S.B. 503 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 503
By: Ogden
Higher Education
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, there is no regulation requiring information about general
academic institutions to be posted on the institution's website.
Information is important for prospective college students and their
parents in making an informed choice when picking a college.  As proposed,
S.B. 503 requires general academic institutions to provide to the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), for posting on a website,
information on tuition and fees for residents and nonresidents;
descriptions of departments, schools or certificate or degree program with
a national or state reputation for excellence; retention and graduation
rates; and job placement statistics. S.B. 503 requires this mandate to
apply to information regarding the Spring 2004 semester and authorizes
THECB to adopt standards to facilitate comparisons among different 
institutions' information.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 51.968, Education Code). 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51Z, Education Code, by adding Section 51.968,
as follows:  

Sec. 51.968.  DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION REGARDING STUDENT ENROLLMENT
AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS.  (a) Defines "institution of higher
education" as the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.  

(b) Requires each institution of higher education to post on its website
and provide to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
certain information.  

(c) Requires THECB, by rule, to establish standards and adopt formats for
the provision and posting of the information under Subsection (b).  

(d) Requires the institution of higher education to post on its website
and provide to THECB updated information, as soon as practicable.  

SECTION 2.  (a)  Provides that SECTION 1 of this act applies beginning
with spring semester 2004.  

(b) Requires THECB to adopt the required rules as soon as practicable
after this Act takes affect.  

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of
all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article
III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary
for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.