By: Barrientos, et al. S.B. No. 1356
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to providing certain students with an equal opportunity to
1-2 enroll in or receive a competitive scholarship for a graduate or
1-3 professional degree program.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter V to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER V. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP
1-8 POLICIES FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
1-9 Sec. 51.821. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-10 (1) "General academic teaching institution" and
1-11 "medical and dental unit" have the meanings assigned by Section
1-12 61.003.
1-13 (2) "Graduate program" means a degree program, as
1-14 defined by Section 61.003, to which a student may be admitted that
1-15 leads to a master's or doctoral degree.
1-16 (3) "Professional program" means a degree program, as
1-17 defined by Section 61.003, to which a student may be admitted that
1-18 leads to a degree required for licensure as an attorney, doctor of
1-19 medicine or osteopathy, dentist, architect, or pharmacist.
1-20 Sec. 51.822. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP FACTORS FOR GRADUATE
1-21 AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. (a) In addition to any institutional,
1-22 unit, professional, or accreditation factors, a general academic
1-23 teaching institution or medical or dental unit shall consider all
1-24 of, any of, or a combination of the following factors in making an
2-1 admissions or scholarship decision for admissions into or
2-2 competitive scholarships for a graduate or professional program of
2-3 the institution or unit:
2-4 (1) an applicant's academic record as an undergraduate
2-5 student;
2-6 (2) an applicant's eligibility for need-based
2-7 financial aid as an undergraduate student;
2-8 (3) whether the applicant would be the first
2-9 generation of the applicant's family to attend or graduate from an
2-10 undergraduate program or from a graduate or professional program;
2-11 (4) whether the applicant has bilingual proficiency;
2-12 (5) the applicant's responsibilities as an
2-13 undergraduate student, including whether the applicant was
2-14 employed, whether the applicant helped to raise children, and other
2-15 similar responsibilities;
2-16 (6) the applicant's involvement in community
2-17 activities;
2-18 (7) the applicant's demonstrated commitment to a
2-19 particular field of study;
2-20 (8) for admission into a professional program, whether
2-21 the applicant attended secondary school in an area underserved by
2-22 that profession;
2-23 (9) the applicant's personal interview; and
2-24 (10) any other factor the institution or unit
2-25 considers necessary to accomplish the stated mission of the
2-26 institution or unit.
3-1 (b) The applicant's performance on a standardized test may
3-2 not be used in the admissions or competitive scholarship process as
3-3 the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant.
3-4 (c) Not later than one year before the date that
3-5 applications for admissions and competitive scholarships are first
3-6 considered for a graduate or professional program under this
3-7 subchapter, each general academic teaching institution or medical
3-8 and dental unit shall publish a description of the factors to be
3-9 considered by the institution or unit in making those admissions
3-10 and competitive scholarship decisions and shall make the
3-11 information available to the public.
3-12 (d) The requirements of Subsection (c) do not apply to
3-13 admissions and competitive scholarships for the 2000 fall semester.
3-14 Each institution or unit covered by Subsection (c) shall make the
3-15 required information available to the public and to applicants to
3-16 its graduate and professional programs not later than December 1,
3-17 1999, for the 2000 fall semester. This subsection expires
3-18 September 1, 2000.
3-19 Sec. 51.823. RULEMAKING. The Texas Higher Education
3-20 Coordinating Board may adopt rules relating to the operation of
3-21 admissions and competitive scholarship processes under this
3-22 subchapter.
3-23 Sec. 51.824. REPORT. Each general academic teaching
3-24 institution or medical and dental unit shall report annually to the
3-25 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the demographic
3-26 composition of the entering class of students admitted and enrolled
4-1 under this subchapter, according to race, ethnicity, and gender.
4-2 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
4-3 beginning with admissions and competitive scholarships for the
4-4 2000-2001 academic year.
4-5 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, each
4-6 general academic teaching institution, and each medical and dental
4-7 unit shall adopt rules or policies relating to the admission of
4-8 students and awarding of scholarships under Subchapter V, Chapter
4-9 51, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1,
4-10 2000.
4-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-17 passage, and it is so enacted.