By Zaffirini S.B. No. 11
74R7689 SMH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the transfer of Texas A&M International University from
1-3 The Texas A&M University System to The University of Texas System
1-4 and to changing the name of that university.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. CHANGE OF NAME. (a) The name of Texas A&M
1-7 International University is changed to The University of
1-8 Texas--International.
1-9 (b) A reference in law to Texas A&M International University
1-10 means The University of Texas--International.
1-11 (c) The board of regents of The University of Texas System
1-12 shall conform the names of the Center for Border Economic and
1-13 Enterprise Development and other components or programs operated by
1-14 or in connection with Texas A&M International University on the
1-15 effective date of this Act to reflect the change of the name of
1-16 that university made by this Act.
1-17 SECTION 2. TRANSFER. (a) The governance, operation,
1-18 management, and control of The University of Texas--International,
1-19 formerly Texas A&M International University, along with all right,
1-20 title, and interest in the land, buildings, facilities,
1-21 improvements, equipment, supplies, and property comprising that
1-22 institution, are transferred from the board of regents of The Texas
1-23 A&M University System to the board of regents of The University of
1-24 Texas System.
2-1 (b) The transfer made by this section includes the Center
2-2 for Border Economic and Enterprise Development and all other
2-3 components or programs operated by or in connection with Texas A&M
2-4 International University on the effective date of this Act.
2-5 SECTION 3. POWERS AND DUTIES. The board of regents of The
2-6 University of Texas System shall undertake to govern, operate,
2-7 manage, and control The University of Texas--International and all
2-8 land, buildings, facilities, improvements, equipment, supplies, and
2-9 property comprising that institution pursuant to the powers,
2-10 duties, and responsibilities conferred by law on the board of
2-11 regents of The University of Texas System for the governance,
2-12 operation, management, and control of component institutions
2-13 comprising that system.
2-14 SECTION 4. APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriations made for the use
2-15 and benefit of The University of Texas--International under the
2-16 governance of the board of regents of The Texas A&M University
2-17 System are transferred to the board of regents of The University of
2-18 Texas System for the use and benefit of that institution. Other
2-19 funds held for the use and benefit of The University of
2-20 Texas--International shall continue to be available for the use and
2-21 benefit of that institution notwithstanding the change in
2-22 governance made by this Act.
2-23 SECTION 5. CONTRACTS AND WRITTEN OBLIGATIONS. Contracts and
2-24 written obligations of every kind and character, including bonds,
2-25 entered into by the board of regents of The Texas A&M University
2-26 System for and on behalf of The University of Texas--International
2-27 are ratified, confirmed, and validated. In those contracts and
3-1 written obligations, including bonds, the board of regents of The
3-2 University of Texas System is substituted for and stands and acts
3-3 in the place of the board of regents of The Texas A&M University
3-4 System. If before the transfer all or part of the revenue of The
3-5 University of Texas--International was pledged to the payment of
3-6 bonds issued by The Texas A&M University System under a systemwide
3-7 revenue financing program, that part of the revenue of the
3-8 university remains pledged to the payment of the bonds
3-9 notwithstanding the transfer, and The University of Texas System
3-10 shall deposit that part of the revenue to the credit of The Texas
3-11 A&M University System.
3-12 SECTION 6. EMPLOYEE INSURANCE AND OTHER BENEFITS. Any
3-13 contract or other agreement with a provider of insurance or
3-14 employee benefits that provides coverage for employees of Texas A&M
3-15 International University is not void nor does it terminate on the
3-16 effective date of this Act. Any such contract or agreement remains
3-17 in full force and effect until its date of expiration unless it
3-18 terminates before the expiration date in accordance with its terms.
3-19 All persons for whom the insurance is provided on the effective
3-20 date of this Act are covered by the insurance in accordance with
3-21 the terms of those agreements until the respective dates of
3-22 termination or expiration of those agreements. The persons covered
3-23 by the agreements who are employees of The University of Texas
3-24 System on the respective termination or expiration dates of those
3-25 agreements shall be included in any similar agreements that relate
3-26 to other employees of The University of Texas System and are in
3-27 effect on the termination or expiration dates.
4-1 SECTION 7. EFFECT OF TRANSFER ON STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.
