By: Gallego, Pete H.B. No. 1916
73R6301 SOS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to Sul Ross State University.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 96.01, Education Code, is amended to read
1-5 as follows:
1-6 Sec. 96.01. Sul Ross State University. Sul Ross State
1-7 University is a coeducational institution of higher education
1-8 located in the city of Alpine, with a center in the city of Uvalde
1-9 and other components as provided by law. It is under the
1-10 management and control of the Board of Regents, Texas State
1-11 University System.
1-12 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 96, Education Code, is
1-13 amended by adding Sections 96.02-96.06 to read as follows:
1-14 Sec. 96.02. COURSES AND DEGREES. (a) Except as provided by
1-15 Subsection (b) of this section, the board of regents of the Texas
1-16 State University System, with the approval of the Texas Higher
1-17 Education Coordinating Board, may prescribe courses leading to
1-18 customary degrees as are offered at leading American educational
1-19 institutions and may award those degrees.
1-20 (b) At a minimum, the board shall offer:
1-21 (1) a baccalaureate program at the Alpine campus in
1-22 computer science or information systems;
1-23 (2) baccalaureate programs at the Uvalde Center in
1-24 biology and criminal justice;
2-1 (3) master's programs at the Alpine campus in criminal
2-2 justice, psychology, mathematics, and communications;
2-3 (4) a master's program at the Uvalde Center in public
2-4 administration; and
2-5 (5) programs in multicultural education at either the
2-6 Alpine campus or the Uvalde Center.
2-7 (c) At the Alpine campus or the Uvalde Center, the board
2-8 shall offer:
2-9 (1) international business programs in cooperation
2-10 with Texas A&M International University; and
2-11 (2) educational administration programs in cooperation
2-12 with The University of Texas at San Antonio.
2-13 Sec. 96.03. RESEARCH CENTERS AND MUSEUMS. The board of
2-14 regents of the Texas State University System shall establish as
2-15 components of Sul Ross State University a Chihuahuan Desert
2-16 research center and a Big Bend studies research center and museum.
2-17 Sec. 96.04. TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. The board of
2-18 regents of the Texas State University System shall establish a
2-19 telecommunications network to link communication between the
2-20 components of Sul Ross State University.
2-21 Sec. 96.05. JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS. The board of regents of
2-22 the Texas State University System, with the approval of the Texas
2-23 Higher Education Coordinating Board, may contract with the
2-24 governing board of another general academic teaching institution,
2-25 as defined by Section 61.003 of this code, or with the governing
2-26 board of a college or university in Mexico, to offer joint degree
2-27 programs.
3-1 Sec. 96.06. JOINT APPOINTMENTS. (a) The board of regents
3-2 of the Texas State University System may make joint faculty
3-3 appointments to a position in Sul Ross State University or a
3-4 component of the university and to a position in another
3-5 institution under its governance.
3-6 (b) The salary of a person receiving a joint appointment
3-7 shall be apportioned between Sul Ross State University or the
3-8 component of the university and the other institution on the basis
3-9 of services rendered.
3-10 SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 95, Education Code, is
3-11 amended by adding Section 95.35 to read as follows:
3-12 Sec. 95.35. ENHANCEMENTS FOR SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY. To
3-13 the extent that funds are available for this purpose, the board of
3-14 regents of the Texas State University System shall provide to Sul
3-15 Ross State University funding that is equal to or greater than the
3-16 funding provided to Southwest Texas State University for:
3-17 (1) student support services;
3-18 (2) faculty salaries;
3-19 (3) libraries;
3-20 (4) student scholarships;
3-21 (5) student and faculty research;
3-22 (6) instructional and laboratory equipment; and
3-23 (7) community outreach programs.
3-24 SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Education Code, is
3-25 amended by adding Section 55.1713 to read as follows:
3-26 Sec. 55.1713. SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY. (a) The board of
3-27 regents of the Texas State University System may acquire, purchase,
4-1 construct, improve, enlarge, and equip property, buildings,
4-2 structures, facilities, and roads for Sul Ross State University,
4-3 including the Uvalde Center, the Chihuahuan Desert research center,
4-4 and the Big Bend studies research center and museum.
4-5 (b) The board may finance those items listed under
4-6 Subsection (a) of this section through the issuance of bonds under
4-7 this subchapter. The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment
4-8 of those bonds all or any part of the aggregate amount of student
4-9 tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed on
4-10 students enrolled at Sul Ross State University. The amount of a
4-11 pledge made under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated
4-12 while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to
4-13 refund those bonds, are outstanding.
4-14 (c) Bonds issued under this section may not be issued in an
4-15 aggregate principal amount exceeding $30 million.
