MMA S.B. 150 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS HIGHER EDUCATION S.B. 150 By: Bivins (Maxey) 3-19-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, there is no uniform application form for individuals seeking admission as an undergraduate student to an institution. Several university systems are now exploring the option of developing a single admission form program to allow a student to apply to any university within that particular system and be evaluated for admission to all of them. Thus, it has been argued that the availability of common applications on the Internet makes the student's application process to colleges easier and reduces the costs. For the applicant who chooses more than one institution within the same system, the single application is very efficient. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 150 outlines provisions for common admission application forms at certain institutions of higher education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does expressly grant rulemaking authority to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under SECTION 1 [Sections 51.762(a), (b), and (g)]. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Subchapter S, as follows: SUBCHAPTER S. ADMISSION APPLICATION FORMS Sec. 51.761. DEFINITIONS. Defines "board," "general academic teaching institution," "governing board," "institution of higher education," and "university system." Sec. 51.762. COMMON ADMISSION APPLICATION FORMS. (a) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board), with the assistance of an advisory committee, to adopt by rule, a common admission application form to be used by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to an institution. Requires the board to include on the form certain specific information, as well as other information the board considers appropriate. (b) Requires the board, with the assistance of an advisory committee, to adopt by rule, a common form to be used by an undergraduate transfer student with the same requirements established for a freshman form. (c) Requires the board to publicize the availability of a form adopted under this section in both electronic and printed formats. (d) Requires that the board ensure availability and distribution of the freshman common application form to the appropriate personnel at public high schools in Texas. (e) Requires the board to make the form available to the public via Internet or other commonly used telecommunications media and may contract with an institution of higher education or other provider to satisfy this requirement. (f) Authorizes an applicant to file a freshman or undergraduate transfer application using a form adopted under this section. Requires each institution to accept this form. Authorizes each institution to require additional information within a reasonable time after the institution has received an application using a form adopted under this section. (g) Requires the board, by rule, to require each institution to collect information relating to gender, ethnicity and date of birth as part of the application process and report this information to the board. Sec. 51.763. ELECTRONIC ADMISSION APPLICATION FORM FOR UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS. (a) Requires the establishment of an electronic admission application form for university systems. (b) Requires that the form allow applicants to apply to one or more system universities and indicate preferences among those institutions. (c) Authorizes each institution to require additional information within a reasonable time after the institution has received an application using a form adopted under this section. Sec. 51.764. FEES. Provides that this subchapter does not affect the authority of an institution of higher education to receive a reasonable fee for the filing of an application for admission. SECTION 2. Requires the board to adopt a common freshman admission application form, as added by this Act, by September 1, 1998. Requires an institution to accept freshman applications using the common admission application form beginning with applicants for admission for the 1999-2000 academic year. Requires a university system to accept freshman and undergraduate transfer applications using the electronic admission application form beginning with applicants for admission for the 1999-2000 academic year. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.