 
      CHAPTER 28--HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE
 
                    SUBCHAPTER III--INSTITUTIONAL AID
 
                       Part F--General Provisions
 
Sec. 1068b. Application review process


(a) Review panel

    (1) All applications submitted under this subchapter by institutions 
of higher education shall be read by a panel of readers composed of 
individuals selected by the Secretary. The Secretary shall assure that 
no individual assigned under this section to review any application has 
any conflict of interest with regard to the application which might 
impair the impartiality with which the individual conducts the review 
under this section.
    (2) The Secretary shall take care to assure that representatives of 
historically and predominantly Black colleges, Hispanic institutions, 
Tribal Colleges and Universities, and institutions with substantial 
numbers of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Native 
American Pacific Islanders (including Native Hawaiians) are included as 
readers.
    (3) All readers selected by the Secretary shall receive thorough 
instruction from the Secretary regarding the evaluation process for 
applications submitted under this subchapter and consistent with the 
provisions of this subchapter, including--
        (A) explanations and examples of the types of activities 
    referred to in section 1057(b) of this title that should receive 
    special consideration for grants awarded under part A of this 
    subchapter and of the types of activities referred to in section 
    1062 of this title that should receive special consideration for 
    grants awarded under part B of this subchapter;
        (B) an enumeration of the factors to be used to determine the 
    quality of applications submitted under this subchapter; and
        (C) an enumeration of the factors to be used to determine 
    whether a grant should be awarded for a project under this 
    subchapter, the amount of any such grant, and the duration of any 
    such grant.

(b) Recommendations of panel

    In awarding grants under this subchapter, the Secretary shall take 
into consideration the recommendations of the panel made under 
subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Notification

    Not later than June 30 of each year, the Secretary shall notify each 
institution of higher education making an application under this 
subchapter of--
        (1) the scores given the applicant by the panel pursuant to this 
    section;
        (2) the recommendations of the panel with respect to such 
    application; and
        (3) the reasons for the decision of the Secretary in awarding or 
    refusing to award a grant under this subchapter, and any 
    modifications, if any, in the recommendations of the panel made by 
    the Secretary.

(d) Exclusion

    The provisions of this section shall not apply to applications 
submitted under part D of this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 89-329, title III, Sec. 393, formerly Sec. 353, as added Pub. 
L. 99-498, title III, Sec. 301(a), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1305; 
renumbered Sec. 393 and amended Pub. L. 105-244, title III, 
Secs. 301(a)(2), 308(e), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1636, 1649.)

                          Codification

    Section was formerly classified to section 1068 of this title prior 
to renumbering by Pub. L. 105-244.


                               Amendments

    1998--Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105-244, Sec. 308(e)(1), substituted 
``Tribal Colleges and Universities'' for ``Native American colleges and 
universities''.
    Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105-244, Sec. 308(e)(2), added subsec. (d).


                    Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 105-244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as 
otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105-244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105-244, 
set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.