4-2 The transfer of governance, operation, management, and control of
4-3 The University of Texas--International from the board of regents of
4-4 The Texas A&M University System to the board of regents of The
4-5 University of Texas System does not affect:
4-6 (1) the credit hours earned by students at that
4-7 institution before the effective date of this Act; or
4-8 (2) the employment status on the effective date of
4-9 this Act of the administrative, faculty, or support staff of The
4-10 University of Texas--International.
4-11 SECTION 8. AMENDMENT. Section 55.1712, Education Code, is
4-12 amended to read as follows:
4-13 Sec. 55.1712. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS--INTERNATIONAL <TEXAS
4-14 A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY>. (a) The board of regents of The
4-15 University of Texas <A&M University> System may acquire, purchase,
4-16 construct, improve, enlarge, and equip property, buildings,
4-17 structures, facilities, roads, and related infrastructure for The
4-18 University of Texas--International <Texas A&M International
4-19 University>.
4-20 (b) The board may finance those items listed under
4-21 Subsection (a) of this section through the issuance of bonds under
4-22 this subchapter and in accordance with its existing system-wide
4-23 revenue financing program. The board may pledge irrevocably to the
4-24 payment of those bonds all or any part of the aggregate amount of
4-25 student tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed
4-26 on students enrolled at The University of Texas--International
4-27 <Texas A&M International University>. The amount of a pledge made
5-1 under this subsection may not be reduced or abrogated while the
5-2 bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those
5-3 bonds, are outstanding.
5-4 (c) Bonds issued under this section may not be issued in an
5-5 aggregate principal amount exceeding $30 million.
5-6 SECTION 9. AMENDMENT. Section 55.1713(a), Education Code,
5-7 is amended to read as follows:
5-8 (a) In addition to the authority granted by Sections 55.13,
5-9 55.14, 55.17, 55.171, 55.1711, <55.1712,> and 55.19 of this code,
5-10 the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System may
5-11 acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip
5-12 property, buildings, structures, facilities, roads, or related
5-13 infrastructure for the following institutions to be financed by the
5-14 issuance of bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in
5-15 accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by
5-16 the board in aggregate principal amounts not to exceed the
5-17 following amounts:
5-18 (1) Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, $22 million;
5-19 and
5-20 (2) <Texas A&M International University, $36 million;
5-21 and>
5-22 <(3)> Texas A&M University--Kingsville, $17 million.
5-23 SECTION 10. AMENDMENT. Section 61.0592, Education Code, as
5-24 added by Chapter 260, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular
5-25 Session, 1993, is amended to read as follows:
5-26 Sec. 61.0592. UPPER-LEVEL TRANSITION FUNDING FOR THE
5-27 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS--INTERNATIONAL <TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL
6-1 UNIVERSITY>. (a) Notwithstanding Section 61.059 of this code, a
6-2 formula adopted by the board under that section that provides a
6-3 differential rate for each semester credit hour between four-year
6-4 general academic teaching institutions and upper-level institutions
6-5 shall be modified and applied as provided by this section to The
6-6 University of Texas--International <Texas A&M International
6-7 University>.
6-8 (b) In addition to other funding that The University of
6-9 Texas--International <Texas A&M International University> is
6-10 entitled to receive, the university is entitled to receive
6-11 additional funds in accordance with this section.
6-12 (c) The formula for four-year general academic teaching
6-13 institutions shall be applied to all lower-division semester credit
6-14 hours.
6-15 (d) For the first two state fiscal years that begin after
6-16 The University of Texas--International <Texas A&M International
6-17 University> first admits lower-division students or offers
6-18 lower-division courses, the formula for upper-level general
6-19 academic teaching institutions shall be applied to upper-division
6-20 semester credit hours at the university.
6-21 (e) Beginning with the third state fiscal year that begins
6-22 after The University of Texas--International <Texas A&M
6-23 International University> first admits lower-division students or
6-24 offers lower-division courses, the formula for four-year general
6-25 academic teaching institutions shall be applied to upper-division
6-26 semester credit hours at the university, except that the board
6-27 shall modify the formula to provide the university additional
7-1 funding equal to a percent of the difference between the amount
7-2 derived from the application of the four-year formula to the
7-3 university's upper-division semester credit hours and the amount
7-4 derived from the application of the upper-level formula to those
7-5 semester credit hours. The percent to be applied to that
7-6 difference is 87.5 percent for the first fiscal year to which this
7-7 subsection applies and is reduced by 12.5 percentage points for
7-8 each subsequent fiscal year.
