[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 165 (Friday, August 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50400-50403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14169]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Jacob K. 
Javits Fellowship Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards 
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.170A.


DATES: Applications Available: August 25, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 6, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of the Free Application for Federal 
Student Aid (FAFSA): January 31, 2007.
    Eligible Applicants: Individuals who at the time of application: 
(1) Have not completed their first full year of study for a doctoral 
degree or a master's degree in those fields in which the master's 
degree is the terminal highest degree awarded in the selected field of 
study, or will be entering a doctoral degree program or a master's 
degree program in those fields in which the master's degree is the 
terminal highest degree awarded in the selected field of study in 
academic year 2007-2008; (2) are eligible to receive grant, loan, or 
work assistance pursuant to section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965, 20 U.S.C. 1091, as amended (HEA); and (3) intend to pursue a 
doctoral or master's degree in fields selected by the Jacob K. Javits 
(JKJ) Fellowship Board at accredited U.S. institutions of higher 
education. An individual must be a citizen or national of the United 
States, a permanent resident of the United States, in the United States 
for other than a temporary purpose and intending to become a permanent 
resident, or a citizen of any one of the Freely Associated States.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$1,961,992 for this program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $42,652.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 46.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

[[Page 50401]]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the JKJ Fellowship Program is to 
award fellowships to eligible students of superior ability, selected on 
the basis of demonstrated achievement, financial need, and exceptional 
promise, to undertake graduate study in selected fields in the arts, 
humanities, and social sciences leading to a doctoral degree or to a 
master's degree in those fields in which the master's degree is the 
terminal highest degree awarded in the selected field of study at 
accredited institutions of higher education. The selected fields in the 
arts are: Creative writing, music performance, music theory, music 
composition, music literature, studio arts (including photography), 
television, film, cinematography, theater arts, playwriting, 
screenwriting, acting, and dance. The selected fields in the humanities 
are: American history, art history (including architectural history), 
archeology, area studies, classics, comparative literature, English 
language and literature, folklore, folk life, foreign languages and 
literature, foreign languages that are less commonly taught as follows: 
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Indic family (including 
Hindi, Urdu, Sinhala, Bengali, Nepali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, 
Oriya, Assamese); Iranian family (including Dari, Farsi, Tajiki, 
Kurdish, Pashto, Balochi); and Turkic family (including Turkish, 
Azerbaijani/Azeri, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Uzbek, Uyghur), 
linguistics, non-American history, philosophy, religion (excluding 
study of religious vocation), speech, rhetoric, and debate. The 
selected fields in the social sciences are: Anthropology, 
communications and media, criminology, economics, ethnic and cultural 
studies, geography, political science, psychology (excluding clinical 
psychology), public policy and public administration, and sociology 
(excluding the master's and doctoral degrees in social work).
    Priorities: For FY 2007 these priorities are invitational 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application 
that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute 
preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1

    Within the eligible fields under Humanities, the Secretary is 
particularly interested in receiving applications from students 
studying foreign languages that are less commonly taught as follows: 
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Indic family (including 
Hindi, Urdu, Sinhala, Bengali, Nepali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, 
Oriya, Assamese); Iranian family (including Dari, Farsi, Tajiki, 
Kurdish, Pashto, Balochi); and Turkic family (including Turkish, 
Azerbaijani/Azeri, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Uzbek, Uyghur).

Invitational Priority 2

    Within the eligible fields under Humanities, the Secretary is 
particularly interested in receiving applications from students 
studying non-American history, especially the modern history of the 
Middle East, Asia, India, and Latin America.

