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BILL ANALYSIS |
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By: Hochberg |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
For years, a public institution of higher education has been able to offer interdisciplinary and
interinstitutional academic programs by using informal arrangements to allow students to take
tuition-free courses at sister institutions. These programs are designed to provide students
exposure to a wide range of faculty, courses, and experiences that equip them to succeed in
cutting edge research and secure federal funding and generate economic development in Texas.
Recent changes to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation requirements
would require courses available to students at other institutions to be covered by a formal
agreement. This change may have the unintended consequence of reducing participation in these
successful academic programs.
H.B. 1864 grants institutions of higher education the authority to waive tuition for students
enrolled primarily in another institution of higher education or private or independent institution
of higher education who are taking courses across institutions.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1864 amends the Education Code to authorize the governing board of an institution of
higher education to exempt from the payment of tuition and required fees a student who is taking
a course, including an interdisciplinary course, at the institution under an interinstitutional
academic program agreement but who is enrolled primarily at another institution of higher
education or at a private or independent institution of higher education that is a party to the
agreement and to which the student is responsible for the payment of tuition and fees. The bill
defines "interinstitutional academic program" to mean a program under which a student may, in
accordance with a written agreement between an institution of higher education and one or more
other institutions of higher education or private or independent institutions of higher education,
take courses at each institution that is a party to the agreement as necessary to fulfill the
program's degree or certificate requirements. The bill defines "p rivate or independent institution
of higher education" by reference.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2009.