the Director on a case-by-case

basis for scholarship funding.

Transcripts must be submitted to the Department of Education as follows:

a. An Official Transcript is required as part of the student’s

scholarship application.

b. Unofficial Transcripts must be submitted to the Department of

Education no later than two weeks after completion of each term,

quarter or session.

C. Official Transcripts must be submitted to the Department of

Education before the second payment.

d. If transcripts are not submitted as required, scholarship funding

and/or tuition will be placed on hold. Students will be responsible

for late fees incurred.

A valid PIN number must be provided by midterm of the first term in

order for the Department of Education to access student grades

and courses. If there are any changes to either the student ID or

the valid PIN number, the student must report it immediately to the

Department of Education. Failing to do so will be a direct violation of the

scholarship policies and payment will be put on hold.

11, Any student found to have engaged in academic or financial dishonesty

will be immediately terminated from the scholarship program, and the

student will not be readmitted into the scholarship program for five years.

12. Students must notify the Department of Education within five

working days of their withdrawal from any Institution of Higher

Education. Students must submit proper documentation verifying

the cause for withdrawal, which will be considered by the Director on

a case-by-case basis. Failure to notify the Department of Education

of withdrawal and acceptance of continued scholarship funding is

considered financial dishonesty.

13. Students who fail to complete a term without good cause must repay

all scholarship awards received for that term, plus tuition. Note:

scholarship awards will be subject to the tribe’s debt collection

policy.

14. A repayment plan, which must be approved by the Director, can take

one of two forms:

a. Pay the Tribe in full the total amount of the scholarship award,

including tuition. A student may arrange with the Department of

Education and Finance to make monthly payments fora maximum

of five years, provided she/he has not pursued the option of

making up credits, in which case the period of time for repayment

will be reduced.

b. Make up the number of credits funded by the Tribe for the term in

which the student failed to meet the scholarship policies and show

proof of a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for the certificate. This must be

accomplished without Department of Education funding

within three consecutive terms immediately following the

probationary term or withdrawal.

15. Students must follow rules of conduct as defined by the policies and rules

of the institution of higher education they are attending.

B. VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATES.

In addition to the general Scholarship Policies described in Section A, which

apply to all students, students seeking a scholarship award for a vocational certificate

must abide by the following policies. Scholarships will not be awarded to students who

fail to meet the requirements stated in these guidelines.

A student must be enrolled in 12 credit hours per term and a total of 24

credit hours every 2 terms, with proper documentation showing full time

enrollment.

A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better must be maintained throughout the

duration of the specified certificate program. If the student does not meet

this requirement, the student will be placed on scholarship probation for

one term. After the probationary period, if the student does not meet the

requirements he/she must repay the entire scholarship award, plus tuition,

or fund on their own the number of credits that were funded through a

tribal scholarship, while maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. A student

may reapply for scholarship funding once the repayment requirements

have been met.

Students who fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of 1.0 or better will not

be eligible for scholarship probation and will be denied additional

scholarship funding until they have raised their cumulative GPA to 2.0.

Certificate scholarship awards will equal $10,000/term plus tuition. A

maximum of $25,000.00 will be paid for tuition for a certificate program. If

the tuition exceeds this amount, the student is responsible for any

additional tuition necessary to complete the program.

Certificate scholarship awards will be limited to no more than 4 terms for

the first certificate. If a student seeks a second certificate they will be

Classified as full time. Before a second certificate is awarded the recipient

must participate in the Excellence in Education program for 6 months. The

second certificate will be forded an additional 4 terms and it must be

related to the first.

A one-time award not to exceed $2,500.00 will be given for tools and other

special equipment. The student must sign the Repayment Agreement

requiring the student to return such tools and equipment to the Tribe

immediately if the student does not complete the certificate program.

C. PART-TIME & LIMITED SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS.

In addition to the general Scholarship Policies described in Section A, which

apply to all students, students seeking a part time scholarship award must abide by the

following policies.

1.

Part-time and limited scholarship awards shall include only tuition, books,

fees; and mileage at the federal rate for local commuting to attend an

Institution of Higher Education.

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a. A course schedule including days and times of classes must be

submitted for mileage reimbursement.

2. Part-time scholarship awards are for students that have:

a. On line certificates.

b. Students enrolled in part time credit hours.

c. Any program less than 5 months to obtain the certificate.

3. Certification and Licensure Renewals:

a. The department will only pay for registration, tuition, books, fees and

mileage to the test site. No living expenses will be provided.

EXPENSES.

The following expenses will be considered for payment:

1. Graduation Expenses.

Certificates $100.00

The student must submit a written request for such expenses before graduation

together with proof of graduation eligibility.

