§ 1070a–15. Postbaccalaureate achievement program authority

• (a) The Secretary shall carry out a program to be known as the “Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program” that shall be designed to provide disadvantaged college students with effective preparation for doctoral study.
• (b) A project assisted under this section shall provide—
  • (1) opportunities for research or other scholarly activities at the institution or at graduate centers designed to provide students with effective preparation for doctoral study;
  • (2) summer internships;
  • (3) seminars and other educational activities designed to prepare students for doctoral study;
  • (4) tutoring;
  • (5) academic counseling; and
  • (6) activities designed to assist students participating in the project in securing admission to and financial assistance for enrollment in graduate programs.
• (c) A project assisted under this section may provide services such as—
  • (1) education or counseling services designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students, including financial planning for postsecondary education;
  • (2) mentoring programs involving faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of such persons; and
  • (3) exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students.
• (d) In approving applications for projects assisted under this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall require—
  • (1) an assurance that not less than two-thirds of the individuals participating in the project proposed to be carried out under any application be low-income individuals who are first generation college students;
  • (2) an assurance that the remaining persons participating in the project proposed to be carried out be from a group that is underrepresented in graduate education, including—
    • (A) Alaska Natives, as defined in section 7546 of this title ;
    • (B) Native Hawaiians, as defined in section 7517 of this title ; and
    • (C) Native American Pacific Islanders, as defined in section 1059g of this title ;
  • (3) an assurance that participants be enrolled in a degree program at an eligible institution having an agreement with the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of section 1094 of this title ; and
  • (4) an assurance that participants in summer research internships have completed their sophomore year in postsecondary education.
• (e) In addition to such other selection criteria as may be prescribed by regulations, the Secretary shall consider in making awards to institutions under this section—
  • (1) the quality of research and other scholarly activities in which students will be involved;
  • (2) the level of faculty involvement in the project and the description of the research in which students will be involved; and
  • (3) the institution’s plan for identifying and recruiting participants including students enrolled in projects authorized under this section.
• (f) Students participating in research under a project under this section may receive an award that—
  • (1) shall include a stipend not to exceed $2,800 per annum; and
  • (2) may include, in addition, the costs of summer tuition, summer room and board, and transportation to summer programs.
• (g) From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of section 1070a–11(g) of this title , the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, allocate funds for projects authorized by this section in an amount which is not less than $11,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2014.