By Rodriguez H.B. No. 2114
75R1663 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to admission policies for certain institutions of higher
1-3 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. ADMISSIONS
1-8 Sec. 51.801. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "general
1-9 academic teaching institution" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-10 61.003.
1-11 Sec. 51.802. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION. (a) Each general
1-12 academic teaching institution shall admit an applicant for
1-13 admission to the institution as an undergraduate student if the
1-14 applicant graduates from a public or private high school in this
1-15 state accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization
1-16 with a grade-point average in the top 20 percent of the student's
1-17 high school graduating class. The Texas Higher Education
1-18 Coordinating Board, after consulting with the Texas Education
1-19 Agency, may establish minimum standards for a high school
1-20 curriculum that a student must complete to be eligible for
1-21 automatic admission under this subsection.
1-22 (b) An institution may refuse to admit an applicant
1-23 otherwise eligible for automatic admission under Subsection (a) if
1-24 the institution determines on the basis of specific information
2-1 that the student lacks good character.
2-2 (c) If the number of students entitled to automatic
2-3 admission under Subsection (a) seeking admission to a general
2-4 academic teaching institution exceeds the available number of
2-5 spaces offered for enrollment at the institution for any semester:
2-6 (1) the institution shall conduct a lottery to award
2-7 the spaces; and
2-8 (2) an eligible student not selected for admission may
2-9 delay the student's admission to the institution until space is
2-10 available.
2-11 (d) For purposes of this section, it is presumed that a
2-12 student with a grade-point average in the top 20 percent of the
2-13 student's high school class at the beginning of a semester in which
2-14 the student is entitled to graduate will graduate with a
2-15 grade-point average in the top 20 percent of the student's high
2-16 school graduating class. If the student does not graduate at the
2-17 end of that semester, or fails to graduate with a grade-point
2-18 average in the top 20 percent of the student's graduating class,
2-19 the institution may, but is not required to, withdraw an offer of
2-20 admission to the student, even if the student has accepted the
2-21 offer. An offer of admission to a student to whom the presumption
2-22 applies must indicate whether the offer may be withdrawn under this
2-23 subsection and that the student's acceptance of the offer is
2-24 conditioned on the student graduating at the end of that semester
2-25 as required by Subsection (a).
2-26 Sec. 51.803. OTHER ADMISSIONS. (a) A general academic
2-27 teaching institution, after admitting students under Section
3-1 51.802, may admit other applicants for admission as undergraduate
3-2 students. The institution shall establish admission criteria for
3-3 admissions other than those made under Section 51.802 that will
3-4 provide an equal opportunity for all residents of this state
3-5 qualified to attend the institution to compete fairly for admission
3-6 to the institution consistent with the institution's mission and
3-7 standards of excellence.
3-8 (b) Each general academic teaching institution shall
3-9 publish, not later than 90 days before the date that applications
3-10 for admission are considered under this section for an academic
3-11 year, a description of criteria for admission adopted under this
3-12 section and a discussion of the weight given to each criterion.
3-13 Sec. 51.804. RULES. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
3-14 Board may adopt rules relating to the operation of admission
3-15 programs under this subchapter, including rules relating to the
3-16 identification of students eligible for automatic admission.
3-17 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
3-18 beginning with admissions for the fall term or semester in 1998.
3-19 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and each
3-20 general academic teaching institution shall adopt rules, policies,
3-21 or criteria relating to the admission of students under Subchapter
3-22 S, Chapter 51, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than
3-23 January 1, 1998.
3-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.