2. Travel.

a. Students admitted to an institute of higher education and must attend

orientation; the Department of Education will pay for travel at the federal rate not

to exceed $1,000.00.

b, The Department of Education will not pay for students’ moving

expenses and travel during holidays and at the end of each term, etc.

AWARDS.

1. Once a year students with academic achievements will receive monetary

awards as follows:

Certificates: $125.00

2. Students must present proof of receiving academic awards.

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APPEALS.

1. RIGHT OF APPEAL.

Any student who disagrees with the decision of the Adult Occupational Training

Coordinator regarding the application of the scholarship program policies by the

Department of Education and wishes to appeal the Adult Occupational Training

Coordinator's decision must submit a written letter of appeal to the Director within

seven calendar days (if the student is in the local service area) or fourteen

calendar days (if the student is off the reservation) of that decision. Upon receipt

of the letter of appeal, the Director shall meet with the student and the Academic

Advisor to discuss the issue and shall make a decision regarding the appeal

within 14 calendar days of that meeting. Any student who disagrees with the

Director's decision may then submit a written request for a hearing in front of the

Scholarship Policies Board of Appeals (Board of Appeals) to the Executive

Officer of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe within seven calendar days (if the

student is in the local service area) or fourteen calendar days (if the student is off

the reservation) of the Director's decision. Failure to submit a written request

within the seven or fourteen calendar day time period shall result in termination of

the appeal process.

2. CONTENT OF LETTER OF APPEAL.

The letter of appeal must state the decision with which the student disagrees and

the student’s position. The student must also submit any documentation that

supports the student's position with the letter of appeal.

3. COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS.

The Board of Appeals shall consist of:

a. A former master’s or doctorate level scholarship student, or,

alternatively, the Director of the Private Education Department for

the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, or his/her designee.

b. the Manager of the Sky Ute Lodge & Casino’s Career Development

Program (CDP), or his/her designee; and

c. a former scholarship student who was subject to the Tribe’s

scholarship policies after 1999, met the requirements of the

scholarship policies while receiving a scholarship and maintained a

3.0 GPA.

The Director shall compile a list of former students who would be eligible to serve

on the Board of Appeals under subsection c. The former master’s or doctorate

level student or the Director of Private Education or his/her designee and the

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Manager of the Casino CDP shall jointly select a former student from the list to

serve on the Board of Appeals for each hearing. No person shall be allowed to

serve on the Board of Appeals if the appeal presents a conflict of interest

involving an immediate family member. Prior to commencing a hearing, the three

members of the Board of Appeals shall select one member to chair the hearing.

4. HEARING.

The Scholarship Policies Board of Appeals shall hold a hearing regarding the

written letter of appeal within 15 days of receipt of the letter by the Executive

Officer. The Executive Officer shall notify the appealing student of the hearing

and the student's right to appear at the hearing, either in-person or by telephone,

to support the letter of appeal. The Executive Officer shall also notify the

Department of Education of the hearing and a representative of the Department

may be present to defend the Department's interpretation and administration of

the Scholarship Policies.

5. HEARING PROCEDURES.

The appealing student shall be given a fair hearing with rights of due process:

however, strict rules of evidence and procedure do not apply. The Department of

Education will first present its case, including documents and testimony. The

appealing student will then be allowed to present his/her case, including

documents and testimony. The members of the Board of Appeals may ask

questions of both the Department representative and the appealing student. The

hearing shall be closed to the public and all information shall remain confidential.

6. DECISION.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board of Appeals shall meet in private to

review the evidence and make a decision, by majority vote, to accept, reject, or

modify the decision of the Director. The Board of Appeals’ decision cannot

include a recommendation or directive that is inconsistent with any of the

Scholarship Policies. The Scholarship Policies Board of Appeals shall provide

the Director and the appealing student with a written decision within seven days.

The decision of the Scholarship Policies Board of Appeals is final and there will

be no right to a review of the decision in Tribal Court or Tribal Council.

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Annual Scholarship Distribution Schedule

Students must be in compliance with the scholarship policies in order to

receive a 2™ term of funding.

|. DIRECT DEPOSIT.

For those students who have elected to have funds directly deposited, those

amounts will be deposited on the first of the month for which the funds are

intended.

ll. CHECKS.

The Department may amend the distribution schedule to correspond with the

varying schedules of other institutions of higher education.

A. CERTIFICATE.

Students will receive a first payment in the amount of $4,500.00. The following

four months, students will receive $1,375.00 per month, mailed on the 20th of

the month. The distribution schedule will be the same for the next five-month

term or the duration of the certificate program.

