The Authority is hereby authorized and empowered:

(1)        To fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect fees for its acts and undertakings.

(2)        To establish rules and regulations concerning its acts and undertakings.

(3)        To acquire, hold and dispose of personal property in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties.

(4)        To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this Article.

(5)        To employ, upon approval by the President of The University of North Carolina or his or her designee, consultants, attorneys, financial professionals, liaison personnel, clerical staff, and other employees and agents as may be necessary and to fix their compensation from any funds made available to the Authority through appropriations by the General Assembly, the availability of receipts, or both.

(6)        To receive and accept from any federal or private agency, corporation, association or person grants to be expended in accomplishing the objectives of the Authority, and to receive and accept from the State, from any municipality, county or other political subdivision thereof and from any other source aid or contributions of either money, property, or other things of value, to be held, used and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions may be made.

(7)        To sue and to be sued; to have a seal and to alter the same at its pleasure; and to make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations not inconsistent with law to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the Authority.

(8)        To do all other acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted in this Article; provided, however, that nothing in this Article shall be construed to empower the Authority to engage in the business of banking or insurance.

(9)        To collect loan repayments for loans awarded under the Teaching Fellows Program pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-363.23A if the loan repayment is outstanding for more than 30 days.

(10)      To collect loan repayments for loans awarded from the Scholarship Loan Fund for Prospective Teachers pursuant to Article 32A of Chapter 115C of the N.C. Gen. Stat. if the loan repayment is outstanding for more than 30 days.

(11)      To administer the awarding of scholarship grants to students attending nonpublic schools as provided in Part 2A of Article 39 of Chapter 115C of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

(12)      To administer the coordinated and centralized process for determining residency for tuition and State-funded financial aid purposes that is jointly developed and implemented by The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Community College System, and the Authority, in consultation with the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.

(13)      To collect loan repayments for scholarship loans awarded under the former Principal Fellows Program pursuant to Article 5C of this Chapter if the loan repayment is outstanding for more than 30 days. ?(1965, c. 1180, s. 1; 2002-126, s. 9.2(f); 2011-266, s. 1.38(b); 2013-360, ss. 8.29(d), 11.9; 2016-57, s. 2(c); 2019-60, s. 1(u); 2021-180, s. 8A.4(b).)