SRC-TNM C.S.S.B. 150 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 150 By: Bivins Education 2-18-97 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, there is no uniform application form for persons seeking application as an undergraduate student to a general academic teaching institution, nor is there widespread use of exchanging transcripts electronically among Texas schools. 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 and the use of electronic transcripts 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. S.B. 150 requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt a uniform freshman admissions application form, allows the board to adopt a uniform transfer application form, and requires the board to make the application available by electronic means such as the Internet to facilitate the admissions process in an efficient manner. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 150 outlines provisions for a common admission application form at certain institutions of higher education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under SECTION 1 (Sections 51.762(a), (b), and (g), Education Code) of this bill. 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. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives of general academic teaching institutions and with the consultation of all affected general academic teaching institutions, to adopt by rule, a common admission application form for use by a person seeking admission as a freshman student to a general academic teaching institution. Requires the board to include on the form information that the board considers appropriate. Requires the board to adopt, by rule, a form for use by an undergraduate transfer student. Sets forth requirements for a form adopted under this section. Outlines provisions relating to the use of a common admission application form within a general academic teaching institution. Requires the board, by rule, to require each institution to collect information regarding gender, ethnicity, and date of birth as part of the application process and report this information to the board, in addition to other information considered appropriate by the board. Sec. 51.763. ELECTRONIC ADMISSION APPLICATION FORM FOR UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS. Sets forth requirements for the establishment of an electronic admission application form for university systems. Provides that a general academic teaching institution is not prohibited from requiring an applicant to submit additional information within a reasonable time after the institution has received an application. 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 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt a common freshman admission application form under Section 51.762, Education Code, as added by this Act, no later than September 1, 1998. Requires a general academic teaching 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. Effective date: upon passage. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Amends SECTION 1, by adding Subchapter S, Election Code, regarding admission application forms for academic teaching institutions.