§ 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.