AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

This bill would allow general academic teaching institutions to offer a fixed tuition rate program for students who transfer from a two-year institution with an associate's degree.

 

C.S.S.B. 1727 amends current law relating to a fixed tuition rate program for certain students who transfer to a state university after completing an associate degree program.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding Section 54.016, as follows:

 

Sec.  54.016.  FIXED TUITION RATE PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN TRANSFER STUDENTS AT GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS.  (a) Defines, in this section, "coordinating board," "general academic teaching institution," and "lower-division institution of higher education."

 

(b) Authorizes a general academic teaching institution to develop a fixed tuition rate program for qualified students who agree to transfer to the institution within 12 months after successfully earning an associate degree at a lower-division institution of higher education.  Requires a general academic teaching institution, under a program developed under this section, to:

 

(1) guarantee to a participating student enrolled in an associate degree program at a lower-division institution of higher education, on successful completion of the associate degree program, transfer admission to the general academic teaching institution within the period prescribed above; and

 

(2) notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, charge tuition to a participating student for any semester or other academic term at the same rate the general academic teaching institution would have charged to the student during the later of:

 

(A) the fall semester of the student's freshman year at another institution of higher education had the student entered the general academic teaching institution as a freshman student; or

 

(B) the fall semester of the second academic year preceding the academic year of the student's initial enrollment in the general academic teaching institution.

 

(c) Requires a general academic teaching institution that develops a fixed tuition rate program under this section to prescribe eligibility requirements for participation in the program and notify applicants for transfer admission from lower-division institutions of higher education regarding the program.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.