By: Delco H.B. No. 166
73R1646 SOS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to establishing a minority doctoral incentive program.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-5 Subchapter J to read as follows:
1-6 SUBCHAPTER J. MINORITY DOCTORAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM
1-7 Sec. 56.161. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-8 (1) "Academic administrator" means a person employed
1-9 by an institution as a supervisor in an educational department of
1-10 the institution in a position that is not classified under the
1-11 state position classification plan.
1-12 (2) "Board" means the Texas Higher Education
1-13 Coordinating Board.
1-14 (3) "Faculty member" has the meaning assigned by
1-15 Section 51.101 of this code.
1-16 (4) "Institution" means an institution of higher
1-17 education, as defined by Section 61.003 of this code, or a private
1-18 college or university that is located in this state and is
1-19 accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, as defined by
1-20 Section 61.003 of this code.
1-21 (5) "Minority" means a group that is significantly
1-22 underrepresented in an academic discipline, as determined by board
1-23 rule.
1-24 (6) "Program" means the minority doctoral incentive
2-1 program established under this subchapter.
2-2 Sec. 56.162. ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The board
2-3 shall establish and administer the minority doctoral incentive
2-4 program to provide loans to minority students who pursue doctorates
2-5 and to increase minority representation among the faculty and
2-6 administration of institutions.
2-7 (b) The board shall adopt and distribute to the governing
2-8 board of each institution copies of all rules adopted under this
2-9 subchapter.
2-10 Sec. 56.163. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible for a loan
2-11 under this subchapter, a person must:
2-12 (1) complete and file with the board, on a form
2-13 prescribed by the board, a loan application;
2-14 (2) be accepted for admission to an institution as a
2-15 full-time graduate student in a doctoral program approved by the
2-16 board;
2-17 (3) be sponsored by a faculty member of the doctoral
2-18 program in which the person is enrolled;
2-19 (4) be nominated by the institution in which the
2-20 person is enrolled based on academic achievement, career interest,
2-21 and other factors the institution considers relevant;
2-22 (5) have not defaulted on another student loan; and
2-23 (6) have complied with any other requirements adopted
2-24 by the board under this subchapter.
2-25 (b) The board shall adopt eligibility requirements under
2-26 Subsection (a)(6) of this section to ensure that Texas residents,
2-27 as defined by board rule, are first given the opportunity to
3-1 receive loans under this subchapter.
3-2 Sec. 56.164. TUITION CHARGED NONRESIDENT LOAN RECIPIENTS.
3-3 An institution that enrolls a loan recipient who is not a Texas
3-4 resident, as defined by board rule, may charge the recipient only
3-5 the tuition required for resident students under Subchapter B,
3-6 Chapter 54, of this code.
3-7 Sec. 56.165. LOAN DISBURSEMENT. (a) Each academic year the
3-8 board shall provide a loan in an amount determined by the board to
3-9 each eligible student on receipt of the student's application,
3-10 verification of enrollment from the institution enrolling the
3-11 student, and certification from the institution of the amount of
3-12 tuition and fees for the student.
3-13 (b) A loan provided under this subchapter may not exceed
3-14 $14,000 each year for a maximum of four years.
3-15 Sec. 56.166. TERMS OF LOAN. (a) A loan must be evidenced
3-16 by a promissory note that provides for the repayment of the loan
3-17 with interest and for the charging of necessary collection costs.
3-18 (b) Except as provided by Sections 56.168 and 56.169 of this
3-19 code, a loan must be repayable, at the option of the board, in
3-20 equal monthly installments over a period beginning with the first
3-21 day of the 12th month after the date on which the recipient ceases
3-22 to be enrolled in a doctoral program at an institution.
3-23 (c) A loan must bear simple interest at a rate determined by
3-24 the board.
3-25 (d) The board shall determine the other terms of a loan.
3-26 Sec. 56.167. MENTORS. The institution at which a student
3-27 who receives a loan is enrolled shall provide the student with a
4-1 mentor who is a faculty member at the institution to assist the
4-2 student in pursuing a doctoral degree.
4-3 Sec. 56.168. POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP. (a) A loan recipient
4-4 is eligible for suspension of the recipient's loan if the recipient
4-5 enters a postdoctoral fellowship not later than the first day of
4-6 the 12th month after the date on which the recipient ceases to be
4-7 enrolled in a doctoral program at an institution.
4-8 (b) The board shall suspend the accrual of interest and the
4-9 repayment of principal and interest on an eligible recipient's loan
4-10 until a date determined by board rule.
4-11 Sec. 56.169. LOAN FORGIVENESS. (a) A loan recipient is
4-12 eligible for forgiveness of the recipient's loan if, after the
4-13 recipient obtains a doctorate, the recipient is employed as a
4-14 full-time faculty member or academic administrator at an
4-15 institution.
4-16 (b) In accordance with Subsections (c) and (d) of this
4-17 section, the board shall forgive the repayment of a loan made to an
4-18 eligible recipient.
4-19 (c) The board shall forgive the repayment of 20 percent of
4-20 the unpaid principal balance and all accrued interest of an
4-21 eligible recipient's loan for each academic year of service by the
4-22 recipient as a full-time faculty member or academic administrator
4-23 at an institution.
4-24 (d) A loan to an eligible recipient is repayable under the
4-25 terms of Section 56.166 of this code beginning with the first
4-26 anniversary of the date on which the recipient discontinues
4-27 full-time study and is not employed as a full-time faculty member
5-1 or academic administrator at an institution. The balance of the
5-2 loan is due and payable not later than the first day of the 15th
5-3 year after the date of the first anniversary.
5-4 Sec. 56.170. FUNDING. (a) The board may accept gifts and
5-5 grants from a public or private source for the program.
5-6 (b) Loans issued under this subchapter are payable from
5-7 gifts, grants, and other funds appropriated by the legislature.
5-8 SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
5-9 Board shall adopt and distribute initial rules required by
5-10 Subchapter J, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
5-11 later than January 1, 1994.
5-12 (b) The coordinating board shall make loans to eligible
5-13 students under Subchapter J, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added
5-14 by this Act, for use beginning with the fall semester in 1994.
5-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-21 passage, and it is so enacted.