By: Ellis et, al. S.B. No. 353
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain programs to develop the technology workforce in
1-3 Texas by supporting and promoting higher education in engineering
1-4 and computer science.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-7 Subchapter V to read as follows:
1-8 SUBCHAPTER V. TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
1-9 Sec. 51.831. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to
1-10 establish programs to:
1-11 (1) increase the number of engineering and computer
1-12 science graduates from Texas institutions of higher education; and
1-13 (2) increase collaborative efforts between
1-14 universities, engineering and computer science departments, and
1-15 private companies in Texas.
1-16 Sec. 51.832. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-17 (1) "Account" means the technology workforce
1-18 development account.
1-19 (2) "Consortium" means the Texas Engineering and
1-20 Technical Consortium.
1-21 (3) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-22 Education Coordinating Board.
1-23 (4) "Eligible computer science institution" means a
1-24 general academic teaching institution that offers a baccalaureate
1-25 degree program in computer science.
2-1 (5) "Eligible engineering institution" means a general
2-2 academic teaching institution that offers a baccalaureate degree
2-3 program in engineering that is accredited by the Accreditation
2-4 Board for Engineering and Technology.
2-5 (6) "Eligible private or independent engineering
2-6 institution" means a private or independent institution of higher
2-7 education that offers a baccalaureate degree program in electrical
2-8 engineering that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for
2-9 Engineering and Technology.
2-10 (7) "General academic teaching institution" has the
2-11 meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
2-12 (8) "Private or independent institution of higher
2-13 education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
2-14 Sec. 51.833. TEXAS ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL CONSORTIUM.
2-15 (a) Eligible engineering institutions, eligible computer science
2-16 institutions, and private companies as described by Subsection (b)
2-17 may establish and administer the Texas Engineering and Technical
2-18 Consortium as a resource-sharing program operated within an
2-19 eligible institution to:
2-20 (1) provide a forum for eligible engineering
2-21 institutions, eligible computer science institutions, and private
2-22 companies to consolidate research grant applications and research
2-23 projects;
2-24 (2) strengthen instruction in engineering and computer
2-25 science;
2-26 (3) institute recruitment, development, and retention
3-1 programs for students in engineering and computer science programs;
3-2 (4) share instructional and research resources; and
3-3 (5) coordinate activities related to engineering and
3-4 computer science instruction, research, and public service.
3-5 (b) The consortium must include at least one eligible
3-6 engineering institution or eligible computer science institution.
3-7 Each participant in the consortium must be:
3-8 (1) an eligible engineering institution;
3-9 (2) an eligible computer science institution; or
3-10 (3) a private company that contributes at least
3-11 $100,000 each year to the consortium.
3-12 (c) At the end of each two-year period or any other period
3-13 determined by the consortium, the consortium may transfer its
3-14 administrative functions to another eligible institution
3-15 participating in the consortium.
3-16 Sec. 51.834. CONSORTIUM ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The
3-17 consortium shall appoint an advisory committee to advise and make
3-18 recommendations to the consortium regarding the operations and
3-19 activities of the consortium.
3-20 (b) The advisory committee must include a representative of
3-21 each consortium participant.
3-22 (c) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110,
3-23 Government Code.
3-24 Sec. 51.835. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS; TECHNOLOGY
3-25 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT. (a) The consortium may solicit and
3-26 accept gifts, grants, and donations of any kind and from any
4-1 source, including foundations, corporations, and institutions of
4-2 higher education, for the purpose of implementing this subchapter.
4-3 (b) The consortium shall transfer money received under
4-4 Subsection (a), other than money retained to administer the
4-5 consortium, to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the
4-6 technology workforce development account.
4-7 (c) The technology workforce development account is an
4-8 account in the general revenue fund. Money in the account may be
4-9 appropriated only for the purpose of awarding grants under this
4-10 subchapter.
4-11 (d) The account consists of gifts, grants, and donations
4-12 deposited to the credit of the account under this section.
4-13 (e) The coordinating board shall administer the account and
4-14 shall adopt any rules necessary to administer the account.
4-15 Sec. 51.836. APPROPRIATIONS; STATE MATCHING PROGRAM.
4-16 (a) The legislature may appropriate money from the undedicated
4-17 portion of the general revenue fund, in addition to money from the
4-18 technology workforce development account, for the purpose of
4-19 awarding grants under this subchapter.
