H.B. No. 736

AN ACT

relating to online information and resources regarding public institutions of higher education and career schools and colleges.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51.9745 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.9745. INTERNET ACCESS TO FACULTY INFORMATION. (a) Each general academic teaching institution, as defined by Section 61.003, shall make available to the public on the institution's Internet website the following information for the institution:

(1) the student/faculty ratio;

(2) the percentage of all full-time equivalent faculty members with teaching responsibility who are tenured or tenure track;

(3) the percentage of semester credit hours taken by students classified as freshmen or sophomores that are taught by tenured and tenure track faculty members;

(4) the number of faculty members in each of the following faculty ranks, including a breakdown for each rank showing the numbers of faculty members by race, ethnicity, and gender:

(A) professor;

(B) associate professor;

(C) assistant professor;

(D) instructor;

(E) nontenured or nontenure track; and

(F) teaching assistant;

(5) average faculty salaries by rank;

(6) the amount of money appropriated by the legislature per full-time equivalent faculty member and full-time equivalent student;

(7) the total revenue the institution spent per full-time equivalent faculty member and full-time equivalent student;

(8) the amount of federal and private research expenditures per tenured or tenure track full-time equivalent faculty member;

(9) the number and percentage of faculty members holding extramural research grants;

(10) the number and names of awards to faculty members from nationally recognized entities, including those identified by The Center for Measuring University Performance; and

(11) the number of endowed professorships or chairs.

(b) Each institution to which this section applies shall update the information required by Subsection (a) for the preceding academic or fiscal year, as applicable, not later than December 31 of each year.

(c) The administrator designated under Section 51.974 by an institution to which this section applies is responsible for ensuring implementation of this section. The administrator may assign duties under this section to one or more administrative employees.

(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt rules necessary to administer this section, including rules to ensure the consistency of information made available under this section.

SECTION 2. Section 51A.002, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(b) The coordinating board shall:

(1) request from each institution of higher education to which this chapter applies any information the coordinating board considers necessary for the coordinating board to include information or calculate data required to be included in the institution's resume;

(2) establish for each institution of higher education to which this chapter applies a list of representative in-state and out-of-state peer institutions and maintain that list on the coordinating board's Internet website;

(3) ensure that each of an institution of higher education's online resumes:

(A) is available to the public on the coordinating board's Internet website, in a one-page format if possible, and is accessible through a link that appears [in a prominent place] on the first frame of the coordinating board's Internet website home page in a font that is larger than the font of the majority of the text on the home page;

(B) uses enhanced, user-friendly search capabilities to ensure that the information required to be included in the resume is easily accessible to the persons for whom the resume is designed; and

(C) includes a clearly identifiable link to information on the coordinating board's Internet website regarding the coordinating board's higher education accountability system; and

(4) ensure that the information provided in each resume is accurate and up to date and includes the most recent data available for out-of-state peer institutions.

(e) The data relating to student loans, grants, or scholarships included by the coordinating board on an institution's resume under this subchapter must be the same as that published in regard to the institution by the United States Department of Education on its "College Navigator" website, or a successor or related website maintained by the United States Department of Education.

SECTION 3. Section 51A.003, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 51A.003. DUTIES OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION RELATING TO INSTITUTION RESUMES. Each institution of higher education to which this chapter applies shall:

(1) submit to the coordinating board any information requested by the coordinating board as necessary for the coordinating board to include information or calculate data required to be included in the institution's resumes; and

(2) ensure that the first frame of the institution's Internet website home page includes, in a font that is larger than the font of the majority of the text on the home page [prominent place], an accessible link to the institution's online resumes maintained on the coordinating board's Internet website.

SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 51A, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51A.004 to read as follows:

Sec. 51A.004. LINK TO FEDERAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION. An institution may satisfy a requirement of this chapter relating to student loan, grant, or scholarship information by linking the online resume of the institution to that information as it appears on the website known as "College Navigator," or a successor or related website, maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education.