4-16 SECTION 5. Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to
4-17 read as follows:
4-18 (6) "Other agency of higher education" means The
4-19 University of Texas System, System Administration; Texas Western
4-20 University Museum; Texas A&M University System, Administrative and
4-21 General Offices; Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; Texas
4-22 Agricultural Extension Service; Rodent and Predatory Animal Control
4-23 Service (a part of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service); Texas
4-24 Engineering Experiment Station (including the Texas Transportation
4-25 Institute); Texas Engineering Extension Service; Texas Forest
4-26 Service; Texas Tech University Museum; Texas State University
4-27 System, System Administration; Sam Houston Memorial Museum;
5-1 Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; Cotton Research Committee of
5-2 Texas; Water Resources Institute of Texas; Texas Veterinary Medical
5-3 Diagnostic Laboratory; the Uvalde Center, the Chihuahuan Desert
5-4 research center, and the Big Bend studies research center and
5-5 museum at Sul Ross State University; and any other unit, division,
5-6 institution, or agency which shall be so designated by statute or
5-7 which may be established to operate as a component part of any
5-8 public senior college or university, or which may be so classified
5-9 as provided in this chapter.
5-10 SECTION 6. Section 61.055, Education Code, is amended to
5-11 read as follows:
5-12 Sec. 61.055. Initiation of New Departments, Schools, and
5-13 Programs. Except as otherwise provided by law, a <No> new
5-14 department, school, or degree or certificate program approved by
5-15 the board or its predecessor, the Texas Commission on Higher
5-16 Education, may not be initiated by any institution of higher
5-17 education until the board has made a written finding that the
5-18 department, school, or degree or certificate program is adequately
5-19 financed by legislative appropriation, by funds allocated by the
5-20 board, or by funds from other sources.
5-21 SECTION 7. Section 61.058, Education Code, is amended to
5-22 read as follows:
5-23 Sec. 61.058. New Construction and Repair and Rehabilitation
5-24 Projects. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
5-25 section, the <The> board shall approve or disapprove all new
5-26 construction and repair and rehabilitation of all buildings and
5-27 facilities at institutions of higher education financed from any
6-1 source provided that:
6-2 (A) the board's consideration and determination shall
6-3 be limited to the purpose for which the new or remodeled buildings
6-4 are to be used to assure conformity with approved space utilization
6-5 standards and the institution's approved programs and role and
6-6 mission if the cost of the project is not more than $600,000, but
6-7 the board may consider cost factors and the financial implications
6-8 of the project to the state if the total cost is in excess of
6-9 $600,000;
6-10 (B) the requirement of approval for new construction
6-11 applies only to projects the total cost of which is in excess of
6-12 $300,000;
6-13 (C) the requirement of approval for major repair and
6-14 rehabilitation of buildings and facilities applies only to a
6-15 project the total cost of which is more than $600,000;
6-16 (D) the requirement of approval or disapproval by the
6-17 board does not apply to any new construction or major repair and
6-18 rehabilitation project that is specifically approved by the
6-19 legislature;
6-20 (E) the requirement of approval by the board does not
6-21 apply to a junior college's construction, repair, or rehabilitation
6-22 financed entirely with funds from a source other than the state,
6-23 including funds from ad valorem tax receipts of the college, gifts,
6-24 grants, and donations to the college, and student fees; and
6-25 (F) the requirement of approval by the board does not
6-26 apply to construction, repair, or rehabilitation of privately owned
6-27 buildings and facilities located on land leased from an institution
7-1 of higher education if the construction, repair, or rehabilitation
7-2 is financed entirely from funds not under the control of the
7-3 institution, and provided further that:
7-4 (i) the buildings and facilities are to be used
7-5 exclusively for auxiliary enterprises; and
7-6 (ii) the buildings and facilities will not
7-7 require appropriations from the legislature for operation,
7-8 maintenance, or repair unless approval by the board has been
7-9 obtained.
7-10 (b) This section does not apply to construction, repair, or
7-11 rehabilitation financed by bonds issued under Section 55.1713 of
7-12 this code.
7-13 SECTION 8. (a) Not later than the beginning of the fall
7-14 semester in 1995, the board of regents of the Texas State
7-15 University System shall begin offering the courses and degrees
7-16 required by Section 96.02, Education Code, as added by this Act.
7-17 (b) Not later than September 1, 1993, the board of regents
7-18 of the Texas State University System shall take the necessary
7-19 actions to establish the Chihuahuan Desert research center and the
7-20 Big Bend studies research center and museum under Section 96.03,
7-21 Education Code, as added by this Act.
7-22 (c) Not later than January 1, 1995, the Chihuahuan Desert
7-23 research center and the Big Bend studies research center and museum
7-24 established under Section 96.03, Education Code, as added by this
7-25 Act, shall begin conducting research.
7-26 (d) Not later than September 1, 1993, the board of regents
7-27 of the Texas State University System shall take the necessary
8-1 actions to begin establishing the telecommunications network under
8-2 Section 96.04, Education Code, as added by this Act.
8-3 (e) To the extent that funds are available for this purpose,
8-4 the board of regents of the Texas State University System shall
8-5 provide the funding required by Section 95.35, Education Code, as
8-6 added by this Act, beginning with the fiscal year beginning
8-7 September 1, 1993.
8-8 SECTION 9. The importance of this legislation and the
8-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
8-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
8-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
8-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
8-13 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
8-14 passage, and it is so enacted.