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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to student representation on the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board and certain coordinating board advisory |
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committees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0225 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0225. NONVOTING STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE. (a) In |
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this section: |
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(1) "Board" means the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board or its successor agency. |
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(2) "Student government" means the representative |
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student organization directly elected by the student body of an |
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institution of higher education. |
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(b) A student representative shall be appointed to the |
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board. The student representative is not a state officer. Except |
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as otherwise provided by this section, the appointment of a student |
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representative to the board shall be made in the same manner as a |
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student regent is appointed under Section 51.355(c). The student |
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representative to the board serves a term that is the same as the |
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term of a student regent appointed under Section 51.355. |
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(c) The board shall develop a uniform application form to be |
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used by each institution of higher education to solicit applicants |
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for the position of student representative to the board. |
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(d) For an institution of higher education that is not part |
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of a university system, the president of the institution, from |
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among the applicants selected as the student government's |
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recommendations for the position of student representative to the |
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board, shall select two or more applicants as the institution's |
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recommendations for the position and send the applications of those |
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applicants to the governor in accordance with the deadline |
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established under Section 51.355(c) for a chancellor to send |
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applications to the governor for a student regent. |
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(e) A student representative to the board must meet the |
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minimum requirements prescribed by Section 51.355(d) for a student |
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regent, as those requirements apply to an institution of higher |
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education. |
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(f) The student representative has the same powers and |
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duties as the members of the board, including the right to attend |
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and participate in meetings of the board, except that the student |
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representative: |
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(1) may not vote on any matter before the board or make |
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or second any motion before the board; and |
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(2) is not counted in determining whether a quorum |
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exists for a meeting of the board or in determining the outcome of |
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any vote of the board. |
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(g) The student representative serves without pay but shall |
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be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred by the student |
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representative in attending the meetings of the board or in |
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attending to other work of the board when that work is approved by |
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the chairman of the board. |
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(h) The student government of the institution of higher |
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education at which a current student representative was enrolled at |
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the time of the student representative's appointment may not |
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solicit applicants for the position of student representative for |
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the next regular term of the position. |
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(i) A vacancy in the position of student representative |
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shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the |
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governor. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.071 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.071. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ON CERTAIN BOARD |
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ADVISORY COMMITTEES. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Board" means the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board or its successor agency. |
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(2) "Student government" means the representative |
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student organization directly elected by the student body of an |
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institution of higher education. |
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(b) Not later than August 1 of each year, the board shall |
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provide the following to each institution of higher education: |
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(1) a list of available positions for student |
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representatives on board advisory committees, the effective terms |
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of those positions, and the duties and requirements for each |
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position; |
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(2) a maximum number of nominees determined by the |
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board allowed to be submitted by each institution for each |
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position; and |
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(3) an application form for appointment to an advisory |
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committee. |
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(c) Not later than September 1 of each year, the president |
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of each institution of higher education shall establish a |
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nomination process for the available positions for student |
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representatives on board advisory committees and shall solicit |
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student applications from which the president may select a number |
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of applicants for those positions, not to exceed the maximum number |
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designated by the board for each position. |
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(d) Not later than December 1, the president shall forward |
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the applications of the nominees selected by the president to the |
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board for consideration. Not later than February 1, the board shall |
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appoint a total of not less than four student representatives to |
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designated advisory committees of the board, including the Common |
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Application Advisory Committee, the Distance Education Advisory |
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Committee, the Financial Aid Advisory Committee, the Undergraduate |
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Education Advisory Committee, the Transfer Issues Advisory |
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Committee, or any other advisory committee created to address the |
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needs of higher education, including committees addressing |
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financial aid, student services, and undergraduate education |
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needs. |
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(e) A student representative on an advisory committee must |
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meet minimum requirements prescribed by Section 51.355(d) for a |
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nonvoting student regent, as those requirements apply to an |
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institution of higher education. |
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(f) A student representative on an advisory committee has |
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the same powers and duties as the members of the advisory committee, |
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including the right to attend and participate in meetings of the |
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committee, except that the student representative: |
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(1) may not vote on any matter before the committee or |
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make or second any motion before the committee; and |
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(2) is not counted in determining whether a quorum |
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exists for a meeting of the committee or in determining the outcome |
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of any vote of the committee. |
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(g) A student representative on an advisory committee |
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serves without pay. |
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(h) A vacancy in the position of student representative on |
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an advisory committee shall be filled for the unexpired term by |
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appointment by the board. |
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SECTION 3. The initial term of a student representative |
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appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under |
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Section 61.0225, Education Code, as added by this Act, or for a |
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coordinating board advisory committee under Section 61.071, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act, expires February 1, 2009. The |
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appropriate student governments, the president of each institution |
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of higher education, the coordinating board, and the governor shall |
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take the actions required by Sections 61.0225 and 61.071, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act |
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takes effect to select the initial student representative to the |
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coordinating board and the initial student representatives on |
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advisory committees of the coordinating board. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |