By Lewis of Orange H.B. No. 2904
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to Lamar University System, Lamar University at Beaumont,
1-3 Lamar University at Orange, Lamar University at Port Arthur and
1-4 Lamar Institute of Technology.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 108.01, Education Code, is amended to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 108.01. Lamar University System. The Lamar University
1-9 System is established and is composed of Lamar University, a
1-10 coeducational institution of higher education located in the city
1-11 of Beaumont, Lamar University at Orange, a coeducational
1-12 institution of higher education located in the city of Orange,
1-13 Lamar University at Port Arthur, a coeducational institution of
1-14 higher education located in the city of Port Arthur and any other
1-15 institution or entity assigned to or established as part of the
1-16 system under law.
1-17 SECTION 2. Section 108.11, Education Code, is amended to
1-18 read as follows:
1-19 Sec. 108.11. Board of Regents. The organization, control,
1-20 and management of the Lamar University System is vested in a board
1-21 of nine regents, who shall be appointed by the governor and
1-22 confirmed by the senate. At least one appointment must be made
1-23 from qualified individuals residing in Orange County and one from
2-1 qualified individuals residing in Jefferson County. The term of
2-2 office of each regent shall be six years. Any vacancy that occurs
2-3 on the board shall be filled by the governor for the unexpired
2-4 term. The members of the board are removable by the governor for
2-5 inefficiency or inattention to the duties of the office. Each
2-6 member of the board shall take the constitutional oath of office.
2-7 SECTION 3. Section 108.12, Education Code, is amended to
2-8 read as follows:
2-9 Sec. 108.12. Officers. The governor <board> shall designate
2-10 <elect> a chairman and the board shall elect any other officers
2-11 they consider necessary.
2-12 SECTION 4. Section 108.13, Education Code, is amended to
2-13 read as follows:
2-14 Sec. 108.13. Compensation of Board. The members of the
2-15 board shall serve without compensation, but shall receive actual
2-16 expenses incurred in <attending the meetings of the board, or in the
2-17 transaction of any business of the system imposed by the board> the
2-18 performance of their duties, together with travel and other
2-19 necessary expenses..
2-20 SECTION 5. Section 108.14, Education Code, is amended to
2-21 read as follows:
2-22 Sec. 108.14. Officers. The board shall appoint executive
2-23 officers for the system and component institutions <and shall fix
2-24 the term of office>, set the salary, and define the duties. The
2-25 president of Lamar University shall recommend the plan of
3-1 organization and the appointment of employees of the university,
3-2 and shall have the cooperation of the board and shall be
3-3 responsible to the board for the general management and success of
3-4 the university.
3-5 SECTION 6. Section 108.16, Education Code, is amended to
3-6 read as follows:
3-7 Sec. 108.16. System Central Administration Office; Executive
3-8 Officer. (a) The central administration office of the university
3-9 system shall provide oversight and coordination of the activities
3-10 of each component institution within the system.
3-11 (b) The board shall appoint an executive officer of the
3-12 university system and determine the executive officer's <term of
3-13 office,> salary, and duties to serve at the will of the board.
3-14 (c) The executive officer shall recommend a plan for the
3-15 organization of the university system and the appointment of a
3-16 president for each component institution within the system.
3-17 (d) The executive officer is responsible to the board for
3-18 the general management and success of the university system<, and
3-19 the board shall cooperate with the executive officer to carry out
3-20 that responsibility>.
3-21 (e) In addition to other powers and duties provided by this
3-22 code or other law, the central administration office of the system
3-23 shall recommend necessary policies and rules to the governing board
3-24 of the system to ensure conformity with all laws and rules and to
3-25 provide uniformity in data collection and financial reporting
4-1 procedures.
4-2 SECTION 7. Section 108.36, Education Code, is amended to
4-3 read as follows:
4-4 Sec. 108.36. Educational Centers. (a) The Board shall
4-5 establish and maintain co-educational lower-division institutions
4-6 of higher education of the Lamar University System as separate
4-7 degree-granting institutions in the counties of Jefferson and
4-8 Orange, to be known as Lamar University at Port Arthur and Lamar
4-9 University at Orange, to teach only freshman and sophomore level
4-10 courses.
4-11 (b) The board may acquire, construct, or otherwise make
4-12 provision for adequate physical facilities for use by Lamar
4-13 University at Port Arthur and Lamar University at Orange and may
4-14 accept and administer, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the
4-15 board, grants or gifts of money or property which are tendered by
4-16 any reason for the use and benefit of the campuses subject to the
4-17 normal requirements of the board and the Texas Higher Education
4-18 Coordinating Board.
4-19 (c) The board with approval of the Texas Higher Education
4-20 Coordinating Board, may prescribe courses leading to customary
4-21 degrees, and make other rules and regulations for the operation,
4-22 control, and management of Lamar University at Port Arthur and
4-23 Lamar University at Orange as necessary for each campus to be a
4-24 first-class institution for freshman and sophomore students.
4-25 (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the
5-1 powers of the board of regents of the Lamar University System as
5-2 conferred by law.
5-3 (e) For Lamar University at Port Arthur and Lamar University
5-4 at Orange, the board may expend funds allocated to the Lamar
5-5 University System under Chapter 62 of this code for any of the
5-6 purposes listed in Article VII, Section 17, of the Texas
5-7 Constitution, in the same manner and under the same circumstances
5-8 as expenditures for those purposes for other separate
5-9 degree-granting institutions.
5-10 SECTION 8. Section 108.361, Education Code, is amended to
5-11 read as follows:
5-12 Sec. 108.361. Student Centers at Educational Centers.
5-13 (a) The board may issue general revenue bonds in accordance with
5-14 Chapter 55 of this code for the purpose of constructing a student
5-15 center for each of the educational centers of Lamar University
5-16 authorized by Section 108.36 of this chapter.
5-17 (b) The board may levy a regular fixed student fee of $ <25>
5-18 30 per student for each semester of the long session and $12.50 per
5-19 student for each term of the summer session, against each student
5-20 enrolled in each center. The board may pledge all or part of the
5-21 fees collected to the payment of principal of and interest on bonds
5-22 issued under Subsection (a) of this section.
5-23 (c) The decision to levy a student center fee, the amount of
5-24 the initial fee, and an increase in the fee must be approved by a
5-25 majority vote of those students participating in a general election
6-1 called for that purpose.
6-2 SECTION 9. Section 108.38, Education Code, is amended to
6-3 read as follows:
6-4 Sec. 108.38. Conveyance of Property to City Or County. On
6-5 terms and conditions determined by the board of regents of the
6-6 Lamar University System, the board may lease, sell, or trade to the
6-7 City of Port Arthur or Jefferson County property on Pleasure Island
6-8 under the control and management of the board.
6-9 SECTION 10. The importance of this legislation and the
6-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-15 passage, and it is so enacted.