By Barrientos                                          S.B. No. 621
         77R6423 T                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to providing certain students with an equal opportunity to
 1-3     enroll in or receive a competitive scholarship for a graduate or
 1-4     professional degree program.
 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.  ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP
 1-9               POLICIES FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
1-10           Sec. 51.821.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-11                 (1)  "General academic teaching institution" and
1-12     "medical and dental unit" have the meanings assigned by Section
1-13     61.003.
1-14                 (2)  "Graduate program" means a degree program, as
1-15     defined by Section 61.003, to which a student may be admitted that
1-16     leads to a master's or doctoral degree.
1-17                 (3)  "Professional program" means a degree program, as
1-18     defined by Section 61.003, to which a student may be admitted that
1-19     leads to a degree required for licensure as an attorney, doctor of
1-20     medicine or osteopathy, dentist, architect, or pharmacist.
1-21           Sec. 51.822.  ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP FACTORS FOR GRADUATE
1-22     AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. (a)  In addition to any institutional,
1-23     unit, professional, or accreditation factors, a general academic
1-24     teaching institution or medical or dental unit shall consider all
 2-1     of, any of, or a combination of the following factors in making an
 2-2     admissions or scholarship decision for admissions into or
 2-3     competitive scholarships for a graduate or professional program of
 2-4     the institution or unit:
 2-5                 (1)  an applicant's academic record as an undergraduate
 2-6     student;
 2-7                 (2)  an applicant's eligibility for need-based
 2-8     financial aid as an undergraduate student;
 2-9                 (3)  whether the applicant would be the first
2-10     generation of the applicant's family to attend or graduate from an
2-11     undergraduate program or from a graduate or professional program;
2-12                 (4)  whether the applicant has bilingual proficiency;
2-13                 (5)  the applicant's responsibilities as an
2-14     undergraduate student, including whether the applicant was
2-15     employed, whether the applicant helped to raise children, and other
2-16     similar responsibilities;
2-17                 (6)  the applicant's involvement in community
2-18     activities;
2-19                 (7)  the applicant's demonstrated commitment to a
2-20     particular field of study;
2-21                 (8)  for admission into a professional program, whether
2-22     the applicant attended secondary school in an area underserved by
2-23     that profession;
2-24                 (9)  the applicant's personal interview; and
2-25                 (10)  any other factor the institution or unit
2-26     considers necessary to accomplish the stated mission of the
2-27     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
3-27     under this subchapter, according to race, ethnicity, and gender.
 4-1           SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
 4-2     beginning with admissions and competitive scholarships for the
 4-3     2002-2003 academic year.
 4-4           (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, each
 4-5     general academic teaching institution, and each medical and dental
 4-6     unit shall adopt rules or policies relating to the admission of
 4-7     students and awarding of scholarships under Subchapter V, Chapter
 4-8     51, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1,
 4-9     2002.