By Barrientos S.B. No. 995
77R6786 KSD-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to tuition and fee exemptions for certain junior college
1-3 teachers seeking graduate degrees.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter X to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER X. TEXAS GRADUATE STUDIES TUITION AND FEE
1-8 EXEMPTION PROGRAM
1-9 Sec. 61.951. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program" means
1-10 the Texas Graduate Studies Tuition and Fee Exemption Program.
1-11 Sec. 61.952. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The board shall
1-12 establish and administer the Texas Graduate Studies Tuition and Fee
1-13 Exemption Program to provide incentives for public junior college
1-14 teachers who are members of groups that are underrepresented among
1-15 faculty and administrative and professional staff at public senior
1-16 colleges or universities to pursue master's and doctoral degrees at
1-17 public senior colleges or universities.
1-18 (b) The board shall adopt rules necessary for the
1-19 administration of this subchapter.
1-20 (c) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted
1-21 under this section to each public senior college or university.
1-22 Sec. 61.953. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to participate in
1-23 the program, a person must:
1-24 (1) be a member of an identifiable group or segment of
2-1 the population of this state that is underrepresented among faculty
2-2 and administrative and professional staff at a public senior
2-3 college or university, as determined by board rule;
2-4 (2) hold a bachelor's degree;
2-5 (3) currently teach as a professor, instructor, or
2-6 other faculty position of any rank at a public junior college or,
2-7 if the person is enrolled for a summer session, have taught in such
2-8 a position at a public junior college in the previous academic year
2-9 and have contracted to teach in such a position at a public junior
2-10 college during the next academic year;
2-11 (4) continuously be enrolled, except during summer
2-12 sessions, in at least six credit hours in a master's or doctoral
2-13 degree program at a public senior college or university; and
2-14 (5) maintain a cumulative grade point average in that
2-15 degree program of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale or the equivalent
2-16 on another grading scale.
2-17 Sec. 61.954. EXEMPTION. A person who is eligible to
2-18 participate in the program is exempt from the payment of tuition
2-19 and required fees at the public senior college or university at
2-20 which the person is enrolled.
2-21 Sec. 61.955. LIMITATION. A person may not receive an
2-22 exemption from the payment of tuition and fees under the program
2-23 for more than six years.
2-24 Sec. 61.956. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an
2-25 advisory committee to assist the board in performing the board's
2-26 duties under this subchapter.
2-27 Sec. 61.957. FUNDING. (a) The board may solicit and accept
3-1 gifts and grants from any source for the purposes of the program.
3-2 (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the program.
3-3 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect beginning with the 2001
3-4 fall semester.
3-5 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
3-6 adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter X, Chapter 61,
3-7 Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
3-8 this Act takes effect.
3-9 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-10 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-11 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-12 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-13 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.