1-1 By: West S.C.R. No. 75 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed April 21, 1997; April 22, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 5, 1997, 1-4 reported favorably, as amended, by the following vote: Yeas 8, 1-5 Nays 0; May 5, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: West 1-7 Amend S.C.R. No. 75 by inserting "one member appointed by the 1-8 governor," between "System," and "one" on page 1, line 26. 1-9 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-10 WHEREAS, The southern region of Dallas County and southern 1-11 adjacent counties continue to experience rapid population growth; 1-12 and 1-13 WHEREAS, The people of this area do not have adequate access 1-14 to upper-level public higher education; and 1-15 WHEREAS, There is a need to provide affordable and accessible 1-16 upper-level public higher education opportunities in this area; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Expanding upper-level public higher education 1-18 opportunities for this area of the state will benefit all Texas 1-19 citizens; now, therefore, be it 1-20 RESOLVED, Subject to the appropriation of $200,000 or more to 1-21 fund the feasibility study, that the 75th Legislature of the State 1-22 of Texas hereby authorize the creation of a commission to study the 1-23 creation of an institution of higher education to be located in the 1-24 southern portion of the County of Dallas. The commission 1-25 membership shall comprise the following: the chairman of the board 1-26 of regents and chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, one 1-27 member appointed by the lieutenant governor, one member appointed 1-28 by the speaker of the house of representatives, and three members 1-29 who shall be residents of the County of Dallas appointed by the 1-30 senator for District 23. The appointments shall be made by 1-31 September 1, 1997; and, be it further 1-32 RESOLVED, That the commission shall study the feasibility of 1-33 and submit a recommendation concerning the creation of an 1-34 upper-level institution of higher education to be located in the 1-35 southern portion of the County of Dallas. The study report shall 1-36 address: the unmet need for higher education in the area that 1-37 would be served by the proposed institution, the role and scope of 1-38 the proposed institution, the effect on other nearby institutions 1-39 of higher education of the proposed institution, the location of 1-40 the proposed institution, the extent and nature of constituency 1-41 support for the proposed institution, the extent of state and other 1-42 public and private funds needed, and such other elements relating 1-43 to the creation of the proposed upper-level institution as the 1-44 commission may determine appropriate; and, be it further 1-45 RESOLVED, That the commission submit its recommendation to 1-46 the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of 1-47 representatives by September 1, 1998. 1-48 * * * * *