SECTION 5. Section 51A.052, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(d) The resume must include the following information relating to the institution for the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and compare that information to the same information for the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available by five years:

(1) under the heading "ENROLLMENT":

(A) ["ENROLLMENT,"] the total number of students enrolled in the institution during the fall semester that ended in the fiscal year covered by the resume; and

(B) the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in the institution for the first time during the fall semester that ended in the fiscal year covered by the resume who are transfer students;

(2) under the heading "COSTS":

(A) ["COSTS,"] the average annual total academic costs for a resident undergraduate student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours:

(i) [(A)] at the institution; and

(ii) [(B)] at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions;

(B) the percentage of undergraduate students receiving student loans:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions;

(C) the average annual amount of an undergraduate student's student loans:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions;

(D) the percentage of undergraduate students receiving federal or state grants:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions; and

(E) the average annual amount of federal and state grants received by an undergraduate student:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions;

(3) under the heading "STUDENT SUCCESS":

(A) the retention rate of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking entering undergraduate students:

(i) enrolled in the institution after one academic year and after two academic years; and

(ii) enrolled in the institution's in-state peer institutions after two academic years;

(B) the percentage of undergraduate students requiring developmental education who, after six years from entering the institution, graduated from or are still enrolled in:

(i) the institution; and

(ii) the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(C) the four-year, five-year, and six-year graduation rates of full-time bachelor's degree-seeking students:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions; and

(D) the average number of fall and spring semesters of enrollment attempted by a student to obtain a bachelor's degree:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state peer institutions; and

(4) under the heading "FUNDING":

(A) the total amount of money appropriated by the legislature to the institution, including money appropriated for faculty and staff health coverage and retirement benefits, for that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total amount of money appropriated by the legislature represents; [and]

(B) the total amount of federal funds from all federal sources, including grants and research funds, received by the institution in that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total amount of federal funds represents;

(C) the total academic costs charged to students by the institution in that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total academic costs represent; and

(D) the total amount of money from any source available to the institution in that state fiscal year.

(e) In addition to the information required by Subsection (d)(2), the resume must include under the heading "COSTS" the average annual amount and percentage by which the total academic costs charged to a resident undergraduate student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours have increased in each of the five most recent state fiscal years for which the information is available:

(1) at the institution; and

(2) at the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions.

SECTION 6. Section 51A.053, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(c) Except as otherwise provided by the coordinating board under Subsection (a), the resume must include the following information relating to the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available:

(1) under the heading "ENROLLMENT":

(A) the total number of students enrolled in the institution during the fall semester that ended in the fiscal year covered by the resume; [and]

(B) the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in the institution for the first time during the fall semester that ended in the fiscal year covered by the resume who are transfer students; and

(C) a clearly identifiable link to the information described by Paragraph (A) disaggregated by student ethnicity;

(2) under the heading "DEGREES AWARDED":

(A) the number of bachelor's degrees, number of master's degrees, number of doctoral degrees, and number of professional degrees awarded by the institution; and

(B) a clearly identifiable link to the information described by Paragraph (A) disaggregated by student ethnicity;

(3) under the heading "COSTS":

(A) the average annual total academic costs for a resident undergraduate student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours at the institution;

(B) clearly identifiable links to information regarding:

(i) the rate or rates of tuition per semester credit hour charged by the institution; and

(ii) any mandatory fees, as defined by the coordinating board, imposed by the institution; [and

[(iii) the amount and percentage by which the institution has increased tuition for a degree program or course level during the state fiscal year covered by the resume;]

(C) the average cost of on-campus room and board per student; and

(D) the average cost to a resident undergraduate student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours for total academic costs and on-campus room and board, excluding the cost of books, supplies, transportation, or other expenses;

(4) under the heading "FINANCIAL AID":

(A) the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in the institution who receive need-based grants or scholarships;

(B) the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in the institution who receive need-based grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study funds;

(C) the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in the institution who receive student loans;

(D) the average amount of an undergraduate student's need-based grant and scholarship package; [and]

(E) [(D)] the average amount of an undergraduate student's need-based grant, scholarship, loan, and work-study package; and

