LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 74th Regular Session May 15, 1995 TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair IN RE: House BillNo. 2187, Committee on Education as engrossed Senate Kamel, Telford Austin, Texas et al. FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No. 2187 (Relating to coordination between The University of Texas at Tyler and other institutions of higher education) this office has determined the following: The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill would authorize The University of Texas at Tyler to offer lower division courses relating to an engineering degree program if the program is approved by the Coordinating Board and if the courses are offered as part of a partnership agreement. The university would be authorized to establish partnerships with private institutions similar to those currently authorized in general law with public community/junior colleges and public universities, also subject to Coordinating Board approval. The university would also be authorized to accept donations, gifts, and grants to help equip the engineering program, if approved. Any lower division hours offered at UT-Tyler would be formula funded at the public four-year college rate. Finally, the bill would authorize a nonresident student who is simultaneously enrolled at UT-Tyler and another public institution under a program offered jointly by the two schools under a partnership agreement and who pays Texas resident tuition and fees by virtue of the student holding a competitive scholarship at one school, to pay Texas resident charges at each public institution in which the student is simultaneously enrolled under the program. For purposes of this fiscal note it is assumed that enrollment in the engineering program would be comprised of students already enrolled in the institutions. It is estimated that the program would have 30 students beginning in 1997 and increase by 30 each year to 120 by fiscal year 2000. Any fiscal implications to the State would be based on the difference in cost to the State versus the cost to the local junior college district for educating these students. Any savings to the local community college district would be based on a reduced student load. However, because the estimated number of students in the program is relatively small, the fiscal impact to both the State and the local community college district would be insignificant. Any additional cost and loss of tuition and fee income to the State and local junior college districts from the nonresident tuition waiver are also not expected to be significant. No significant fiscal implication to the State or units of local government is anticipated. Source: Higher Education Coordinating Board LBB Staff: JK, WRR