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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a commission to study and report on a |
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long-range plan for higher education in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 51 Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.4011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.4011. COMMISSION TO STUDY AND REPORT ON A |
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LONG-RANGE PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) A commission is |
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established to conduct a study of issues relating to the higher |
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education system in Texas and recommend a long-range plan for |
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higher education that will meet the demands of a global economy and |
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a growing and diverse population. |
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(b) The commission shall be composed of eighteen members as |
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follows: |
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(1) a representative of each of the following |
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entities, appointed by the commissioner of higher education not |
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later than October 1, 2007: |
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(A) a representative of The University of Texas |
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System; |
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(B) a representative of The Texas A&M University |
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System; |
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(C) a representative of the University of Houston |
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System; |
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(D) a representative of the University of North |
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Texas System; |
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(E) a representative of the Texas Tech University |
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System; |
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(F) a representative of the Texas State |
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University System; |
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(G) a representative of the Texas State Technical |
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College System; |
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(H) a representative of the Texas Association of |
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Community Colleges; |
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(I) a representative of the Independent Colleges |
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and Universities of Texas; |
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(J) a student enrolled in a public senior college |
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or university; |
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(K) a student enrolled in a community college in |
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Texas; |
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(2) six other persons as follows, appointed not later |
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than October 1, 2007: |
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(A) two members appointed by the governor who are |
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not affiliated with a university system, at least one of whom has |
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demonstrated leadership and success in business, with |
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consideration for ethnic, racial, gender, and geographic |
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diversity; |
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(B) two members appointed by the lieutenant |
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governor who are not affiliated with a university system, at least |
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one of whom has demonstrated leadership and success in business, |
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with consideration for ethnic, racial, gender, and geographic |
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diversity; and |
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(C) two members appointed by the speaker of the |
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house of representatives who are not affiliated with a university |
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system, at least one of whom has demonstrated leadership and |
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success in business, with consideration for ethnic, racial, gender, |
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and geographic diversity; |
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(3) the state demographer. |
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(c) The governor shall designate as the chair of the |
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commission one of the commission members who is not affiliated with |
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a university system, community college, or technical college. |
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(d) The commission may request assistance and information, |
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other than confidential information relating to an identifiable |
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individual, from any public institution of higher education or |
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other state agency. An institution or other agency shall provide |
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the assistance and information requested to the extent practicable. |
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(e) The expenses of the commission shall be paid in equal |
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amounts from the contingent expense accounts of the senate and the |
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house of representatives, or as otherwise agreed to by the |
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lieutenant governor and speaker of the house. Members of the |
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commission serve without compensation, but are entitled to |
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reimbursement at of the member's travel expenses incurred in |
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carrying out the commission's duties. |
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(f) The commission shall study the following issues: |
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(1) incentives and requirements for seamless student |
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transitions between and among high schools, community and technical |
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colleges, universities, and health-related institutions, including |
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concurrent enrollment and dual credit; |
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(2) a method for better communication and coordination |
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between universities and the business community to create |
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career-oriented pathways and to enhance curriculums that will |
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benefit students and businesses and the overall economy of the |
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state; |
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(3) the current and projected capacity concerns of The |
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University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University in College |
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Station, and methods for ensuring that these elite institutions of |
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higher learning maintain their competitiveness with other flagship |
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universities; |
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(4) the creation of additional flagship public |
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research universities, including a method for determining where |
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such universities should be located and ensuring that such |
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universities admit a qualified and diverse student body. The |
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commission shall consider a bidding process from Texas communities, |
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including proposals from existing public or private universities or |
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colleges, businesses, and other local entities, to determine where |
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a new premier research, or flagship, university should be located; |
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(5) a method to identify the state universities' |
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missions and areas of expertise and uniqueness and how universities |
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can better coordinate with each other to further develop and |
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enhance their respective missions; |
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(6) alternative methods of funding universities and |
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community colleges, in particular whether and how research |
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universities should be funded; |
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(7) review of the Texas Grant, Texas Educational |
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Opportunity Grant, and Texas Equalization Grant programs and |
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recommendations for a more efficient and effective system to ensure |
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that the maximum number of eligible students receive financial aid |
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and a minimal number of students are burdened with debt when they |
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leave higher education; |
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(8) a new component of the Texas Grant program to |
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target students at the middle school level and ensure they commit to |
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and succeed in a higher education program, including student |
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contributions through work study; and |
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(g) The commission shall prepare a report, including |
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findings, recommendations, and possible legislation, to the |
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governor, lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house, and the |
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coordinating board not later than October 1, 2008. |
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(h) This section expires January 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |