Register July 2023 No. 811
Chapter Trans 403
SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN REPAYMENT INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM
Trans 403.01 Purpose and scope.
Trans 403.02 Definitions.
Trans 403.03 Program administration committee.
Trans 403.04 Scholarships.
Trans 403.05 Loan repayment incentive grants.
Trans 403.01(1)(1)
Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to set forth the department of transportation's administrative interpretation of s.
85.107, Stats., and to prescribe the administrative policies and procedures for implementing the scholarship and loan repayment incentive grant program for improving the representation of targeted group members within job classifications in which targeted group members are underutilized in the department.
Trans 403.01 History
History: Cr.
Register, November, 1992, No. 443, eff. 12-1-92;
CR 03-004: am.
Register May 2003 No. 569, eff. 6-1-03.
Trans 403.02(3)
(3) “Program" means the scholarship and loan repayment incentive grant program authorized under s.
85.107, Stats.
Trans 403.02(4)
(4) “Satisfactory academic progress" means that level of academic performance, as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled, which is normally required to insure adequate progress toward the attainment of the degree or certificate required under s.
85.107, Stats.
Trans 403.02(4m)
(4m) “Targeted group member" means a person with disabilities, or a person who belongs to a class of race, color, or sex, whose percent of the workforce within any job classification in the department is less than that class's percent of the statewide labor market for such job activities.
Trans 403.02 History
History: Cr.
Register, November, 1992, No. 443, eff. 12-1-92;
CR 03-004: r. (2), am. (3), cr. (4m)
Register May 2003 No. 569, eff. 6-1-03.
Trans 403.03
Trans 403.03 Program administration committee. The department shall establish a committee consisting of representatives of at least 2 divisions within the department for the purpose of screening applicants for scholarships, evaluating scholarship recipients for continuing participation in the program and screening applicants for loan repayment incentive grants. The committee shall be coordinated by the department's human resources office and shall include department representatives from affirmative action and equal employment opportunity and representatives from divisions within the department that provide training or work experience for students in the program. The committee may establish criteria in addition to those specified in this chapter in order to perform its screening and evaluation functions. The committee may conduct personal interviews of applicants and program participants or may provide for the interviews to be conducted by a panel selected by the committee.
Trans 403.03 History
History: Cr.
Register, November, 1992, No. 443, eff. 12-1-92;
CR 03-004: r. (1), renum. (2) to be Trans 403.03 and am.
Register May 2003 No. 569, eff. 6-1-03.
Trans 403.04(1)(1)
Selection process. The department shall annually select scholarship recipients on the basis of written application materials, any criteria developed by the committee under s.
Trans 403.03 and personal interviews. Recipients of scholarships are required to submit new applications for each subsequent academic year for which scholarship aid is sought.
Trans 403.04(2)
(2)
Schedule. The department shall establish annually a schedule for the distribution and submission of application materials. The schedule shall include a recruitment program to inform prospective applicants of the scholarships, training and employment opportunities available under the program.
Trans 403.04(3)(a)(a) To qualify for a scholarship, a person shall meet all of the following criteria:
Trans 403.04(3)(a)3.a.
a. Enrolled full time, or the equivalent, and registered as a sophomore, junior or senior in a bachelor degree program offered by an accredited institution of higher education in this state.
Trans 403.04(3)(a)3.b.
b. Enrolled full-time, or the equivalent, in his or her 2
nd year in an associate degree program, as defined in s.
38.01 (1), Stats., or vocational diploma program, as defined in s.
38.01 (11), Stats., at a technical college in this state.
Trans 403.04(3)(a)4.
4. Demonstrate satisfactory academic progress in a program under subd.
3. a. or
b. that relates to a job classification in which targeted group members are underutilized in the department.
Trans 403.04(3)(a)5.
5. Demonstrate an interest in training and employment opportunities and in program activities in a job classification in which targeted group members are underutilized in the department.
Trans 403.04(3)(b)
(b) The department shall adopt the determination of the institution of higher education in which a person is enrolled with respect to whether a person demonstrates satisfactory academic progress.
Trans 403.04(4)
(4)
Application process. An applicant for a scholarship shall submit to the department completed application materials prescribed by the department, a statement of interest in the program, a certified copy of the applicant's transcript and such other information as the department may request.
Trans 403.04 Note
Note: The application materials may be obtained from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Bureau of Human Resource Services, P. O. Box 7915, Room 410, Madison, WI 53707-7915.
Trans 403.04(5)(a)(a) A student who is awarded a scholarship shall accept, as a condition of the award, a position with the department as a limited term employee for the summer months following the academic term for which the award was made and during which the student was classified as a sophomore, junior or senior. The department shall assign a mentor to orient and work with each student during the student's required summer employment or training period under this paragraph. A student who is awarded a scholarship may work part-time for the department during an academic term but is not required to do so. The committee under s.
Trans 403.03 may make exceptions to the summer employment or training requirement on a case-by-case basis. The summer employment or training requirement does not apply to a graduating senior.
Trans 403.04(5)(b)
(b) A student who is awarded a scholarship shall maintain the standards for eligibility under sub.
(3) (a) 1. to
4. and demonstrate ongoing interest in the program and in future employment in a job classification in which targeted group members are underutilized in the department. The department shall evaluate each student participant in the program each semester or other academic term for compliance with this paragraph.
Trans 403.04(6)
(6)
Removal from program. The department may terminate a student's participation in the program for noncompliance with the standards under sub.
(5) (b), poor work performance, voluntary or involuntary removal from the institution of higher education or technical college in which the student is enrolled, conduct which under department work rules would be cause for discipline or termination of employment, or other reasons specified by the committee under s.
Trans 403.03 as criteria for termination from the program.
Trans 403.04(7)
(7)
Distribution of awards. The department shall determine the scholarship amount and distribution that may be awarded annually to a program applicant on the basis of the applicant's student status, as specified in s.
85.107 (3) (a) and
(am), Stats.
Trans 403.04 History
History: Cr.
Register, November, 1992, No. 443, eff. 12-1-92; correction made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, August, 1996, No. 488
; CR 03-004: am. (1), (2), (3) (a) (intro.), 1., 5., (b) and (4) to (7), r. and recr. (3) (a) 3. and 4.
Register May 2003 No. 569, eff. 6-1-03.
Trans 403.05
Trans 403.05 Loan repayment incentive grants. The department may make loan repayment incentive grants to targeted group members within job classifications in which targeted group members are underutilized in the department as specified in s.
85.107 (3) (b), Stats. A loan repayment incentive grant shall be used only to repay the employee's education loans that are directly attributable to the employee acquiring a bachelor's degree, associate degree, or vocational diploma and that are outstanding on the date a grant applicant begins full–time employment with the department. Only loans from recognized lending institutions, including major credit card companies, shall be eligible for loan repayment incentive grants. Grants may not exceed the amount of the employee's educational loans outstanding.
