78R4515 KSD-D

By:  Wilson                                                       H.B. No. 2123


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the membership of the board of regents of The University of Texas System and the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 65.11, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 65.11. BOARD OF REGENTS. (a) The government of the university system is vested in a board of 11 [nine] regents appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. (b) The governor shall appoint one of the regents as provided by Section 65.111. (c) The board may provide for the administration, organization, and names of the institutions and entities in The University of Texas System in such a way as will achieve the maximum operating efficiency of such institutions and entities, provided, however, that no institution or entity of The University of Texas System not authorized by specific legislative act to offer a four-year undergraduate program as of the effective date of this Act shall offer any such four-year undergraduate program without prior recommendation and approval by a two-thirds vote of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and a specific act of the Legislature. SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 65, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 65.111 to read as follows: Sec. 65.111. STUDENT REGENT. (a) In this section: (1) "General academic teaching institution" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. (2) "Student government" means the representative student organization directly elected by the student body of a general academic teaching institution. (b) In the academic year preceding the date on which the term of a student regent expires, the student government of each general academic teaching institution in the system shall solicit applicants for the position of student regent. From among the individuals who apply, each student government shall select three individuals to be screened by The University of Texas System Student Advisory Council. From among the individuals screened by the council, the council shall select three individuals and send the names of those individuals as the council's recommendations for the position of student regent to the chancellor of the system. From the individuals recommended to the chancellor, the chancellor shall select those individuals the chancellor considers qualified to serve as student regent and shall send the names of those individuals to the governor as the system's recommendations for the position of student regent. The governor shall appoint one of those individuals to serve as student regent for the next term of that office. (c) A student regent must be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in a general academic teaching institution in the system at the time of appointment. For purposes of this subsection, a person is considered to be enrolled in an institution for a summer term if the person: (1) was enrolled in the institution for the preceding semester and is registered or preregistered at the institution for the following fall semester; (2) was enrolled in the institution for the preceding semester and is eligible to continue the same degree program at the institution in the following fall semester; or (3) was enrolled in the same or another general academic teaching institution in the system for the preceding semester and is admitted to a degree program at the institution for the following fall semester. (d) A student regent may not be an elected or ex officio member of the student government of a general academic teaching institution in the system. (e) The student regent has the same powers and duties, including voting privileges, as those granted to the other board members under Subchapter C. (f) A student regent may not be appointed from the same general academic teaching institution for consecutive terms. (g) A vacancy in the position of student regent shall be filled for the unexpired term as provided by Subsection (b). SECTION 3. Section 65.12, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 65.12. QUALIFICATIONS; TERMS. (a) A regent must [Each member of the board shall] be a qualified voter. (b) The regents [; and the members] shall be selected from different geographic regions [portions] of the state. (c) The regents appointed under Section 65.11(a) [members] hold office for staggered terms of six years, with the terms of three or four regents, as applicable, expiring February 1 of odd-numbered years. (d) A student regent appointed under Section 65.111 holds office for a term of two years, with the term of the initial student regent expiring February 1, 2005. SECTION 4. Section 85.11, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 85.11. BOARD OF REGENTS. (a) The government of the university system is vested in a board of 11 [nine] regents appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. (b) The governor shall appoint one of the regents as provided by Section 85.111. SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 85, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 85.111 to read as follows: Sec. 85.111. STUDENT REGENT. (a) In this section: (1) "General academic teaching institution" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. (2) "Student government" means the representative student organization directly elected by the student body of a general academic teaching institution. (b) In the academic year preceding the date on which the term of a student regent expires, the student government of each general academic teaching institution in the system shall solicit applicants for the position of student regent. From among the individuals who apply, each student government shall select three individuals to be screened by The Texas A&M University System Chancellor's Student Advisory Board. From among the individuals screened by the advisory board, the advisory board shall select three individuals and send the names of those individuals as the advisory board's recommendations for the position of student regent to the chancellor of the system. From the individuals recommended to the chancellor, the chancellor shall select those individuals the chancellor considers qualified to serve as student regent and shall send the names of those individuals to the governor as the system's recommendations for the position of student regent. The governor shall appoint one of those individuals to serve as student regent for the next term of that office. (c) A student regent must be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in a general academic teaching institution in the system at the time of appointment. For purposes of this subsection, a person is considered to be enrolled in an institution for a summer term if the person: (1) was enrolled in the institution for the preceding semester and is registered or preregistered at the institution for the following fall semester; (2) was enrolled in the institution for the preceding semester and is eligible to continue the same degree program at the institution in the following fall semester; or (3) was enrolled in the same or another general academic teaching institution in the system for the preceding semester and is admitted to a degree program at the institution for the following fall semester. (d) A student regent may not be an elected or ex officio member of the student government of a general academic teaching institution in the system. (e) The student regent has the same powers and duties, including voting privileges, as those granted to the other board members under Subchapter C. (f) A student regent may not be appointed from the same general academic teaching institution for consecutive terms. (g) A vacancy in the position of student regent shall be filled for the unexpired term as provided by Subsection (b). SECTION 6. Section 85.12, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 85.12. QUALIFICATIONS; TERMS. (a) A regent must [Each member of the board shall] be a qualified voter. (b) The regents [; and the members] shall be selected from different geographic regions [portions] of the state. (c) The regents appointed under Section 85.11(a) [members] hold office for staggered terms of six years, with the terms of three or four regents, as applicable, expiring February 1 of odd-numbered years. (d) A student regent appointed under Section 85.111 holds office for a term of two years, with the term of the initial student regent expiring February 1, 2005. SECTION 7. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2003. (b) As soon as practicable after this Act takes effect, the governor shall appoint: (1) an additional regent to serve on the board of regents of The University of Texas System for a term expiring February 1, 2009; and (2) an additional regent to serve on the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System for a term expiring February 1, 2009. (c) The appropriate student governments, the chancellor of The University of Texas System, and the governor shall take the actions required by Section 65.111, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect to select a student regent to serve on the board of regents of The University of Texas System for a term expiring February 1, 2005. (d) The changes in law made by this Act to Subchapter B, Chapter 65, Education Code, do not affect the term of a member of the board of regents of The University of Texas System serving on the effective date of this Act. (e) The appropriate student governments, the chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, and the governor shall take the actions required by Section 85.111, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect to select a student regent to serve on the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System for a term expiring February 1, 2005. (f) The changes in law made by this Act to Subchapter B, Chapter 85, Education Code, do not affect the term of a member of the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System serving on the effective date of this Act.