By Rangel H.B. No. 588
75R1594 CAG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to uniform admission and reporting procedures for
1-3 institutions of higher education.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter S to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER S. UNIFORM ADMISSION POLICY
1-8 Sec. 51.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "general
1-9 academic teaching institution" and "medical and dental unit" have
1-10 the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
1-11 Sec. 51.802. UNIFORM ADMISSION SYSTEM. A general academic
1-12 teaching institution shall admit students for each semester under
1-13 the provisions of this subchapter.
1-14 Sec. 51.803. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION. (a) Each general
1-15 academic teaching institution shall admit an applicant for
1-16 admission to the institution as an undergraduate student if the
1-17 student is a qualified high school student from a public high
1-18 school in this state who graduated with a grade point average in
1-19 the top 10 percent of the student's high school graduating class.
1-20 (b) If the number of graduating students seeking admission
1-21 to a general academic teaching institution exceeds the available
1-22 number of spaces offered for enrollment for any semester:
1-23 (1) the institution shall conduct a lottery to award
1-24 the spaces; and
2-1 (2) an eligible student not selected for admission may
2-2 delay the student's admission to the institution until space is
2-3 available.
2-4 Sec. 51.804. OTHER ADMISSIONS. (a) A graduating student
2-5 who does not qualify for admission under Section 51.803 may apply
2-6 to any general academic teaching institution.
2-7 (b) The general academic teaching institution, after
2-8 admitting students under Section 51.803, may admit other applicants
2-9 for admission as undergraduate students. An applicant may be
2-10 admitted only after the institution reviews all timely
2-11 applications for undergraduate admission and considers the
2-12 following factors:
2-13 (1) the income of the applicant or applicant's family;
2-14 (2) whether other members of the applicant's family
2-15 have attended a college or university;
2-16 (3) whether other members of the applicant's family
2-17 have graduated from high school;
2-18 (4) whether the applicant worked while attending high
2-19 school;
2-20 (5) whether the applicant is fluent in more than one
2-21 language;
2-22 (6) whether the applicant attended any school while
2-23 the school was under a court-ordered desegregation plan;
2-24 (7) the applicant's involvement in community
2-25 activities;
2-26 (8) the applicant's extracurricular activities;
2-27 (9) the applicant's commitment to a particular field
3-1 of study;
3-2 (10) the applicant's academic record; and
3-3 (11) the applicant's performance on standardized
3-4 college entrance exams.
3-5 (c) Each general academic teaching institution shall
3-6 publish, not later than one year before the date that applications
3-7 for admission are first considered under this section, a
3-8 description of the weight given to each factor and the role each
3-9 factor plays in the admission decision of the institution.
3-10 Sec. 51.805. REPORT TO COORDINATING BOARD. Each general
3-11 academic teaching institution shall provide a report annually to
3-12 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board describing the
3-13 composition of the entering class of students admitted under this
3-14 subchapter. The report shall include a demographic breakdown of
3-15 the students by the factors described in Section 51.804, and by
3-16 race, ethnicity, and economic status.
3-17 Sec. 51.806. RULEMAKING. The Texas Higher Education
3-18 Coordinating Board may adopt rules relating to the operation of
3-19 admissions programs under this subchapter, including rules relating
3-20 to the identification of eligible students, the format of
3-21 admissions applications, and the manner of notifying students of
3-22 admission determinations.
3-23 Sec. 51.807. APPLICATION OF ADMISSION CRITERIA TO
3-24 SCHOLARSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. (a) Each general academic
3-25 teaching institution or medical and dental unit that offers a
3-26 scholarship program or admission to a graduate or post-graduate
3-27 program shall also adopt a written award or admission policy.
4-1 (b) The policy shall:
4-2 (1) establish standards for automatic admission to the
4-3 institution or unit or the awarding of a scholarship; and
4-4 (2) describe factors and the weight assigned to the
4-5 factors considered by the institution or unit in awarding a
4-6 scholarship or granting admission to a program operated by the
4-7 institution or unit.
4-8 (c) The institution or unit shall publish, not later than
4-9 one year before the date that applications for admission or the
4-10 award of a scholarship are first considered under this section, a
4-11 description of the automatic admissions standards and weight given
4-12 to each factor and the role each factor plays in the admission
4-13 decision of the institution or unit.
4-14 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
4-15 beginning with admissions and scholarships for the fall term or
4-16 semester in 1998.
4-17 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, each
4-18 general academic teaching institution, and each medical and dental
4-19 unit shall adopt rules or policies relating to the admission of
4-20 students under Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, as added
4-21 by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998.
4-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.