grants, contracts, and fellowships to strengthen programs of education for the public service

grants, contracts, and fellowships to strengthen programs of education for the public service Sec. 261. The Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after title VIII the following new title: “TITLE IX—EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE “purpose “Sec. 901. It is the purpose of this title to establish a program of grants and fellowships to improve the education of students attending institutions of higher education in preparation for entrance into the service of State, local, or Federal governments, and to attract such students to the public service. “Part A—Grants and Contracts To Strengthen and Improve Education for the Public Service “project grants and contracts “Sec. 903. The Secretary is authorized to make grants to or contracts with institutions of higher education, or combinations of such institutions, to assist them in planning, developing, strengthening, improving, or carrying out programs or projects (i) for the preparation of graduate or professional students to enter the public service or (ii) for research into, or development or demonstration of, improved methods of education for the public service. Such grants or contracts may include payment of all or part of the cost of programs or projects such as— “(1) planning for the development or expansion of graduate or professional programs to prepare students to enter the public service; “(2) training and retraining of faculty members; “(3) strengthening the public service aspects of courses or curriculums leading to a graduate or professional degree; “(4) establishment, expansion, or operation of centers for study at the graduate or professional level (but not including payment for construction or acquisition of buildings); 82 Stat. 1044 “(5) conduct of short-term or regular session institutes for advanced study by persons engaged in, or preparing to engage in, the preparation of students to enter the public service; “(6) carrying out innovative and experimental programs of cooperative education involving alternate periods of full-time or part-time academic study at the institution and periods of full-time or part-time public service; and “(7) research into, and development of, methods of training students or faculty, including the preparation of teaching materials and the planning of curriculum. “application for grant or contract; allocation of grants or contracts “Sec. 904. (a) A grant or contract authorized by this part may be made only upon application to the Secretary at such time or times and containing such information as he may prescribe, except that no such application shall be approved unless it— “(1) sets forth programs, activities, research, or development for which a grant is authorized under this part, and describes the relation to any program set forth by the applicant in an application, if any, submitted pursuant to part B; “(2) provides for such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures as may be necessary to assure proper disbursement of and accounting for Federal funds paid to the applicant under this section; and “(3) provides for making such reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Secretary may require to carry out his functions under this section, and for keeping such records and for affording such access thereto as the Secretary may find necessary to assure the correctness and verification of such reports. “(b) The Secretary shall allocate grants or contracts under this part in such manner as will most nearly provide an equitable distribution of the grants or contracts throughout the United States among institutions of higher education which show promise of being able to use funds effectively for the purposes of this part. “(c) (1) Payments under this section may be used, in accordance with regulations of the Secretary, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an application approved under subsection (a), to pay part of the compensation of students employed in public service, other than public service as an employee in any branch of the Government of the United States, as part of a program for which a grant has been approved pursuant to this section. “(2) Departments and agencies of the United States are encouraged, to the extent consistent with efficient administration, to enter into arrangements with institutions of higher education for the full-time, part-time, or temporary employment, whether in the competitive or excepted service, of students enrolled in programs set forth in applications approved under subsection (a). “Part B—Public Service Fellowships “award of public service fellowships “Sec. 911. The Secretary is authorized to award fellowships in accordance with the provisions of this part for graduate or professional study for persons who plan to pursue a career in public service. Such fellowships shall be awarded for such periods as the Secretary may determine but not to exceed three academic years. 82 Stat. 1045 “allocation of fellowships “Sec. 912. The Secretary shall allocate fellowships under this part among institutions of higher education with programs approved under the provisions of this part, for the use of individuals accepted into such programs, in such manner and according to such plan as will insofar as practicable— “(1) provide an equitable distribution of such fellowships throughout the United States; and “(2) attract recent college graduates to pursue a career in public service. “approval of programs “Sec. 913. The Secretary shall approve a graduate or professional program of an institution of higher education only upon application by the institution and only upon his findings— “(1) that such program has as a principal or significant objective the education of persons for the public service, or the education of persons in a profession or vocation for whose practitioners there is a significant and continuing need in the public service as determined by the Secretary after such consultation with other agencies as may be appropriate; “(2) that such program is in effect and of high quality, or can readily be put into effect and may reasonably be expected to be of high quality; “(3) that the application describes the relation of such program to any program, activity, research, or development set forth by the applicant in an application, if any, submitted pursuant to part A; and “(4) that the application contains satisfactory assurance that (A) the institution will recommend to the Secretary, for the award of fellowships under this part, for study in such program, only persons of superior promise who have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the institution a serious intent to enter the public service upon completing the program, and (B) the institution will make reasonable continuing efforts to encourage recipients of fellowships under this part, enrolled in such program, to enter the public service upon completing the program. “stipends “Sec. 914. (a) The Secretary shall pay to persons awarded fellowships under this part such stipends (including such allowances for subsistence and other expenses for such persons and their dependents) as he may determine to be consistent with prevailing practices under comparable federally supported programs. “(b) The Secretary shall (in addition to the stipends paid to persons under subsection (a)) pay to the institution of higher education at which such person is pursuing his course of study such amount as the Commissioner may determine to be consistent with prevailing practices under comparable federally supported programs. “fellowship conditions “Sec. 915. A person awarded a fellowship under the provisions of this part shall continue to receive the payments provided in this part only during such periods as the Secretary finds that he is maintaining satisfactory proficiency and devoting full time to study or research in the field in which such fellowship was awarded in an institution of 82 Stat. 1046higher education, and is not engaging in gainful employment other than employment approved by the Secretary by or pursuant to regulation. “Part C—General Provisions “definitions “Sec. 921. As used in this title— “(a) The term ‘State’ includes the Canal Zone, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. “(b) The term ‘institution of higher education’ means an educational institution described in the first sentence of section 1201 (other than an institution of any agency of the United States) which is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association approved by the Secretary’ for this purpose. For purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies or associations which he determines to be reliable authority as to the quality of training offered. “(c) The term ‘public service’ means service as an officer or employee in any branch of State, local, or Federal Government. “(d) The term ‘academic year’ means an academic year or its equivalent, as determined by the Secretary. “coordination of federal assistance “Sec. 922. In administering this title, the Secretary shall give primary emphasis to the assistance of programs and activities pot otherwise assisted by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, or by other agencies of the Federal Government, so as to promote most effectively the objectives of this title. “limitation “Sec. 923. No grant, contract, or fellowship shall be awarded under this title to, or for study at, a school or department of divinity. For the purposes of this section, the term ‘school or department of divinity’ means an institution or department or branch or an institution whose program is specifically for the education of students to prepare them to become ministers of religion or to enter upon some other religious vocation or to prepare them to teach theological subjects. “report “Sec. 924. The Secretary shall include in his annual report to the Congress a report of activities of his Department under this title, including recommendations for needed revisions in the provisions thereof. “authorization of appropriations “Sec. 925. There are authorized to be appropriated $340,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969, $5,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1970, and $13,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1971, to carry out the purposes of this title (and planning and related activities in the initial fiscal year for such purpose). Funds appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969, shall fie available for obligation pursuant to the provisions of this title during that year and the succeeding fiscal year.”