BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 668 By: Armbrister Education 04-06-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Current law does not address the issue of concurrent enrollment between upper level institutions and other institutions of higher education. It is common practice for four-year institutions to allow freshmen and sophomore students to enroll in upper level (junior and senior) courses. The University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University of Houston-Victoria are both upper-level institutions which only offer junior, senior, and graduate level courses. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 668 makes adjustments to enrollment in courses and programs at the University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University of Houston-Victoria to allow students who have completed a minimum of 30 hours of college coursework and who are currently enrolled in another institution of higher education to take upper level courses at these universities. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 111.85, Education Code, as follows: (a) Authorizes the University of Houston-Clear Lake to enroll students who have successfully completed thirty (30) hours of college coursework and who are concurrently enrolled in another public or private institution of higher education. (b) Provides that the University of Houston-Clear Lake is a general academic teaching institution, and is subject to the authority of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. SECTION 2. Amends Section 111.96, Education Code, to require the University of Houston System board of regents to establish an upper-level educational institution in the City of Victoria to be known as the University of Houston-Victoria. Requires the institution to be organized to offer only junior, senior, and master's level programs. SECTION 3. Amends Section 111.98, Education Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.