SRC-DPW S.B. 1356 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1356
76R7189 KEL-DBy: Barrientos
Higher Education
4/16/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, demographic research states that certain statewide minority
population percentages are not being reflected in the student population of
the state's graduate and professional schools.  This bill would set forth
guidelines for providing certain students with an equal opportunity to
enroll in or receive a competitive scholarship for a graduate or
professional degree program. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1356 sets forth guidelines for providing certain students
with an equal opportunity to enroll in or receive a competitive scholarship
for a graduate or professional degree program. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board in SECTION 1 (Section 51.823, Education Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Subchapter V, as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER V. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP
POLICIES FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

Sec. 51.821. DEFINITIONS. Defines "general academic teaching institution,"
"medical and dental unit," "graduate program," and "professional program." 

Sec. 51.822. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP FACTORS FOR GRADUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS.  Requires a graduate or professional program of a
general academic teaching institution or medical or dental unit to consider
certain factors in making admissions or decisions for admissions into or
competitive scholarships for the graduate or professional program.
Authorizes an applicant's performance on a standardized test to be used in
the admissions or competitive scholarship program for the purposes of
comparing applicants with similar backgrounds.  Requires an applicant's
performance on a standardized test to be considered with other compensatory
criteria and prohibits the performance from accounting for more than 25
percent of the weight assigned to factors used in granting scholarships.
Prohibits an applicant's performance on a standardized test from being used
in the scholarship process under certain circumstances.  Requires each
general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit to publish
and make available to the public factors to be considered in scholarship
granting decisions one year before scholarships are first considered.
Provides that the requirements of Subsection (d) do not apply to
scholarships for the 2000 fall semester. Requires each institution or unit
covered in Subsection (d) to make the required information available to the
public, applicants, graduates, and professional programs before December 1,
1999 for the 2000 fall semester.  Provides that this section expires
September 1, 2000. 

Sec. 51.823. RULEMAKING. Authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board (board) to adopt rules relating to the operation of admissions and
competitive scholarship processes.   

SECTION 2. Provides that the change in the law made by this Act applies
beginning with admissions and competitive scholarships for the 2000 - 2001
academic year.  Requires the board and certain  institutions and units to
adopt rules regarding the admission of students, no later that January 1,
2000. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.