By:  West                                              S.R. No. 913

                                  SENATE 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

1-16     Senate of the State of Texas, 75th Legislature, hereby authorize

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

1-18     institution of higher education to be located in the southern

1-19     portion of Dallas County.  The commission membership shall comprise

1-20     the following:  the chairman of the Texas Higher Education

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

1-22     Coordinating Board appointed by the chairman; the chairman of the

1-23     board of regents and the chancellor of The Texas A&M University

 2-1     System; two members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be

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

 2-3     counties; two members appointed by the lieutenant governor, one of

 2-4     whom shall be a resident of the southern region of Dallas County or

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

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

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

 2-8     appointments 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.

2-25                                  ______________________________________

2-26                                          President of the Senate

 3-1                                       I hereby certify that the above

 3-2                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

 3-3                                  on May 29, 1997.

 3-4                                  ______________________________________

 3-5                                          Secretary of the Senate