SRC-MWN S.B. 621 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 621
77R6423 TBy: Barrientos
Education
3/11/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, minority students and students from rural areas are
underrepresented in the professional and graduate schools of Texas state
universities. As proposed, S.B. 621 sets forth ten criteria, any or all of
which may be used in making admission and scholarship decisions, and
prohibits universities from relying solely on scores from standardized
tests in evaluating an applicant for admission into a graduate or
professional program or in awarding a competitive scholarship. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly 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,"
"graduate program," and "professional program." 

Sec. 51.822. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP FACTORS FOR GRADUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. Requires a general academic teaching institution or
medical or dental unit, in addition to any institutional, unit,
professional, or accreditation factors, to consider all of, any of, or a
combination of certain factors in making an admission or scholarship
decision for admissions into or competitive scholarships for a graduate or
professional program of the institution or unit. Prohibits the applicant's
performance on a standardized text from being used in the admissions or
competitive scholarship process as the sole criterion for consideration of
the applicant. Requires each general academic teaching institution or
medical and dental unit, not later than one year before the date that
applications for admissions and competitive scholarships are first
considered for a graduate or professional program under this subchapter, to
publish a description of the factors to be considered by the institution or
unit in making those admissions and competitive scholarship decisions and
to make the information available to the public. Provides that those
requirements do not apply to admissions and competitive scholarships for
the 2000 fall semester. Requires each institution or unit covered by this
section to make the required information available to the public and to
applicants to its graduate and professional programs not later than
December 1, 1999, for the 2000 fall semester. Provides that this subsection
expires September 1, 2000. 
 
Sec. 51.823. RULEMAKING. Authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board to adopt rules relating to the operation of admissions and
competitive scholarship processes under this subchapter. 

 Sec. 51.824. REPORT. Requires each general academic teaching institution
or medical and dental unit to report annually to the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board the demographic composition of the entering class of
students admitted and enrolled under this subchapter, according to race,
ethnicity, and gender. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment. 
                      Makes application of this Act prospective for the
2002-2003 academic year.  
                      Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board, each general academic                          teaching institution,
and each medical and dental unit to adopt rules or policies
relating to the admission of students and awarding of scholarships under
Chapter                           51V, Education Code, as added by this
Act, not later than January 1, 2002.