In addition to the powers granted by other provisions of this article, the board shall have the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes, objectives, and provisions of this article, the purposes and objectives of the trust, and the powers delegated by other laws or executive orders, including, but not limited to, the power to:

(1) Invest any money of the trust fund only in general obligations of the United States or of subsidiary corporations of the United States government fully guaranteed by such government, or to obligations issued by the Federal Land Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank, Federal Intermediate Credit Bank, Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Farm Credit Banks, or to tax-exempt obligations issued by any state, county, municipal corporation, district, or political subdivision, or civil division or public instrumentality of any such government or unit of such government, or to the units of any unit investment trusts the assets of which are exclusively invested in obligations of the type described above, or to the shares of any mutual fund the investments of which are limited to securities of the type described above and distributions from which are treated for federal income tax purposes in the same manner as the interest on said obligations, provided that at the time of investment such obligations or the obligations held by any such unit investment trust or the obligations held or to be acquired by any such mutual fund are limited to obligations which are rated within one of the top two rating categories of any nationally recognized rating service or any rating service recognized by the commissioner of banking and finance, and no others;

(2) Pay money to state institutions of higher education from the trust;

(3) Impose reasonable residency requirements for qualified beneficiaries;

(4) Impose reasonable limits on the number of participants in the trust;

(5) Segregate contributions and payments to the trust fund into various accounts and funds;

(6) Contract for goods and services and engage personnel as is necessary and engage the services of private consultants, actuaries, managers, legal counsel, and auditors for rendering professional, management, and technical assistance and advice, payable out of any money of the trust fund;

(7) Solicit and accept gifts, grants, loans, and other aid from any person or the federal, state, or a local government or any agency of the federal, state, or a local government or to participate in any other way in any federal, state, or local government program;

(8) Charge, impose, and collect administrative fees and charges in connection with any transaction and to provide for reasonable penalties, including default, for delinquent payment of fees or charges or for fraud; (9) Procure insurance against any loss in connection with the trust's property, assets, or activities;

(10) Bring actions and defend actions; have a seal and alter the same at pleasure; have perpetual succession; make, execute, and deliver contracts, conveyances, and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers; and make and amend bylaws;

(11) Enter into contracts on behalf of the state;

(12) Administer the funds of the trust;

(13) Indemnify or procure insurance indemnifying any member of the board from personal loss or accountability from liability resulting from a member's action or inaction as a member of the board, including, but not limited to, liability asserted by a person on any bonds or notes of the trust;

(14) Impose reasonable time limits on use of the tuition benefits provided by the trust, if the limits are made a part of the contract;

(15) Define the terms and conditions under which money may be withdrawn from the trust, including, but not limited to, reasonable charges and fees for any such withdrawal, if the terms and conditions are made a part of the contract;

(16) Provide for receiving contributions in lump sums or periodic sums;

(17) Establish policies, procedures, and eligibility criteria to implement this article; and

(18) Enter into arrangements with Georgia institutions of higher education for the trust to offer on behalf of the institution advance tuition payment contracts under which the Georgia institution of higher education will be contractually obligated to provide a beneficiary under the contract with credit hours of higher education in addition to those required for a baccalaureate degree.