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Education Scholarship

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* NEW STUDENT Application Form

ions will be cronsiaerea

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COMPLE

_____ Certificate ___ Full-time

___ Part-time

Name: SS#:

Census #: E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

Phone #: Cell Phone #

Accredited Institutional information

Name

Address

Phone: Web site

Student’s Institutional Information

Student ID#: PIN #:

Assigned Advisor/phone

Assigned campus e-mail (if applicable)

Certificate Information

Certificate

All students must attach the following information to this Application:

___ Acceptance letter from the accredited institution of higher education you plan to attend.

One-page letter explaining: 1) career goals and, 2) selection of accredited institution. 3) Desired

Certificate and How long to complete.

_______ List of courses you plan to enroll in during the first term and second term (academic year).

_____ Signed Repayment Agreement in case of default (notarized).

___ Signed Privacy Act Form and Release (notarized).

Catalog from the accredited institution of higher education you plan to attend.

Other scholarships, grants, loans, and awards applied for (tuition, fees, and books).

High School official transcript, diploma or GED certificate.

15

Completed career assessment test administered by the Department of Education.

Two (2) letters of recommendation (excluding family, friends and Department of Education staff).

Date:

Signature of Applicant

For Office Use Only

Scholarship Award Recipient: Approved Denied Incomplete

Unanimous Approved Ist. 2nd. ( )For ( )Opposed( )Abstain

Education Director Signature

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REPAYMENT AGREEMENT

IN ACCEPTING THIS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD FOR YEAR(s) FUNDED :

| have read and agree to abide by all the Department of Education Scholarship Policies. If | do not, or if |

fail to complete the full term without good cause and/or neglect to notify the Department of Education

within five working days after the occurrence, | will repay the total amount of scholarship award,

including tuition.

| agree to contact the Southern Ute Department of Education to make arrangements for repayment. If |

fail to make arrangements for repayment or fail to make payment or make up the number of credits as

agreed, | understand legal action through the Southern Ute Tribal Court or other collection methods will

be taken, and a portion of my per capita, dividend and/or pension payments could be withheld until

repayment is satisfied.

A repayment plan, which must be approved by the Director, can take one of three forms:

1. Pay the Tribe in full the total amount of the scholarship award. A student may arrange to

make monthly payments for a maximum of five years, provided she/he has not pursued

the option of making up credits, in which case the period of time for repayment will be

reduced.

2. Make up the number of credits funded by the Tribe for the term in which the student failed

to meet the scholarship policies, and show proof of the required cumulative GPA. This

must be accomplished without The Department of Education’s funding within three

consecutive terms immediately following the probationary term or withdrawal.

3. Pay the Tribe the total amount of the scholarship award received for any exams. A

student may arrange to make monthly payments for a maximum of 5 years.

| have received a copy of the Scholarship

Policies and agree to abide by them.

Signature Date

Note: Please have this page notarized by a notary public.

State of )

) ss:

County of )

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this day of , 20

Notary Public

My commission expires

17

Privacy Act Form and Release

(Year(s) Funded: )

The Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579) requires that record systems subject to the Privacy

Act be identified.

CONSENT FOR GRANTING ACCESS OR TO RELEASE RECORDS TO THIRD PARTY

| hereby authorize

Name of Institution

Address

Phone

E-mail

To grant access and/or release my academic grades and all materials relating to me

contained in the files of said institution to:

Director of Department of Education

Southern Ute Indian Tribe

PO Box 737

Ignacio, Colorado 81137

E-mail: ltaylor@southern-ute.nsn.us

Name of Student Date

Signature of Student

NOTE: Please have this page notarized by a notary public.

State of )

)

County of )

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this day of , 20

Notary Public

My commission expires

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CASH FLOW WORKSHEET

FOR STUDENT USE ONLY

MONTHLY EXPENSES

Household Insurance

Mortgage/rent $ Life $

Utilities: Gas/electric Auto

Water/Sewer Health/dental

Trash Homeowner/renter’s

Phone: Home/cell Entertainment/Recreation

Cable Dining $

Groceries Movies/theatre

Home furnishings Health club

Household supplies Vacation/travel

Other

Medical Debt

Doctor/ Dentist $ Credit card $

Medicine/prescription Credit card

Other Loan

Other

Clothing

Purchases $

Miscellaneous Expenses

Education: Books/supplies $

Cleaning, laundry, etc

Student fees, etc.

School lunches

Automobile Bus pass/parking

Monthly payments §$ Child care

Fuel Alimony/child support

Oil changes, repairs Gifts

Tires Membership/dues

Total Monthly Expenses $

MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Salary $

Salary Available Monthly funds (savings)

Income from:

Scholarship award

Tribal Per Capita

Total Monthly Income

$

Tribal dividend

(October dividend divided by 12 months)

Self-employment

Total Monthly Expenses-

$

Part-time employment

Available Funds =

Alimony/child support

Tax refund

Notes:

Other Income

Total Monthly Income $

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