(F) the average amount of an undergraduate student's student loans;

(5) under the heading "ADMISSIONS":

(A) the middle 50 percent test score range of first-time undergraduate students at the institution whose Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores were in the 25th to 75th percentile of students' scores at that institution;

(B) the middle 50 percent test score range of first-time undergraduate students at the institution whose American College Test (ACT) scores were in the 25th to 75th percentile of students' scores at that institution; and

(C) the percentage of the students who applied for first-time undergraduate admission to the institution who were offered admission to the institution;

(6) under the heading "INSTRUCTION":

(A) the student/faculty ratio at the institution;

(B) the percentage of organized undergraduate classes offered by the institution in which fewer than 20 students are enrolled;

(C) the percentage of organized undergraduate classes offered by the institution in which more than 50 students are enrolled; and

(D) the percentage of teaching faculty members of the institution who are tenured or tenure-track;

(7) under the heading "BACCALAUREATE SUCCESS":

(A) four-year, five-year, and six-year graduation rates for full-time bachelor's degree-seeking students at the institution, and links to that information disaggregated by student ethnicity; [and]

(B) the average number of fall and spring semesters of enrollment attempted by a student to obtain a bachelor's degree; and

(C) the retention rate of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking entering undergraduate students enrolled in the institution after one academic year and after two academic years;

(8) under the heading "FIRST-TIME LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION PASS RATES," the first-time licensure or certification examination pass rates in the fields of education, law, pharmacy, nursing, and engineering of students enrolled in the institution or who have graduated from the institution; and

(9) under the heading "FUNDING":

(A) the total amount of money appropriated by the legislature to the institution, including money appropriated for faculty and staff health coverage and retirement benefits, for that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total amount of money appropriated by the legislature represents;

(B) the total amount of federal funds from all federal sources, including grants and research funds, received by the institution in that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total amount of federal funds represents;

(C) the total academic costs charged to students by the institution in that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total academic costs represent; and

(D) the total amount of money from any source available to the institution in that state fiscal year.

(d) In addition to the information required by Subsection (c)(3), the resume must include under the heading "COSTS" the average annual amount and percentage by which the total academic costs charged to a resident undergraduate student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours have increased in each of the five most recent state fiscal years for which the information is available:

(1) at the institution; and

(2) at the institution's in-state peer institutions.

SECTION 7. Section 51A.102, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(d) The resume must include the following information relating to the institution for the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and compare that information to the same information for the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available by five years:

(1) under the heading "ENROLLMENT":

(A) ["ENROLLMENT,"] the total number of students enrolled in the institution for course credit during the fall semester that ended in the fiscal year covered by the resume;

(B) the percentage of students enrolled in the institution who are enrolled in one or more developmental education courses; and

(C) the percentage of students enrolled in the institution who are enrolled in one or more dual credit courses;

(2) under the heading "COSTS":

(A) ["COSTS,"] the average annual total academic costs, which for a junior college must include those costs for an in-district and an out-of-district student, for a student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours toward a two-year degree or certificate:

(i) [(A)] at the institution; and

(ii) [(B)] at the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(B) the percentage of students receiving student loans:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(C) the average annual amount of student loans received by a student:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(D) the percentage of students receiving federal or state grants:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state peer institutions; and

(E) the average annual amount of federal and state grants received by a student:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(3) under the heading "STUDENT SUCCESS":

(A) the retention rate of first-time, full-time, credential-seeking entering undergraduate students:

(i) enrolled in the institution after two academic years; and

(ii) enrolled in the institution's in-state peer institutions after two academic years;

(B) the percentage of undergraduate students requiring developmental education who, after three years from entering the institution, graduated from or are still enrolled in:

(i) the institution; and

(ii) the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(C) the three-year, four-year, and six-year graduation rates of full-time credential-seeking students:

(i) at the institution; and

(ii) at the institution's in-state peer institutions;

(D) the percentage of students who transferred to a general academic teaching institution or equivalent institution of higher education, as determined using the accountability system definition of a transfer student:

