Section 1080.110  Definitions

"Academic Year" means the period of time beginning with the fall term in one calendar year and running through the end of the summer term in the following calendar year.

"Act" means the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Act [110 ILCS 930].

"Board" means the Board of Higher Education. (Section 2 of the Act)

"Program Board" means the 21-member entity appointed by the Board to establish policy for administration of the grant program authorized by the Act. (Sections 3 and 4 of the Act)

"Institutional Representative" means the designated individual who is responsible for coordinating DFI activities at each qualified institution of higher education.

"Illinois Resident" means any United States citizen or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States who meets at least one of the following requirements:

Has earned an educational diploma at an institution of education located in this State; or

Is a registered voter in the State of Illinois and has lived in Illinois for a period of at least three years prior to applying for a grant. (Section 7 of the Act)

The status of the Illinois residency of the student at the time of initial matriculation in this program will hold for his or her entire time in his or her graduate or professional study at the DFI institution.

"Qualified Institution of Higher Education" means a qualifying publicly or privately operated educational institution located within Illinois that offers instruction leading toward or prerequisite to an academic or professional degree beyond the baccalaureate degree, excluding theological schools, and that is authorized to operate in the State of Illinois. (Section 2 of the Act)

"Traditionally Underrepresented Minority Group" means any of the racial minority groups designated in the Act that are represented in Illinois post-baccalaureate enrollment at a percentage rate less than the percentage of the racial minority group's representation in the total Illinois population.  The Board shall annually determine which racial groups are underrepresented based upon census data and annual graduate enrollment reports from Illinois institutions of higher education.