7-9 SECTION 11. AMENDMENT. Section 62.021(a), Education Code,
7-10 is amended to read as follows:
7-11 (a) Each fiscal year, an eligible institution is entitled to
7-12 receive an amount allocated in accordance with this section from
7-13 funds appropriated by Article VII, Section 17(a), of the
7-14 Constitution of Texas. The comptroller of public accounts shall
7-15 distribute funds allocated under this subsection only on
7-16 presentation of a claim and issuance of a warrant in accordance
7-17 with Section 403.071, Government Code. The comptroller may not
7-18 issue a warrant from any funds allocated under this subsection
7-19 before the delivery of goods or services described in Section 17,
7-20 Article VII, Texas Constitution, except for the payment of
7-21 principal or interest on bonds or notes. The allocation of funds
7-22 under this subsection is made in accordance with an equitable
7-23 formula consisting of the following elements: space deficit,
7-24 facilities condition, institutional complexity, separate allocation
7-25 for medical units, and additional allocation for compliance with
7-26 the Texas Desegregation Plan. The amounts allocated by such
7-27 formula are as follows:
8-1 $ 2,971,685 East Texas State University including East Texas State
8-2 University at Texarkana;
8-3 $ 7,125,680 Lamar University including Lamar University at Orange
8-4 and Lamar University at Port Arthur;
8-5 $ 1,645,885 Midwestern State University;
8-6 $11,444,067 University of North Texas;
8-7 $ 3,196,287 The University of Texas--Pan American and The
8-8 University of Texas at Brownsville;
8-9 $ The University of Texas--International;
8-10 $ 5,152,124 Stephen F. Austin State University;
8-11 $ 2,166,667 University of North Texas Health Science Center at
8-12 Fort Worth;
8-13 $19,724,411 Texas State University System Administration and the
8-14 following component institutions: Angelo State
8-15 University; Sam Houston State University; Southwest
8-16 Texas State University; Sul Ross State University
8-17 including Uvalde Study Center;
8-18 $ 6,596,436 Texas Southern University (includes allocation of
8-19 $2,700,000 for compliance with Texas Desegregation
8-20 Plan);
8-21 $10,538,296 Texas Tech University;
8-22 $ 4,333,333 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center;
8-23 $ 3,583,869 Texas Woman's University;
8-24 $15,799,996 University of Houston System Administration and the
8-25 following component institutions:
8-26 University of Houston;
8-27 University of Houston--Victoria;
9-1 University of Houston--Clear Lake;
9-2 University of Houston--Downtown;
9-3 $ <$ 3,636,316> Corpus Christi State University; <Texas
9-4 A&M International University;> Texas A&I University;
9-5 and
9-6 $ 2,084,948 West Texas State University.
9-7 SECTION 12. AMENDMENT. Section 69.22(e), Education Code, is
9-8 amended to read as follows:
9-9 (e) The center established under this section shall
9-10 cooperate fully with similar programs operated by The University of
9-11 Texas--International <Texas A&M International University>, The
9-12 University of Texas--Pan American, and other institutions of higher
9-13 education.
9-14 SECTION 13. AMENDMENT. Section 77.36(e), Education Code, is
9-15 amended to read as follows:
9-16 (e) The center established under this section shall
9-17 cooperate fully with similar programs operated by The University of
9-18 Texas at El Paso, The University of Texas--International <Texas A&M
9-19 International University>, and other institutions of higher
9-20 education.
9-21 SECTION 14. AMENDMENT. Subtitle C, Title 3, Education Code,
9-22 is amended by adding Chapter 79 to read as follows:
9-23 CHAPTER 79. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS--INTERNATIONAL
9-24 Sec. 79.001. ESTABLISHMENT; SCOPE. (a) The University of
9-25 Texas--International is a coeducational institution of higher
9-26 education located in the city of Laredo. The institution is a
9-27 component institution of The University of Texas System and is
10-1 under the management and control of the board of regents of The
10-2 University of Texas System.
10-3 (b) The board has the same powers and duties concerning The
10-4 University of Texas--International as are conferred on it by
10-5 statute concerning The University of Texas at Austin.
10-6 (c) The institution may teach undergraduate or graduate
10-7 level courses.
10-8 Sec. 79.002. COURSES AND DEGREES; RULES; JOINT APPOINTMENTS.
