By Bivins S.B. No. 1261
76R9318 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment of faculty members to certain
1-3 curriculum advisory committees of the Texas Higher Education
1-4 Coordinating Board and to the development of field of study
1-5 curricula by the board.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Section 61.821, Education Code, is amended by
1-8 adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
1-9 (3) "Faculty member" means a person who is employed
1-10 full-time by an institution of higher education as a member of the
1-11 faculty whose primary duties include teaching, research, academic
1-12 service, or administration. However, the term does not include a
1-13 person holding faculty rank who spends a majority of the person's
1-14 time for the institution engaged in managerial or supervisory
1-15 activities, including a chancellor, vice chancellor, president,
1-16 vice president, provost, associate or assistant provost, or dean.
1-17 SECTION 2. Section 61.822(a), Education Code, is amended to
1-18 read as follows:
1-19 (a) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
1-20 composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
1-21 shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42 semester
1-22 credit hours, including a statement of the content, component
1-23 areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. At least a majority
1-24 of the members of any advisory committee named under this section
2-1 shall be faculty members of an institution of higher education. An
2-2 institution shall consult with the faculty of the institution
2-3 before nominating or recommending a person to the board as the
2-4 institution's representative on an advisory committee.
2-5 SECTION 3. Section 61.823(a), Education Code, is amended to
2-6 read as follows:
2-7 (a) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
2-8 composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
2-9 may [shall] develop field of study curricula. Each advisory
2-10 committee shall be equitably composed of representatives of
2-11 institutions of higher education. Each university system or
2-12 institution of higher education which offers a degree program for
2-13 which a field of study curriculum is proposed shall be offered
2-14 participation on the advisory committee for that particular field
2-15 of study. At least a majority of the members of any advisory
2-16 committee named under this section shall be faculty members of an
2-17 institution of higher education. An institution shall consult with
2-18 the faculty of the institution before nominating or recommending a
2-19 person to the board as the institution's representative on an
2-20 advisory committee.
2-21 SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
2-22 shall conduct a study to examine the need for and feasibility of
2-23 developing a field of study curriculum under Section 61.823,
2-24 Education Code, in the various fields of study common to
2-25 institutions of higher education. Not later than September 1,
2-26 2000, the board shall report the results of the study to the
2-27 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 Section 61.822(a) or
3-5 61.823(a), Education Code, must include a majority of faculty
3-6 members, as defined by Section 61.821(3), Education Code, as added
3-7 by this Act, not later than January 1, 2000.
3-8 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-13 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-14 passage, and it is so enacted.