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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to engineering recruitment programs at public or private |
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institutions of higher education and to certain degree programs at |
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public junior colleges. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.791(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall establish and administer, using funds |
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appropriated for that purpose, a one-week summer program to take |
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place on the campus of each general academic teaching institution |
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or private or independent institution of higher education that |
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offers an engineering degree program. The summer program must be |
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designed for middle and high school students and to expose those |
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students to math, science, and engineering concepts that a student |
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in an engineering degree program may encounter. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 61.792(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall establish and administer, using funds |
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appropriated for that purpose, scholarships for students pursuing a |
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degree in engineering at a general academic teaching institution or |
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a private or independent institution of higher education. |
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(b) To qualify for a scholarship under this section, a |
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student must: |
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(1) have graduated with a grade point average in the |
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top 20 percent of the student's high school graduating class; |
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(2) have graduated from high school with a grade point |
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average of at least 3.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent in |
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mathematics and science courses offered under the recommended or |
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advanced high school program under Section 28.025(a); and |
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(3) maintain an overall grade point average of at |
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least 3.0 on a four-point scale at the general academic teaching |
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institution or the private or independent institution of higher |
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education in which the student is enrolled. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 130.0012(a) and (b), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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authorize a public junior college [colleges] to offer a |
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baccalaureate degree program that qualifies under Subsection (e) |
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if: |
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(1) the program is [programs] in the field [fields] of |
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applied science or [and] applied technology; or |
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(2) the public junior college previously participated |
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in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree programs [under
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this section.
Offering a baccalaureate degree program under this
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section does not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public
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junior college]. |
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(b) Offering a baccalaureate degree program under this |
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section does not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public |
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junior college. [The coordinating board shall authorize
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baccalaureate degree programs at each public junior college that
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previously participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate
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degree programs.] |
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SECTION 4. (a) Sections 61.791 and 61.792, Education Code, |
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as amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2009-2010 academic |
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year. |
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(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules for the administration of Sections 61.791 and 61.792, |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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this Act takes effect. For that purpose, the coordinating board may |
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adopt the rules in the manner provided by law for emergency rules. |
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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, 2009. |