II 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1857 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 23, 2007 Mr. Warner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To establish a digital and wireless network technology program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Minority Serving Institutions for Advanced Technology and Education Act.

2.

Purposes

The purposes of the program under this Act are to— (1)strengthen the ability of eligible institutions to provide capacity for instruction in digital and wireless network technologies; and (2)strengthen the national digital and wireless infrastructure by increasing national investment in telecommunications and technology infrastructure at eligible institutions.

3.

Definition of eligible institution

In this Act, the term eligible institution means an institution that is— (1)a historically Black college or university that is a part B institution, as defined in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061); (2)a Hispanic-serving institution, as defined in section 502(a) of such Act; (3)a Tribal College or University, as defined in section 316(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)); (4)an Alaska Native-serving institution, as defined in section 317(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)); (5)a Native Hawaiian-serving institution, as defined in section 317(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)); or (6)an institution determined by the Secretary to have enrolled a substantial number of minority, low-income students during the previous academic year who received a Federal Pell Grant for that year.

3A.

Definition of secretary

In this Act, the term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.

4.

Minority serving institutions for advanced technology and education

(a)

Grants authorized

(1)

In general

The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible institutions to enable the eligible institutions to carry out the activities described in subsection (d). (2)

Grant period

The Secretary may award a grant to an eligible institution under this Act for a period of not more than 5 years. (b)

Application and review procedure

(1)

In general

To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, an eligible institution shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. The application shall include— (A)a program of activities for carrying out 1 or more of the purposes described in section 2; and (B)such other policies, procedures, and assurances as the Secretary may require by regulation. (2)

Regulations

After consultation with appropriate individuals with expertise in technology and education, the Secretary shall establish a procedure by which to accept and review such applications and publish an announcement of such procedure, including a statement regarding the availability of funds, in the Federal Register. (3)

Application review criteria

The application review criteria used by the Secretary for grants under this Act shall include consideration of— (A)demonstrated need for assistance under this Act; and (B)diversity among the types of eligible institutions receiving assistance under this Act. (c)

Matching requirement

(1)

In general

An eligible institution that receives a grant under this Act shall agree that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the institution in carrying out the program for which the grant is awarded, such institution will make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the amount of the grant awarded by the Secretary, or $500,000, whichever is the lesser amount. (2)

Waiver

The Secretary shall waive the matching requirement for any eligible institution with no endowment, or an endowment that has a current dollar value as of the time of the application of less than $50,000,000. (d)

Uses of funds

An eligible institution shall use a grant awarded under this Act— (1)to acquire equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, digital network technology, wireless technology, and infrastructure; (2)to develop and provide educational services, including faculty development, related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; (3)to provide teacher preparation and professional development, library and media specialist training, and early childhood educator and teacher aide certification or licensure to individuals who seek to acquire or enhance technology skills in order to use technology in the classroom or instructional process to improve student achievement; (4)to form consortia or collaborative projects with a State, State educational agency, local educational agency, community-based organization, national nonprofit organization, or business, including a minority business, to provide education regarding technology in the classroom; (5)to provide professional development in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to administrators and faculty of eligible institutions with institutional responsibility for technology education; (6)to provide capacity-building technical assistance to eligible institutions through remote technical support, technical assistance workshops, distance learning, new technologies, and other technological applications; and (7)to foster the use of information communications technology to increase scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical instruction and research. (e)

Data collection

An eligible institution that receives a grant under this Act shall provide the Secretary with any relevant institutional statistical or demographic data requested by the Secretary. (f)

Information dissemination

The Secretary shall convene an annual meeting of eligible institutions receiving grants under this Act for the purposes of— (1)fostering collaboration and capacity-building activities among eligible institutions; and (2)disseminating information and ideas generated by such meetings. (g)

Limitation

An eligible institution that receives a grant under this Act that exceeds $2,500,000 shall not be eligible to receive another grant under this Act until every other eligible institution that has applied for a grant under this Act has received such a grant.

5.

Annual report and evaluation

(a)

Annual report required from recipients

Each eligible institution that receives a grant under this Act shall provide an annual report to the Secretary on the eligible institution's use of the grant. (b)

Evaluation by secretary

The Secretary shall— (1)review the reports provided under subsection (a) each year; and (2)evaluate the program authorized under this Act on the basis of those reports every 2 years. (c)

Contents of evaluation

The Secretary, in the evaluation under subsection (b), shall— (1)describe the activities undertaken by the eligible institutions that receive grants under this Act; and (2)assess the short-range and long-range impact of activities carried out under the grant on the students, faculty, and staff of the institutions. (d)

Report to congress

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report on the program supported under this Act to the authorizing committees that shall include such recommendations, including recommendations concerning the continuing need for Federal support of the program, as may be appropriate.

6.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.