1-1 By: Bivins S.B. No. 1261
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1999; March 11, 1999, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 16, 1999,
1-4 reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0;
1-5 April 16, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the appointment of faculty members to certain
1-9 curriculum advisory committees of the Texas Higher Education
1-10 Coordinating Board and to the development of field of study
1-11 curricula by the board.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Section 61.821, Education Code, is amended by
1-14 adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
1-15 (3) "Faculty member" means a person who is employed
1-16 full-time by an institution of higher education as a member of the
1-17 faculty whose primary duties include teaching, research, academic
1-18 service, or administration. However, the term does not include a
1-19 person holding faculty rank who spends a majority of the person's
1-20 time for the institution engaged in managerial or supervisory
1-21 activities, including a chancellor, vice chancellor, president,
1-22 vice president, provost, associate or assistant provost, or dean.
1-23 SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 61.822, Education Code,
1-24 is amended to read as follows:
1-25 (a) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
1-26 composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
1-27 shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42 semester
1-28 credit hours, including a statement of the content, component
1-29 areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. At least a majority
1-30 of the members of any advisory committee named under this section
1-31 shall be faculty members of an institution of higher education. An
1-32 institution shall consult with the faculty of the institution
1-33 before nominating or recommending a person to the board as the
1-34 institution's representative on an advisory committee.
1-35 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 61.823, Education Code,
1-36 is amended to read as follows:
1-37 (a) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
1-38 composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
1-39 may [shall] develop field of study curricula. Each advisory
1-40 committee shall be equitably composed of representatives of
1-41 institutions of higher education. Each university system or
1-42 institution of higher education which offers a degree program for
1-43 which a field of study curriculum is proposed shall be offered
1-44 participation on the advisory committee for that particular field
1-45 of study. At least a majority of the members of any advisory
1-46 committee named under this section shall be faculty members of an
1-47 institution of higher education. An institution shall consult with
1-48 the faculty of the institution before nominating or recommending a
1-49 person to the board as the institution's representative on an
1-50 advisory committee.
1-51 SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1-52 shall conduct a study to examine the need for and feasibility of
1-53 developing a field of study curriculum under Section 61.823,
1-54 Education Code, in the various fields of study common to
1-55 institutions of higher education. Not later than September 1,
1-56 2000, the board shall report the results of the study to the
1-57 governing board of each public institution of higher education and
1-58 to the presiding officer of the standing committee in each house of
1-59 the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher education.
1-60 SECTION 5. Each advisory committee established by the Texas
1-61 Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subsection (a), Section
1-62 61.822, or Subsection (a), Section 61.823, Education Code, must
1-63 include a majority of faculty members, as defined by Subdivision
1-64 (3), Section 61.821, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
2-1 later than January 1, 2000.
2-2 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-8 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-9 * * * * *