By: Bivins S.B. No. 1261
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the appointment of faculty members to certain
1-2 curriculum advisory committees of the Texas Higher Education
1-3 Coordinating Board and to the development of field of study
1-4 curricula by the board.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 61.821, Education Code, is amended by
1-7 adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
1-8 (3) "Faculty member" means a person who is employed
1-9 full-time by an institution of higher education as a member of the
1-10 faculty whose primary duties include teaching, research, academic
1-11 service, or administration. However, the term does not include a
1-12 person holding faculty rank who spends a majority of the person's
1-13 time for the institution engaged in managerial or supervisory
1-14 activities, including a chancellor, vice chancellor, president,
1-15 vice president, provost, associate or assistant provost, or dean.
1-16 SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 61.822, Education Code,
1-17 is amended to read as follows:
1-18 (a) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
1-19 composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
1-20 shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42 semester
1-21 credit hours, including a statement of the content, component
1-22 areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. At least a majority
1-23 of the members of any advisory committee named under this section
1-24 shall be faculty members of an institution of higher education. An
2-1 institution shall consult with the faculty of the institution
2-2 before nominating or recommending a person to the board as the
2-3 institution's representative on an advisory committee.
2-4 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 61.823, Education Code,
2-5 is amended to read as follows:
2-6 (a) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
2-7 composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
2-8 may [shall] develop field of study curricula. Each advisory
2-9 committee shall be equitably composed of representatives of
2-10 institutions of higher education. Each university system or
2-11 institution of higher education which offers a degree program for
2-12 which a field of study curriculum is proposed shall be offered
2-13 participation on the advisory committee for that particular field
2-14 of study. At least a majority of the members of any advisory
2-15 committee named under this section shall be faculty members of an
2-16 institution of higher education. An institution shall consult with
2-17 the faculty of the institution before nominating or recommending a
2-18 person to the board as the institution's representative on an
2-19 advisory committee.
2-20 SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
2-21 shall conduct a study to examine the need for and feasibility of
2-22 developing a field of study curriculum under Section 61.823,
2-23 Education Code, in the various fields of study common to
2-24 institutions of higher education. Not later than September 1,
2-25 2000, the board shall report the results of the study to the
2-26 governing board of each public institution of higher education and
3-1 to the presiding officer of the standing committee in each house of
3-2 the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher education.
3-3 SECTION 5. Each advisory committee established by the Texas
3-4 Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subsection (a), Section
3-5 61.822, or Subsection (a), Section 61.823, Education Code, must
3-6 include a majority of faculty members, as defined by Subdivision
3-7 (3), Section 61.821, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
3-8 later than January 1, 2000.
3-9 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-15 passage, and it is so enacted.