Invitational Priority 3

    Within the eligible fields under Social Sciences, the Secretary is 
particularly interested in receiving applications from students 
studying criminology especially as it relates to issues surrounding 
homeland security.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1134-1134d.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75 (except as 
provided in 34 CFR 650.3(b)), 77, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99. (b) 
The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 650.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$1,961,992 for this program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $42,652.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 46.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Individuals who at the time of application: 
(1) Have not completed their first full year of study for a doctoral 
degree or a master's degree in those fields in which the master's 
degree is the terminal highest degree awarded in the selected field of 
study, or will be entering a doctoral degree program or a master's 
degree program in those fields in which the master's degree is the 
terminal highest degree awarded in the selected field of study in 
academic year 2007-2008; (2) are eligible to receive grant, loan, or 
work assistance pursuant to section 484 of the HEA; and (3) intend to 
pursue a doctoral or master's degree in fields selected by the JKJ 
Fellowship Board at accredited U.S. institutions of higher education. 
An individual must be a citizen or national of the United States, a 
permanent resident of the United States, in the United States for other 
than a temporary purpose and intending to become a permanent resident, 
or a citizen of any one of the Freely Associated States.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Web Address to Access Application Package: Applications can only 
be accessed electronically on the JKJ Fellowship Program Web site: 
http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/index.html.
    If you are unable to obtain an electronic copy of the application 
package, you may request a paper copy by contacting the program contact 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII. of 
this notice.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain the application package in 
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or 
computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII. of this notice.

    Note:  The FAFSA may be obtained from the institution of higher 
education's financial aid office or accessed at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.


    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: August 25, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 6, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of the FAFSA: January 31, 2007.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted by 
mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) 
about how to submit your application by mail or hand delivery, please 
refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.

[[Page 50402]]

    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted in paper format by mail or hand 
delivery.
    a. Submission of Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application by mail (through the U.S. Postal 
Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two 
copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the applicable following address:

By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.170A), 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-260, or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.170A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.

    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service,
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note:  The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with 
your local post office.


    b. Submission of Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application by hand delivery, you (or a courier 
service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application, 
by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department 
at the following address:
    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.170A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, 
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter, 
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program have 
been established by the JKJ Program Fellowship Board, pursuant to 
section 702(a)(2) of the HEA and 34 CFR 650.20(a). The selection 
criteria for applications in the humanities and social sciences are--
(a) Statement of purpose (150 points); (b) Letters of recommendation 
(100 points); (c) Academic record (100 points); and (d) Scholarly 
awards/honors (50 points). The selection criteria for applications in 
the arts are--(a) Statement of purpose (100 points); (b) Letters of 
recommendation (100 points); (c) Academic record (50 points); (d) 
Scholarly awards/honors (50 points); and (e) Supporting arts materials 
(100 points).
    2. Review and Selection Process: The review and selection process 
for the JKJ Fellowship Program consists of a two-part process. Eligible 
applications are read and rated by a distinguished panel of scholars 
and academics in the arts, humanities, and social sciences on the basis 
of demonstrated scholarly achievements and exceptional promise. The 
second part of the evaluation is a determination of financial need.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: Successful applicants will be notified by 
telephone and a Grant Award Notification (GAN) will be sent directly to 
the institution the applicant will be attending. Unsuccessful 
applicants will be notified.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN.
    3. Reporting: On an annual basis, fellows are required to submit 
their Student Aid Report to the Javits Program Coordinator at their 
institution as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 650.37. In 
addition, Javits fellows are required to submit an annual performance 
report.
    4. Performance Measures: The effectiveness of the JKJ Fellowship 
Program will be measured by graduate completion rates, time to degree 
completion rates, and the costs per Ph.D of talented graduate students, 
with demonstrated financial need, who are pursuing the highest degree 
available in their designated fields of study. Institutions of higher 
education in which the fellows are enrolled are required to submit an 
annual report documenting the fellows' satisfactory academic progress 
and the determined financial need. Javits fellows are also required to 
submit an annual performance report to assist program staff in tracking 
time-to-degree completion rates, graduation rates, as well as the 
employment status of individual fellows. The Department will use the 
reports to assess the program's success in assisting fellows in 
completing their course of study and receiving their degree.

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen Gordon, Jacob K. Javits 
Fellowship Program, U.S. Department of Education, Teacher and Student 
Development Service, 1990 K St., NW., suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-
8524. Telephone: (202) 502-7542 or by e-mail: [email protected].If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this 
section.

[[Page 50403]]

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note:  The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: August 22, 2006.
James F. Manning,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. E6-14169 Filed 8-24-06; 8:45 am]
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