4-20 (b) For a state fiscal biennium, the amount appropriated
4-21 from the undedicated portion of the general revenue fund under
4-22 Subsection (a) may not be less than the sum of:
4-23 (1) the amount of money deposited to the credit of the
4-24 account during that biennium under Section 51.835; and
4-25 (2) the market value of any in-kind contributions
4-26 accepted by the consortium during that biennium under Section
5-1 51.835, as determined by the comptroller based on information
5-2 provided to the comptroller by the consortium and verified by the
5-3 coordinating board.
5-4 (c) Subsection (b) does not prohibit the legislature from
5-5 appropriating an amount under Subsection (a) that exceeds the
5-6 minimum matching amount computed under Subsection (b).
5-7 Sec. 51.837. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The coordinating board
5-8 shall use money appropriated under Section 51.836 to award grants
5-9 as described by Subsection (c) on a competitive, peer-review basis
5-10 to eligible engineering institutions, eligible computer science
5-11 institutions, and eligible private or independent engineering
5-12 institutions meeting the requirements of Subsection (d) to:
5-13 (1) increase the number of graduates with
5-14 baccalaureate degrees in engineering and computer science;
5-15 (2) increase the size of engineering and computer
5-16 science programs;
5-17 (3) recruit students to enter engineering and computer
5-18 science programs, including:
5-19 (A) students from groups or backgrounds that are
5-20 traditionally underrepresented in the fields of engineering and
5-21 computer science, including female students; and
5-22 (B) students from public or private junior
5-23 colleges or technical institutes;
5-24 (4) provide scholarships for students in engineering
5-25 and computer science programs;
5-26 (5) provide retention and mentoring programs for
6-1 students in engineering and computer science programs;
6-2 (6) provide supplemental compensation for faculty and
6-3 support personnel in engineering and computer science departments;
6-4 (7) provide research and laboratory equipment to
6-5 engineering and computer science departments;
6-6 (8) provide for distance learning programs in
6-7 engineering and computer science; and
6-8 (9) fund other related activities.
6-9 (b) In awarding grants under this section, the coordinating
6-10 board shall consider with respect to the engineering or computer
6-11 science program of each eligible institution:
6-12 (1) faculty;
6-13 (2) instructional and research resources;
6-14 (3) current enrollment;
6-15 (4) quality of curriculum;
6-16 (5) placement record of graduates;
6-17 (6) past performance in increasing graduates; and
6-18 (7) any other appropriate factor.
6-19 (c) The coordinating board may award a grant under this
6-20 section only to fund a new project or activity or the expansion or
6-21 enhancement of an existing project or activity. The coordinating
6-22 board may not award a grant under this section to replace current
6-23 funding for an existing project or activity.
6-24 (d) To receive a grant awarded under this section, an
6-25 eligible private or independent engineering institution must match
6-26 the amount of the grant with an equal amount of contributions made
7-1 by that institution for the project or activity for which the grant
7-2 is awarded.
7-3 Sec. 51.838. COORDINATING BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) To
7-4 advise the coordinating board regarding grants awarded under this
7-5 subchapter, the coordinating board shall appoint an advisory
7-6 committee consisting of the following 11 members with significant
7-7 expertise in engineering, computer science, or higher education:
7-8 (1) six members who are representatives of private
7-9 companies participating in the consortium; and
7-10 (2) five members who are representatives of higher
7-11 education.
7-12 (b) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110,
7-13 Government Code.
7-14 Sec. 51.839. ANNUAL REPORTS. (a) An eligible institution
7-15 that is awarded a grant under this subchapter shall report to the
7-16 coordinating board regarding the use of that grant not later than
7-17 September 1 of each year.
7-18 (b) Not later than October 31 of each year, the coordinating
7-19 board shall provide to the governor, the legislature, and the
7-20 consortium participants a report consolidated from reports
7-21 submitted to the coordinating board by eligible institutions under
7-22 this section.
7-23 Sec. 51.840. COMMITTEE TO EVALUATE GRANT PROGRAM; BIENNIAL
7-24 REPORTS. (a) To evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program
7-25 under this subchapter, the coordinating board shall appoint an
7-26 advisory committee consisting of:
8-1 (1) higher education representatives; and
8-2 (2) experts in the fields of engineering and computer
8-3 science.
8-4 (b) An evaluation under this section must include an
8-5 evaluation of the level of participation in the grant program by
8-6 eligible private or independent engineering institutions.
8-7 (c) The grant program evaluation committee is subject to
8-8 Chapter 2110, Government Code.
8-9 (d) The grant program evaluation committee shall report the
8-10 results of its evaluation to the coordinating board not later than
8-11 September 1 of each even-numbered year.
8-12 (e) The coordinating board shall report the results of the
8-13 evaluation to the governor, the legislature, and the consortium
8-14 participants not later than October 31 of each even-numbered year.
8-15 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.