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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to limitations on the number of courses that students may |
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drop under certain circumstances at public institutions of higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.907 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.907. LIMITATIONS ON NUMBER OF COURSES THAT MAY BE |
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DROPPED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. (a) In this section, |
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"governing board" and "institution of higher education" have the |
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meanings assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) This section applies to dropping a course at an |
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institution of higher education only if: |
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(1) the student was able to drop the course without |
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receiving a grade or incurring an academic penalty; and |
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(2) the student's transcript indicates or will |
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indicate that the student was enrolled in the course. |
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(c) Except as provided under rules adopted under Subsection |
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(d), an institution of higher education may not permit a student to |
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drop more than three courses at that institution under |
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circumstances described by Subsection (b). |
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(d) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education may adopt a policy under which the maximum number of |
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courses a student is permitted to drop under circumstances |
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described by Subsection (b) is less than the maximum number of |
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courses that a student may drop under this section. |
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(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules under which an institution of higher education shall |
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permit a student to drop more courses at that institution under |
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circumstances described by Subsection (b) |
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than the number of |
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courses permitted to be dropped under Subsection (c) or under a |
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policy adopted under Subsection (d) if the student shows good cause |
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for dropping more than that number, including a showing of: |
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(1) a severe illness or other debilitating condition |
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that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete a |
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course; or |
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(2) the student's responsibility for the care of a |
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sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of care affects the |
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student's ability to satisfactorily complete a course. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules required by Section 51.907(e), Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, relating to permitting a student who |
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shows good cause to drop more than a specified number of courses, as |
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soon as practicable after this Act takes effect. For that purpose, |
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the coordinating board may adopt the initial rules in the manner |
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provided by law for emergency rules. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.907, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies only to the number of courses that may be dropped by a |
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student who beginning with the 2007 fall semester enrolls in a |
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public institution of higher education as a first-time freshman or |
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a transfer student. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |