BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1643
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
In Texas today, Hispanics account for 30 percent of the population and African Americans account for approximately 11 percent of the population, yet the number of minorities in higher education employed as faculty and staff are significantly lower than those percentages. As proposed, S.B. 1643 addresses the under-representation of minority faculty and staff in Texas universities and colleges by requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to adopt a strategy to enable institutions of higher education to recruit and retain faculty and staff who reflect the population of Texas.
S.B. 1643 requires that the THECB plan be updated annually. It also requires each institution of higher education to report annually to THECB the manner in which it has implemented a plan to recruit and retain minority faculty and staff.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.0861, as follows:
Sec. 61.0861. FACULTY AND STAFF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY. (a) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to develop and annually update a strategy to enable institutions of higher education to identify, attract, hire, and retain faculty and staff who reflect the population of this state.
(b) Requires each institution of higher education to implement the elements of the strategy developed under Subsection (a) applicable to the institution as provided by the board. Requires each institution to report annually to the board the manner in which the institution has implemented the applicable elements of the strategy.
SECTION 2. Requires the board to adopt the strategy required by Section 61.0861, Education Code, as added by this Act, no later than January 1, 2006.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.