N.Y. Education Law § 601: Definitions

§ 601. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall

have the following meanings unless otherwise specified:

1. "President" shall mean the president of the New York state higher

education services corporation.

2. "College" shall mean any institution of higher education,

recognized and approved by the regents of the university of the state of

New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a

post-secondary degree or diploma.

3. "Vocational institution" shall mean a business, trade, technical or

other occupational school approved as such by the regents of the

university of the state of New York or accredited by a nationally

recognized accrediting agency or association accepted as such by the

regents of the state of New York.

4. "Approved program", for the purpose of determining a student's

eligibility for awards provided in articles thirteen and fourteen of

this chapter and subject to specific modification by sections of such

articles, shall mean the following programs of study approved by the

commissioner pursuant to this article in accordance with rules of the

board of regents and registered by the state education department in

accordance with regulations of the commissioner or, where applicable,

registered by the state department of health and forwarded to the state

education department: (1) collegiate level programs leading to a degree,

or programs leading to a diploma or certificate that are fully

creditable towards a degree program in that institution; (2) study and

training programs offered by a hospital school, a community college, a

unit of the state university of New York, a unit of the city university

of New York, or an institution chartered by the regents or by the

legislature for the purpose of granting degrees, leading to licensure as

a professional registered or practical nurse or to certification in an

area of medical or health technology; and (3) two-year programs offered

in a registered private business school.

5. "Children" as referenced in subdivision four of section six hundred

four and sections six hundred eight, six hundred eight-a, six hundred

sixty-eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-b, six hundred sixty-eight-d and

six hundred sixty-eight-e of this title shall mean: (a) birth children,

adopted children, stepchildren who survive an individual, or children

for whom an individual was a legal guardian, and (b) other children

related by blood, adoption or marriage to an individual for whom such

individual had assumed and was exercising custody and care as of the

date of such individual's death.

6. "Impact area" as referenced in sections six hundred eight and six

hundred sixty-eight-d of this title shall mean the secure zone

established by the city of New York surrounding the world trade center

and the crash sites during the period that disasters were declared or

rescue and recovery efforts were underway.

7. "Financial dependent" as referenced in sections six hundred four,

six hundred eight, six hundred eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-b, six

hundred sixty-eight-d and six hundred sixty-eight-e of this title shall

mean a person who is dependent for his or her support upon an

individual, other than one who was involved in, supported, or was

responsible for the act or acts of terrorism or other intentional act or

acts that caused such death, injury or illness, who has died or become

severely and permanently disabled as described in such sections,

provided that a person shall be considered a financial dependent and

shall be eligible for awards pursuant to these sections upon a showing

of unilateral dependence or mutual interdependence upon such individual,

which may be evidenced by a nexus of factors, including but not limited

to common ownership of property, common householding, shared budgeting

and the length of the relationship between the financial dependent and

such individual.