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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to restrictions on dropping courses at public institutions |
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of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 51.907(b), (d), and (e), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A policy adopted under this [This] section applies only |
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to an undergraduate student who drops a course at an institution of |
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higher education and who [only if]: |
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(1) [the student] was able to drop the course without |
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receiving a grade or incurring an academic penalty; |
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(2) has an official [the student's] transcript that |
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indicates or will indicate that the student was enrolled in the |
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course; and |
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(3) [the student] is not dropping the course in order |
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to withdraw from the institution. |
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(d) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education may adopt a policy that limits [under which] the |
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[maximum] number of courses a student is permitted to drop under |
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circumstances described by Subsection (b) [is less than the maximum
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number of courses that a student may drop under Subsection (c)]. |
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(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules under which an institution of higher education that |
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adopts a policy under Subsection (d) shall permit a student to drop |
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more courses under circumstances described by Subsection (b) than |
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the number of courses permitted to be dropped [under Subsection (c)
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or] under the [a] policy adopted under Subsection (d) if the student |
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shows good cause for dropping more than that number, including a |
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showing of: |
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(1) a severe illness or other debilitating condition |
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that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete a |
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course; |
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(2) the student's responsibility for the care of a |
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sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of care affects the |
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student's ability to satisfactorily complete a course; |
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(3) the death of a person who: |
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(A) is considered to be a member of the student's |
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family under a rule adopted under this subsection for purposes of |
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this subdivision; or |
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(B) is otherwise considered to have a |
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sufficiently close relationship to the student under a rule adopted |
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under this subsection that the person's death is considered to be a |
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showing of good cause; or |
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(4) the active duty service as a member of the Texas |
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National Guard or the armed forces of the United States of: |
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(A) the student; or |
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(B) a person who is considered to be a member of |
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the student's family under a rule adopted under this subsection for |
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purposes of this subdivision. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.907(c), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Until the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board adopts the rules required by Section 51.907(e), |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act, the rules adopted under |
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Section 51.907 in effect on the effective date of this Act continue |
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in effect, and a student who shows good cause for dropping a course |
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as provided by those existing rules may do so notwithstanding a |
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policy adopted by an institution of higher education under Section |
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51.907 before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. |
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(b) This section expires May 1, 2012. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |