LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 74th Regular Session April 27, 1995 TO: Honorable Irma Rangel, Chair IN RE: Committee Substitute Committee on Higher Education for House of Representatives HouseBill No. Austin, Texas 2187 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 bill would direct the institution to build and expand partnership agreements with junior colleges and other institutions and would direct any lower division hours offered at UT-Tyler to be formula funded at the four-year college rate. 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. No significant fiscal implication to the State or units of local government is anticipated. Source: Higher Education Coordinating Board LBB Staff: JK, LS, WRR