[Federal Register: September 24, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 186)] [Notices] [Page 50005] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [[Page 50005]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No.: 84.015] National Resource Centers Program for Foreign Language and Area Studies or Foreign Language and International Studies and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 1997 Purpose of Program: The National Resource Centers Program makes awards to institutions of higher education for general assistance in strengthening nationally recognized centers of excellence in foreign language and area or international studies. National Resource Centers awards are used to support undergraduate centers or comprehensive centers, which include undergraduate, graduate, and professional school components. The Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program makes awards to institutions of higher education for fellowship assistance to meritorious students undergoing graduate training in modern foreign languages and related area or international studies. Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship monies are used to support academic year and summer fellowships. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, public and private, or combinations of those institutions. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 4, 1996. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 3, 1997. Applications Available: September 27, 1996. Available Funds: For FY 1997 the Administration has requested $19,035,400 for new awards under the National Resource Centers Program and $13,400,000 for the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program. However, the actual level of funding is contingent on final congressional action. Estimated Range of Awards: $125,000 to $225,000 for the National Resource Centers Program. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $173,050 for the National Resource Centers Program. Estimated Number of Awards: 110 grant awards for the National Resource Centers Program; for the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program 580 academic year fellowships and 300 summer fellowships. It is anticipated that 130 institutions will receive grants of fellowship allocations. Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program Cost-of- Education Allowance: For the new grant cycle, student subsistence allowance levels will be $10,000 for an academic year fellowship and $2,400 for a summer fellowship. Institutional payments in lieu of tuition will be $10,000 for an academic year fellowship and $3,600 for a summer fellowship. Summer fellowships to be used on campuses other than that of the student's home institution may also include travel awards of $1,000 or the actual cost of travel, whichever is less. The amount of the award will not include allowances for dependents. Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program budgets should, therefore, reflect costs of $20,000 per academic year fellowship, $6,000 per summer fellowship requested, and summer travel awards, if requested. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: 36 months, beginning August 15, 1997. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 85, and 86; (b) The regulations in 34 CFR Part 655; and (c) The final regulations as published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, which will be codified in 34 CFR Parts 656 and 657. Priorities for National Resource Centers Absolute Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and 34 CFR 656.23(a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(4), the Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the following priority. The Secretary funds under this program only applications that meet this absolute priority: Projects that include teacher training activities on the language, languages, area studies, or general topic of the center. Invitational Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) the Secretary is particularly interested in applications that meet the following invitational priorities. However, an application that meets these invitational priorities does not receive competitive or absolute preference over other applications: Projects that include the following activities: (1) Development and implementation of plans for evaluating and improving foreign language programs in ways compatible with developing national standards. (2) Summer intensive language programs that are conducted in cooperation with other institutions of higher education and offer instruction providing the equivalent of a full academic year's work in language training. (3) Special library projects for acquiring or cataloging, or both, unique collections carried out in cooperation with other institutions of higher education. (4) Initiating or strengthening linkages between language and area studies programs and professional disciplines, including, but not limited to, business, education, forestry, hotel management, journalism, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public administration, public health, and social work. (5) Developing new courses or curricula in disciplines and issues that are currently underrepresented in the Center's basic program. Page Limits for the Application Narrative: 35 pages for a single institution application; 45 pages for a consortium application. FOR Applications or Information Contact: Cheryl Gibbs, Karla Ver Bryck Block, or Sara West, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Suite 600-B, Portals Building, Washington, D.C. 20202- 5331. Telephone (202) 401-9798. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; on the Internet Gopher Server (at gopher:// gcs.ed.gov/); or on the World Wide Web (at http://gcs.ed.gov). However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1122. Dated: September 18, 1996. David A. Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 96-24461 Filed 9-23-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P