By:  West                                             S.C.R. No. 75

                            SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The southern region of Dallas County and southern

 1-2     adjacent counties continue to experience rapid population growth;

 1-3     and

 1-4           WHEREAS, The people of this area do not have adequate access

 1-5     to upper-level public higher education; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, There is a need to provide affordable and accessible

 1-7     upper-level public higher education opportunities in this area; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, Expanding upper-level public higher education

 1-9     opportunities for this area of the state will benefit all Texas

1-10     citizens; now, therefore, be it

1-11           RESOLVED, Subject to the appropriation of funds in the

1-12     General Appropriations Act, 75th Legislature, Regular Session,

1-13     1997, for the purpose of conducting a feasibility study concerning

1-14     the creation of an upper-level institution of higher education to

1-15     be located in the southern portion of Dallas County, that the 75th

1-16     Legislature of the State of Texas hereby authorize the creation of

1-17     a commission to study the creation of an institution of higher

1-18     education to be located in the southern portion of Dallas County.

1-19     The commission membership shall comprise the following:  the

1-20     chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or

1-21     another member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

1-22     appointed by the chairman; the chairman of the board of regents and

1-23     the chancellor of The Texas A&M University System; two members

 2-1     appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a resident of the

 2-2     southern region of Dallas County or adjacent counties; two members

 2-3     appointed by the lieutenant governor, one of whom shall be a

 2-4     resident of the southern region of Dallas County or adjacent

 2-5     counties; and two members appointed by the speaker of the house of

 2-6     representatives, one of whom shall be a resident of the southern

 2-7     region of Dallas County or adjacent counties.  The appointments

 2-8     shall be made by September 1, 1997; and, be it further

 2-9           RESOLVED, That the commission shall study the feasibility of

2-10     and submit a recommendation concerning the creation of an

2-11     upper-level institution of higher education to be located in the

2-12     southern portion of the County of Dallas.  The study report shall

2-13     address:  the unmet need for higher education in the area that

2-14     would be served by the proposed institution, the role and scope of

2-15     the proposed institution, the effect on other nearby institutions

2-16     of higher education of the proposed institution, the location of

2-17     the proposed institution, the extent and nature of constituency

2-18     support for the proposed institution, the extent of state and other

2-19     public and private funds needed, and such other elements relating

2-20     to the creation of the proposed upper-level institution as the

2-21     commission may determine appropriate; and, be it further

2-22           RESOLVED, That the commission submit its recommendation to

2-23     the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of

2-24     representatives by September 1, 1998.