                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SOIL SCIENTIST SCHOLARSHIPS (§ 23.1-615)

A. The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Board of Visitors may
establish up to 20 annual soil scientist scholarships for Virginia students in
an amount equal to tuition and mandatory fees at Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University.

B. Each scholarship award shall be made upon such basis, competitive or
otherwise, as is determined by the president or other proper officer of the
institution of higher education (institution) that the applicant plans to
attend, with due regard to the scholastic achievements, character, and
adaptability of the applicant to the service contemplated under such award. No
award shall be made unless the applicant possesses the requisite qualifications.

C. Each such scholarship shall be awarded for a single award year and may be
renewed annually for up to three additional award years upon a showing of
satisfactory progress.

D. Before any such scholarship is awarded, the applicant shall agree in a signed
written contract to pursue soil science at the institution at which the
scholarship is awarded until his graduation and, upon graduating, to promptly
begin and engage continuously as a soil scientist as an employee of the
Commonwealth for as many years as he was a beneficiary of such scholarship,
unless no such suitable vacancy exists as an employee of the Commonwealth, in
which case the obligation of such contract shall be discharged by being
continuously engaged in the Commonwealth as a soil scientist as an employee of a
local, state, or federal government agency for as many years as he was a
beneficiary of such scholarship. The contract shall contain such other
provisions as Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University deems
necessary to accomplish the purposes of the scholarship. In the event that the
holder of any awarded soil scientist scholarship dies while receiving
instruction under such a scholarship, any balance unpaid and agreed to be repaid
by the holder of such scholarship shall be deemed paid, and no liability shall
be attached to his estate.

E. Such contract shall contain a clause under which the applicant shall be
relieved of his obligation to serve the Commonwealth as a soil scientist, for a
period equal to that during which he was a beneficiary of such scholarship, at
any time that he (i) fails to maintain a scholastic standard at least equal to
the standard required of the general student body at such institution or (ii)
becomes permanently disabled and is not able to engage in the profession of soil
scientist, upon certification by a faculty committee. Any applicant so relieved
shall arrange to reimburse the Commonwealth for the amount received on account
of such scholarship plus interest on such amount computed at the prevailing rate
charged on student loans at the institution attended by the applicant. Any
applicant who so reimburses the Commonwealth and subsequently fulfills the terms
of his contract by completing his studies and serving the Commonwealth as a soil
scientist for a period equal to that during which he received such scholarship
shall be reimbursed from the general fund of the state treasury the amount of
the scholarship and interest previously repaid to the Commonwealth. This
reimbursement shall be made on any contract made under the provisions of this
subsection.

F. All funds repaid by any applicant pursuant to subsection E shall be paid into
the state treasury and shall become a part of the general fund. The governing
board of the institution attended by the applicant shall collect such payments
and shall pay all moneys so received into the state treasury promptly. If any
applicant fails to abide by the terms of such contract, such fact shall be
communicated to the Attorney General by the proper officer of the institution or
by the employing state agency. The Attorney General shall take such action as he
deems proper.

G. The funds making up each scholarship shall be paid to the recipient or
applied toward the payment of his expenses at the relevant institution in such a
manner and at such a time during the academic year as the president or other
proper officer determines.

H. There is appropriated to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
from the general fund of the state treasury the sum of $8,000 each year of the
biennium for carrying out the purpose of this section.

HISTORY: 1970, c. 620, §§ 23-38.3, 23-38.4, 23-38.5, 23-38.6, 23-38.7,
23-38.9, 23-38.10; 1972, c. 188; 2016, c. 588.