SRC-HRD S.B. 840 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 840 By: Ratliff Finance 4-13-97 As Filed DIGEST The University of Texas at Tyler (U.T. - Tyler) is currently an upper-level institution, offering junior, senior, and graduate courses to approximately 3,500 students. Recognized as a broad spectrum liberal arts university, U.T. - Tyler attracts students from many Texas counties as well as other states and foreign countries. This bill would authorize U.T. - Tyler to offer undergraduate programs at the freshman and sophomore level as well as the junior and senior levels. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 840 authorizes the University of Texas at Tyler to offer undergraduate programs at the freshman and sophomore level as well as the junior and senior levels. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 76.02, Education Code, to require the University of Texas at Tyler (U.T. - Tyler) to offer undergraduate programs, rather than junior and senior undergraduate programs, and graduate programs, both of which are subject to the authority the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (coordinating board). Deletes an exception. Deletes Subsection (b) regarding the approval of an engineering degree program. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 76.07, Education Code, to require U.T. - Tyler to seek to build and expand partnership agreements in the same manner as authorized by Chapter 51N, of this code. Authorizes U.T. - Tyler, with the approval of the coordinating board, to enter into a partnership agreement with a private institution of higher education located in the same county as any campus of U.T. - Tyler, subject to the same provisions as provided by Chapter 51N, for a partnership agreement between an institution covered by that section and a public junior college. Deletes Subsections (c) and (d) regarding lower division courses. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.