10-9 (a) The board, with the approval of the Texas Higher Education
10-10 Coordinating Board, may prescribe courses leading to customary
10-11 degrees as are offered at leading American educational institutions
10-12 and may award those degrees.
10-13 (b) The degrees offered by the institution may include
10-14 baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees and their
10-15 equivalents.
10-16 (c) A new department, school, or degree program may not be
10-17 instituted without the prior approval of the Texas Higher Education
10-18 Coordinating Board.
10-19 (d) The board shall adopt other rules for the operation,
10-20 control, and management of The University of Texas--International
10-21 as may be necessary for the institution to be a first-class
10-22 institution of higher education.
10-23 (e) The board may make joint faculty appointments in The
10-24 University of Texas--International and in other institutions under
10-25 its governance. The salary of a person who receives a joint
10-26 appointment shall be apportioned to the appointing institution on
10-27 the basis of services rendered.
11-1 (f) The board, with the approval of the Texas Higher
11-2 Education Coordinating Board, may contract with the governing board
11-3 of another general academic teaching institution as defined by
11-4 Section 61.003 or with the governing board of a college or
11-5 university in the United Mexican States or Canada to offer joint
11-6 degree programs.
11-7 Sec. 79.003. GRADUATE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
11-8 Subject to the approval of the board and the Texas Higher Education
11-9 Coordinating Board, a graduate school of international trade shall
11-10 be established at The University of Texas--International.
11-11 Sec. 79.004. CENTER FOR BORDER ECONOMIC AND ENTERPRISE
11-12 DEVELOPMENT. (a) The board shall establish a center for border
11-13 economic and enterprise development at The University of
11-14 Texas--International.
11-15 (b) The center established under this section may:
11-16 (1) develop and manage an economic database concerning
11-17 the Texas-Mexico border;
11-18 (2) perform economic development planning and
11-19 research;
11-20 (3) provide technical assistance to industrial and
11-21 governmental entities; and
11-22 (4) in cooperation with other state agencies,
11-23 coordinate economic and enterprise development planning activities
11-24 of state agencies to ensure that the economic needs of the
11-25 Texas-Mexico border are integrated within a comprehensive state
11-26 economic development plan.
11-27 (c) The center may offer seminars and conduct conferences
12-1 and other educational programs concerning the Texas-Mexico border
12-2 economy and economic and enterprise development within the state.
12-3 (d) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
12-4 donations to aid in the establishment, maintenance, and operation
12-5 of the center.
12-6 (e) The center established under this section shall
12-7 cooperate fully with similar programs operated by The University of
12-8 Texas at El Paso, The University of Texas--Pan American, and other
12-9 institutions of higher education.
12-10 SECTION 15. AMENDMENT. Section 481.060(b), Government Code,
12-11 is amended to read as follows:
12-12 (b) The electronic data base advisory committee is composed
12-13 of:
12-14 (1) a representative from the center for border
12-15 economic and enterprise development at The University of Texas at
12-16 El Paso, appointed by the president of the university;
12-17 (2) a representative from the University of North
12-18 Texas Institute for Regional Industrialization and Manufacturing
12-19 Technology, appointed by the president of the university;
12-20 (3) a representative from the Bureau of Business
12-21 Research at The University of Texas at Austin, appointed by the
12-22 president of the university;
12-23 (4) a representative from the Texas Agriculture Market
12-24 and Research Center, appointed by the president of Texas A&M
12-25 University;
12-26 (5) a representative from The University of Texas at
12-27 San Antonio, College of Business, division of management and
13-1 marketing, appointed by the president of the university;
13-2 (6) a representative from The University of Texas-Pan
13-3 American, appointed by the president of the university;
13-4 (7) a representative from The University of
13-5 Texas--International <Texas A&M International University>,
13-6 appointed by the president of the university;
13-7 (8) a representative from Texas Tech University,
13-8 appointed by the president of the university;
13-9 (9) a representative from the University of Houston,
13-10 appointed by the president of the university;
13-11 (10) a representative from Lamar University, appointed
13-12 by the president of the university;
13-13 (11) a representative from Sul Ross State University,
13-14 appointed by the president of the university; and
13-15 (12) persons appointed by the governor or the
13-16 executive director of the department.
13-17 SECTION 16. REPEALER. Subchapter F, Chapter 87, Education
13-18 Code, is repealed.
13-19 SECTION 17. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
13-20 1, 1995.
13-21 SECTION 18. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
13-22 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
13-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
13-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
13-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.