(1)The Commander of the Air University may, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe, confer appropriate degrees upon persons who meet the requirements for those degrees in the Resident College of the United States Air Force Institute of Technology.
(2)The authority under this subsection to confer a degree is effective only during a period when the United States Air Force Institute of Technology is accredited with respect to the award of that degree by a nationally recognized accreditation association or authority.
(b) Civilian Faculty.—
(1)The Secretary of the Air Force may employ as many civilian faculty members at the United States Air Force Institute of Technology as is consistent with the needs of the Air Force and with Department of Defense personnel limits.
(A)titles and duties of civilian members of the faculty; and
(B)pay of civilian members of the faculty, notwithstanding chapter
53 of title
5, but subject to the limitation set out in section
5373 of title
5.
(c) Reimbursement.—
(1)The Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of Homeland Security shall bear the cost of the instruction at the Air Force Institute of Technology that is received by members of the armed forces detailed for that instruction by the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Homeland Security, respectively.
(2)Members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard may only be detailed for instruction at the Institute on a space-available basis.
(3)In the case of an enlisted member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard permitted to receive instruction at the Institute, the Secretary of the Air Force shall charge that member only for such costs and fees as the Secretary considers appropriate (taking into consideration the admission of enlisted members on a space-available basis).
(d) Acceptance of Research Grants.—
(1)The Secretary of the Air Force may authorize the Commandant of the United States Air Force Institute of Technology to accept qualifying research grants. Any such grant may only be accepted if the work under the grant is to be carried out by a professor or instructor of the Institute for a scientific, literary, or educational purpose.
(2)A qualifying research grant under this subsection is a grant that is awarded on a competitive basis by an entity referred to in paragraph (3) for a research project with a scientific, literary, or educational purpose.
(3)A grant may be accepted under this subsection only from a corporation, fund, foundation, educational institution, or similar entity that is organized and operated primarily for scientific, literary, or educational purposes.
(4)The Secretary shall establish an account for administering funds received as research grants under this section. The Commandant of the Institute shall use the funds in the account in accordance with applicable provisions of the regulations and the terms and condition of the grants received.
(5)Subject to such limitations as may be provided in appropriations Acts, appropriations available for the Institute may be used to pay expenses incurred by the Institute in applying for, and otherwise pursuing, the award of qualifying research grants.
(6)The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this subsection.