Enrolled Bill Summary

            In 1997 the legislature excluded coursework by certain longtime students from the formula funding for public colleges and universities, allowing institutions to charge resident undergraduate students higher tuition, up to the amount charged nonresident students, for credit hours beyond a 170 semester hour limit. Senate Bill 345 revises the limit on the number of semester hours that the state will subsidize through the funding formulas to allow students to take up to 45 semester hours beyond the number required by an individual degree plan at in-state tuition rates. The act requires colleges and universities to give entering undergraduate students written notice of these semester hour limits on in-state tuition rates.

            These semester hour limits do not apply to formula funding or tuition charges for credit hours earned by undergraduate students enrolled before the 1999 fall semester, and the exclusion of excess credit hours from the funding formulas applies beginning with the funding recommendations made by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to the governor and Legislative Budget Board for the 2001-2002 school year.