(1) "Authority" means the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, acting as the Educational Facilities Authority for Private Nonprofit Institutions of Higher Learning and serving ex officio.

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(2) "Project" means any land or any interest therein, one or more structures, buildings, additions, extensions, improvements, or other facilities, whether or not located on the same site or contiguous sites, machinery, equipment, furnishings, and other real or personal property necessary, suitable, or convenient for the instruction of students, the conducting of research, the operation of an institution for higher learning, or the orderly conduct of the affairs of an institution for higher learning, and shall include, without limitation, dormitories or other housing facilities, including housing facilities for student nurses, dining halls, student union facilities, administration or office facilities, academic facilities, libraries, laboratories, research facilities, classrooms, athletic facilities, health care facilities, and maintenance, storage, or utility facilities, and shall also include, without limitation, all necessary, convenient, or related landscaping, site preparation, furniture, equipment, furnishings, machinery, apparatus, appliances, appurtenances, and physical amenities, but shall not include any facility used or to be used for sectarian instruction or as a place of religious worship or any facility which is used or to be used primarily in connection with any part of the program of a school or department of divinity for any religious denomination.

(3) "Cost", as applied to a project or any portion thereof, means all or any part of the cost of construction, acquisition, alteration, enlargement, reconstruction, improvement, and remodeling of a project including, without limitation, all lands, structures, real or personal property, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, easements, and interests acquired or used for or in connection with a project; the cost of demolishing, removing, or relocating any buildings or structures, including the cost of acquiring any lands or interests therein to which such buildings or structures may be moved; the cost of all machinery, fixed and moveable equipment, apparatus, appliances, and furnishings; financing charges and interest prior to, during, and for a period of not more than two years after the estimated date of completion of construction and acquisition of a project; provisions for working capital and reserves for principal and interest and for extensions, enlargements, additions, and improvements; the cost of architectural, engineering, planning, financial, consulting and legal service, plans, specifications, studies, surveys, estimates of cost and of revenues, administrative expenses, expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility of practicability of constructing or acquiring a project; such other expenses as may be necessary or incident to the construction or acquisition of a project, the financing of such construction or acquisition and the placing of a project in operation; the cost of issuing bonds including, without limitation, legal and accounting fees and expenses, printing costs, and all other costs incurred in connection with issuing bonds; monies necessary to refinance or refund any indebtedness of any participating institution for higher learning incurred at any time for the purpose of providing a project; and the costs of reimbursing any participating institution for higher learning for any amounts expended for items that would have been proper costs of a project within the meaning of this definition had the expenditure been made directly by the authority.

(4) "Bonds" means revenue bonds of the authority issued under the provisions of this chapter, including revenue refunding bonds, notwithstanding that the same may be secured by a mortgage or the full faith and credit of a participating institution for higher learning or any other lawfully pledged security of a participating institution for higher learning.

(5) "Institution for higher learning" means a nonprofit educational institution within the State authorized by law to provide a program of education beyond the high school level and which does not receive state financial support, but shall not include any state-supported institution.

(6) "Participating institution for higher learning" means an institution for higher learning which, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, undertakes the financing and construction or acquisition of a project or undertakes the refunding or refinancing of bonds or obligations or of a mortgage or advances as provided in this chapter.

(7) "Financing agreement" means any agreement entered into by and between the authority and any one or more participating institutions for higher learning for the purpose of assisting a participating institution for higher learning in undertaking a project pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and pursuant to which the participating institution or institutions for higher learning agree to pay to (and to secure if so required) the authority or to any assignee thereof, the sums required to meet the payment of amounts due with respect to any bonds including, without limitation, an agreement whereby the authority shall lease or sell a project to a participating institution for higher learning or any agreement whereby the authority shall loan the proceeds of bonds to a participating institution for higher learning.