Additional
Evaluation Considerations
In
scoring the selection criteria
of applicants, Committee members may take into account the following:
Medical
Challenges, Isolation Caused by Geography or Severe Social Disruption
These
factors may be considered to the extent that they hamper an applicant’s
ability to communicate their merit to the Committee or participate in certain
activities that might normally be included in the applicant's record.
Age
Although
most recipients will likely fall between the ages of 14 and 28, there is no
absolute minimum or maximum age requirement for either eligibility or required
achievement. The Committee may,
however, take age into account insofar as it is necessary to address–
Economic Need
Economic need qua economic need is not considered for Merit Awards. [1] Economic need may, however, be weighed in awarding other scholarships and assistance specifically identified as Need Awards, in a manner dictated by whatever guidelines the Board shall see fit to impose in advance of the Award offering. Economic need may also be considered when evaluating the skill and polish demonstrated by an applicant in using the resources available to submit their application (e.g. a poor typewriter or an inability to purchase the most preferable materials for demonstrating a talent).
Medical Need
When economic need is an acceptable consideration, medical
challenges may be considered as part of economic need.
Although race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and world view may not be
assigned inherent significance in selecting recipients, the effects of demonstrable
and compelling incidents of persecution or discrimination personally suffered
by an applicant as a result of their inherent characteristics may be factored
into evaluations of economic need.
[2]
Race,
Gender, Ethnicity, National Origin, Religion, Worldview
These
characteristics are not considered to the advantage or disadvantage of
applicants, except where relevant to demonstrating objective and meritorious
achievement.
[3]
Random Selection
The Committee may, in its discretion, decide that two or more applicants are so close in their level of merit that any decision would be within the margin of error and a meaningful meritorious distinction cannot reliably be identified. In such an event, a random process should be used to select the applicant(s) for the limited available slot(s) of assistance. The Committee retains discretion in determining whether to notify applicants or the public about use of the random process.
[1]
For any
award of any kind, however, including Merit, Need, or Talent Awards, the General
Selection Committee or the Board may, by majority vote, reduce or eliminate
the amount of monetary benefit bestowed upon an individual applicant who has
been selected for the award, if in their judgment it appears the recognized
individual is already well-positioned financially for pursuing additional
education. Quaqua will try to avoid bestowing a monetary benefit which would merely constitute
an obvious and unnecessary windfall (e.g. recognition without any payment except incidental costs would likely be appropriate for an outstanding applicant who had access to a family fortune or to enough scholarship funds to fully support their education). Funds
distributed away from an unusually wealthy applicant would in the discretion
of the Board be directed to an additional Merit, Need, or Talent Award, to
be given that year or in a subsequent year, named “With Appreciation
to” the successfully-recognized applicant possessed of unusual wealth.
The Committee may in its discretion require applicants or selected
recipients to disclose financial information needed to prevent unnecessary
economic windfalls, in order to ensure that optimal use is made of Quaqua's
financial resources.
[2]
For example,
the Committee could consider the plight of a hypothetical applicant who had
personally been denied access to a library on account of skin color.
[3] It would, for example, be permissible to consider the fact that a Jewish applicant had overcome contemporary, identifiable, unmistakable, compelling incidents of governmental or community persecution personally directed against that applicant because of their Jewish identity, if the applicant’s response was particularly noteworthy. For example, the applicant might demonstrate unusual character or act to significantly advance enjoyment of a civil liberty listed in Quaqua's By-Laws.