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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to refunding tuition and mandatory fees at institutions of |
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higher education for dropped courses and student withdrawals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 54.006, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.006. REFUND OR ADJUSTMENT OF TUITION AND MANDATORY |
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FEES FOR DROPPED COURSES AND STUDENT WITHDRAWALS. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.006, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (e), and adding Subsection |
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(a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) A general academic teaching institution or medical and |
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dental unit, as soon as practicable, shall refund the amount of |
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[fees and] tuition and mandatory fees [in excess of the minimum
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tuition] collected for courses from which students drop within the |
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first 12 days of a fall or spring semester or a summer term of 12 |
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weeks or longer, within the first four days of a [summer] term or |
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session of more than five weeks but less than 12 weeks, or within |
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the period specified by the institution for that purpose for a term |
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or session of five weeks or less that is substantially proportional |
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to the period specified by this subsection for a longer term or |
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session. The institution or medical and dental unit may not delay a |
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refund under this subsection on the grounds that the student may |
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withdraw from the institution or unit later in the semester or term. |
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(a-1) An institution may assess a nonrefundable $15 |
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matriculation fee if the student withdraws from the institution |
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before the first day of classes. |
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(b) A general academic teaching institution or medical and |
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dental unit shall refund to a student withdrawing from the |
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institution or unit an amount equal to the product of the amount of |
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tuition and mandatory fees collected for each course in which the |
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student is enrolled on the date the student withdraws multiplied by |
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the applicable percentage derived from the following tables: |
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(1) if the student withdraws during a fall or spring |
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semester or a summer term of 12 weeks or longer [or comparable
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trimester]: |
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(A) prior to the first class day100 percent |
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(B) during the first five class days80 percent |
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(C) during the second five class days70 percent |
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(D) during the third five class days50 percent |
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(E) during the fourth five class days25 percent |
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(F) after the fourth five class daysNone; [and] |
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(2) if the student withdraws during a [summer] term or |
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session of more than five weeks but less than 12 weeks: |
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(A) prior to the first class day100 percent |
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(B) during the first, second, or third class |
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day 80 percent |
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(C) during the fourth, fifth, or sixth class |
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day 50 percent |
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(D) seventh day of class and thereafterNone; and |
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(3) if the student withdraws from a term or session of |
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five weeks or less: |
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(A) prior to the first class day100 percent |
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(B) during the first class day80 percent |
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(C) during the second class day50 percent |
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(D) during the third class day |
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and thereafterNone. |
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(c) Separate withdrawal refund schedules may be established |
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for optional fees [such as intercollegiate athletics, cultural
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entertainment, parking, and yearbooks]. |
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(e) A general academic teaching institution or medical and |
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dental unit shall terminate a student's student services and |
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privileges, including [such as] health services, library |
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privileges, facilities and technology usage, and athletic and |
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cultural entertainment tickets, when the [a] student withdraws from |
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the institution. |
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SECTION 3. Section 54.006(g), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies to |
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tuition and mandatory fees charged beginning with the fall 2007 |
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semester. |
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SECTION 5. 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. |