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

1. (1) Academic school year--Two academic semesters (i.e., fall semester and spring semester, or if the educational institution is on a trimester system then fall, winter, or spring quarters).
2. (2) Available grants--The number of grants, based on available funding, the conditional grant coordinator determines may be awarded in an academic year.
3. (3) College cooperative student--A person who is enrolled in an eligible higher educational institution's cooperative education program.
4. (4) Commission--Texas Transportation Commission.
5. (5) Conditional grant--Financial assistance awarded to an eligible student.
6. (6) Cooperative education program--A plan of education that provides for alternating periods of study and employment during the academic year; working agreements among the department, educational institution and student; paid supervised work experiences related to the student's academic studies or career goals; and experience sufficient in duration to qualify for career entry level position, if applicable.
7. (7) Cooperative Education Program Standards Form--A form which states the rules of the High School Cooperative Education Program.
8. (8) Declaration of intent--A signed and notarized document stating that the student intends to work for the department in an eligible profession for two academic years immediately following the date of the student's receipt of an eligible degree.
9. (9) Department--The Texas Department of Transportation.
10. (10) Eligible degree--A baccalaureate degree from an accredited public institution in the State of Texas in a field of study which satisfies the department's minimum education requirement for an eligible profession.
11. (11) Eligible professions--Professions which have been identified by the department as having a significant statistical underrepresentation of minorities or women in the department's work force.
12. (12) Form I-9 Employment Verification--A form attesting to eligibility to work in the United States in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
13. (13) HSCEP--High School Cooperative Education Program.
14. (14) Intern--A post-secondary school student who is employed for a specific length of time.
15. (15) Institution--Any public senior (four-year) college or university of higher education as certified by the Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System in accordance with the Education Code, §61.003.

16. (16) Minority student--A person who has racial or ethnic identification with one of the following groups:

    1. (A) Black--All persons having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa (not of Hispanic origin).
    2. (B) Hispanic--All persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
    3. (C) Asian or Pacific Islander--All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa.
    4. (D) American Indian/Alaskan Native--All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
17. (17) Stipend--A monthly amount of financial assistance based on financial need which is determined by the financial aid or scholarship office at the student's educational institution.
18. (18) Student cooperative program performance evaluation--The department's employment evaluation form used to evaluate college cooperative students.
19. (19) Student intern program performance evaluation--The department's employment evaluation form used to evaluate interns.
20. (20) Texas resident--A person qualifying as a Texas resident as defined by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule.

Source Note:The provisions of this §4.21 adopted to be effective September 16, 1994, 19 TexReg 6919; amended to be effective December 22, 1995, 20 TexReg 10391.