1-1     By:  Barrientos, Truan                                 S.B. No. 621
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 9, 2001; February 12, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
 1-4     March 26, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 26, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 621                   By:  Sibley
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to providing certain students with an equal opportunity to
1-11     enroll in or receive a competitive scholarship for a graduate or
1-12     professional degree program.
1-13           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-14           SECTION 1.  Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-15     Subchapter V to read as follows:
1-16                  SUBCHAPTER V.  ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP
1-17               POLICIES FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
1-18           Sec. 51.821.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
1-19                 (1)  "General academic teaching institution" and
1-20     "medical and dental unit" have the meanings assigned by Section
1-21     61.003.
1-22                 (2)  "Graduate program" means a degree program, as
1-23     defined by Section 61.003, to which a student may be admitted that
1-24     leads to a master's or doctoral degree.
1-25                 (3)  "Professional program" means a degree program, as
1-26     defined by Section 61.003, to which a student may be admitted that
1-27     leads to a degree required for licensure as an attorney, doctor of
1-28     medicine or osteopathy, dentist, architect, or pharmacist.
1-29           Sec. 51.822.  ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP FACTORS FOR GRADUATE
1-30     AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS.  (a)  In addition to any institutional,
1-31     unit, professional, or accreditation factors, a general academic
1-32     teaching institution or medical and dental unit shall consider all
1-33     of, any of, or a combination of the following factors in making an
1-34     admissions or scholarship decision for admissions into or
1-35     competitive scholarships for a graduate or professional program of
1-36     the institution or unit:
1-37                 (1)  an applicant's academic record as an undergraduate
1-38     student;
1-39                 (2)  an applicant's eligibility for need-based
1-40     financial aid as an undergraduate student;
1-41                 (3)  whether the applicant would be the first
1-42     generation of the applicant's family to attend or graduate from an
1-43     undergraduate program or from a graduate or professional program;
1-44                 (4)  whether the applicant has bilingual proficiency;
1-45                 (5)  the applicant's responsibilities as an
1-46     undergraduate student, including whether the applicant was
1-47     employed, whether the applicant helped to raise children, and other
1-48     similar responsibilities;
1-49                 (6)  the applicant's involvement in community
1-50     activities;
1-51                 (7)  the applicant's demonstrated commitment to a
1-52     particular field of study;
1-53                 (8)  for admission into a professional program, whether
1-54     the applicant attended secondary school in an area underserved by
1-55     that profession;
1-56                 (9)  the applicant's personal interview; and
1-57                 (10)  any other factor the institution or unit
1-58     considers necessary to accomplish the stated mission of the
1-59     institution or unit.
1-60           (b)  The applicant's performance on a standardized test may
1-61     not be used in the admissions or competitive scholarship process as
1-62     the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant.
1-63           (c)  Not later than one year before the date that
1-64     applications for admissions and competitive scholarships are first
 2-1     considered for a graduate or professional program under this
 2-2     subchapter, each general academic teaching institution or medical
 2-3     and dental unit shall publish a description of the factors to be
 2-4     considered by the institution or unit in making those admissions
 2-5     and competitive scholarship decisions and shall make the
 2-6     information available to the public.
 2-7           (d)  The requirements of Subsection (c) do not apply to
 2-8     admissions and competitive scholarships for the 2001 fall semester.
 2-9     Each general academic teaching institution or medical and dental
2-10     unit covered by Subsection (c) shall make the required information
2-11     available to the public and to applicants to its graduate and
2-12     professional programs not later than December 1, 2001, for the 2002
2-13     fall semester.  This subsection expires September 1, 2002.
2-14           Sec. 51.823.  RULEMAKING.  The Texas Higher Education
2-15     Coordinating Board may adopt rules relating to the operation of
2-16     admissions and competitive scholarship processes under this
2-17     subchapter.
2-18           Sec. 51.824.  REPORT.  Each general academic teaching
2-19     institution or medical and dental unit shall report annually to the
2-20     Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the demographic
2-21     composition of the entering class of students admitted and enrolled
2-22     under this subchapter, according to race, ethnicity, and gender.
2-23           SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
2-24     beginning with admissions and competitive scholarships for the
2-25     2002-2003 academic year.
2-26           (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, each
2-27     general academic teaching institution, and each medical and dental
2-28     unit shall adopt rules or policies relating to the admission of
2-29     students and awarding of scholarships under Subchapter V, Chapter
2-30     51, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1,
2-31     2002.
2-32                                  * * * * *