The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

1. (1) Attempted Hours--Every course in every semester for which a student has been registered as of the official Census Date, including but not limited to, repeated courses and courses the student drops and from which the student withdraws. Transfer hours and hours for optional internship and cooperative education courses are also included if they are accepted by the receiving institution towards the student's current program of study.
2. (2) Average statewide amount of tuition and required fees--In determining the maximum award amount, the average amount of tuition and required fees by institution type (public junior colleges, public state colleges, and public technical institutes) for a resident student enrolled full-time in an associate degree or certificate program, as reported in the most recent Integrated Federal Reporting System report.
3. (3) Awarded--Offered to a student.
4. (4) Board--The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
5. (5) Commissioner--The Commissioner of Higher Education, the Chief Executive Officer of the Board.
6. (6) Cost of attendance--An estimate of the expenses incurred by a typical financial aid student in attending a particular college. It includes direct educational costs (tuition, fees, books, and supplies) as well as indirect costs (room and board, transportation, and personal expenses).
7. (7) Encumbered funds--Program funds that have been offered to a specific student, which offer the student has accepted, and which may or may not have been disbursed to the student.
8. (8) Enrolled on at least a half-time basis--Enrolled for the equivalent of six semester credit hours in a regular semester.
9. (9) Entering student--A student enrolled in the first 30 semester credit hours or their equivalent, excluding hours taken during dual enrollment in high school and courses for which the student received credit through examination.
10. (10) Expected family contribution--The amount of discretionary income that should be available to a student from his or her resources and that of his or her family, as determined following the federal methodology.
11. (11) Financial need--The cost of attendance at a particular public or private institution of higher education less the expected family contribution. The cost of attendance and family contribution are to be determined in accordance with Board guidelines. Federal and state veterans' educational and special combat pay benefits are not to be considered in determining a student's financial need.
12. (12) Initial year award--The grant award made in the student's first year in the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program, typically made up of a fall and spring disbursement.
13. (13) Institution--A public junior college as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003(2); a public technical institute as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003(7); and a public state college as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003(16).
14. (14) Period of enrollment--The term or terms within the current state fiscal year (September 1-August 31) for which the student was enrolled in an approved institution and met all the eligibility requirements for an award through this program.
15. (15) Program--The Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program.
16. (16) Program Officer--The individual named by each participating institution's chief executive officer to serve as agent for the Board. The Program Officer has primary responsibility for all ministerial acts required by the program, including maintenance of all records and preparation and submission of reports reflecting program transactions. Unless otherwise indicated by the administration, the director of student financial aid shall serve as Program Officer.
17. (17) Resident of Texas--A resident of the State of Texas as determined in accordance with Chapter 21, Subchapter B of this title (relating to Determination of Resident Status). Nonresident students who are eligible to pay resident tuition rates are not residents of Texas.
18. (18) State-wide total cost of attendance--For allocation purposes, the aggregate sum of costs of attendance reported by participating eligible institutions in the most recent Financial Aid Database Report for each first-time-in-college student who meets the eligibility requirements listed in §22.262(b)(1) of this title.

Source Note:The provisions of this §22.254 adopted to be effective August 16, 2004, 29 TexReg 7988; amended to be effective November 28, 2005, 30 TexReg 7871; amended to be effective May 21, 2008, 33 TexReg 3954; amended to be effective May 26, 2010, 35 TexReg 4161; amended to be effective February 28, 2012, 37 TexReg 1335; amended to be effective February 26, 2014, 39 TexReg 1148; amended to be effective March 4, 2015, 40 TexReg 926; amended to be effective February 28, 2018, 43 TexReg 1084.