(i) from the institution; and

(ii) from the institution's in-state peer institutions; and

(E) the percentage of graduates from the preceding academic year who, as of the fall semester that ended in the fiscal year covered by the resume, were either employed or enrolled in a general academic teaching institution or equivalent institution of higher education for:

(i) the institution; and

(ii) the institution's in-state peer institutions; and

(4) under the heading "FUNDING":

(A) the total amount of money appropriated by the legislature to the institution [for that state fiscal year], including money appropriated for faculty and staff health coverage and retirement benefits, for that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total amount of money appropriated by the legislature represents;

(B) the total amount of money from any source available to the institution in that state fiscal year; [and]

(C) the total amount of federal funds from all federal sources, including grants and research funds, received by the institution in that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total amount of federal funds represents;

(D) the total academic costs charged to students by the institution in that state fiscal year and the corresponding percentage of the institution's operating budget for that state fiscal year that the total academic costs represent; and

(E) the tax rate per $100 valuation of taxable property imposed by the junior college district, if the institution is a public junior college.

(e) In addition to the information required by Subsection (d)(2), the resume must include under the heading "COSTS" the average annual amount and percentage by which the total academic costs charged to a student enrolled in 30 semester credit hours toward a two-year degree or certificate have increased in each of the five most recent state fiscal years for which the information is available:

(1) at the institution; and

(2) at the institution's in-state peer institutions.

SECTION 8. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 61.0778 to read as follows:

Sec. 61.0778. ONLINE INFORMATION REGARDING CERTAIN CAREER EDUCATIONAL ENTITIES. (a) In this section, "commission" means the Texas Workforce Commission.

(b) The board and commission jointly shall develop a comprehensive strategy to improve and coordinate the dissemination of online information regarding the operation and performance of career schools or colleges that the board or commission identifies as doing business in this state. As part of the comprehensive strategy, the board and the commission shall compile, share, and compare existing data and other applicable information under the control of each agency and shall organize that information as nearly as possible according to the categories of information required for the online resumes of lower-division public institutions under Section 51A.103. The websites must present information regarding those institutions, schools, and colleges in a manner that is:

(1) to the extent practicable, consistent among the institutions, schools, and colleges; and

(2) easily accessible and readily understandable to the public.

SECTION 9. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 61.09021 to read as follows:

Sec. 61.09021. COMPARISON TOOL. (a) The board shall make available to the public on the board's Internet website a search tool that allows a person to compare general academic teaching institutions that meet certain criteria selected by the person, including offering a particular major or program of study.

(b) The comparison tool required under this section must:

(1) be accessible from the board's Internet website;

(2) allow a user to identify general academic teaching institutions according to selection criteria as determined by the board; and

(3) be accessible to the public without requiring registration or use of a user name, password, or other user identification.

(c) The comparison tool required under this section must generate a comparison chart in a grid format that:

(1) lists the general academic teaching institutions that match a user's search criteria; and

(2) provides information for each institution listed that the board has determined would aid a prospective student in evaluating the institution.

(d) The Internet page displaying the comparison chart must include a link to the Internet website of the Texas Workforce Commission.

(e) To the extent practicable, the information provided under Subsection (c) must consist of information that a general academic teaching institution is required to report to the board under another provision of law, including board rule.

(f) Each general academic teaching institution shall provide to the board the information to be provided under Subsection (c) not later than October 1, or a date determined by the board, of each year. The board shall update the comparison tool as soon as practicable after receiving information from each institution.

SECTION 10. Section 51.9745, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2012 fall semester.

SECTION 11. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and public institutions of higher education shall comply with the changes made by this Act to Chapter 51A, Education Code, as soon as practicable following the effective date of this Act, but not later than February 1, 2012.

SECTION 12. Not later than February 1, 2013, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall create and post on the board's Internet website the comparison tool required by Section 61.09021, Education Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 13. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 736 was passed by the House on April 27, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 1, 2 present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 736 on May 27, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 0, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 736 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 24, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

__________________

Governor