BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1531

By: Seliger

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

S.B. 1531 requires general academic teaching institutions to provide first-time entering undergraduate students, including transfer students, a statement that compares the average total academic costs of graduating in four, five, and six years.  The bill also requires the institutions to provide an estimate of the average earnings lost by a recent graduate as a result of graduating after five or six years instead of four years.  Finally, S.B. 1531 requires institutions to include steps students can take to graduate on time, including institutional offices they can contact for assistance.

S.B. 1531 amends current law relating to providing information to entering undergraduate students at certain general academic teaching institutions to promote timely graduation.

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

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.9195, as follows:

Sec. 51.9195.  INFORMATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS REGARDING BENEFITS OF TIMELY GRADUATION.  (a) Defines "general academic teaching institution" and "public state college" in this section.

(b) Provides that this section applies only to a general academic teaching institution other than a public state college.

(c) Requires an institution to which this section applies to provide to each first-time entering undergraduate student, including each undergraduate student who transfers to the institution, information in electronic or paper format that includes, based on a reasonable projection by the institution using the most recently available data:

(1) a comparison of the average total amounts of tuition and fees paid by a full-time student who graduates from the institution in the following number of academic years: four years; five years; and six years; and

(2) an estimate of the average earnings lost by a recent graduate of the institution as a result of graduating after five or six years instead of four years.

(d) Requires an institution to which this section applies to include with the information provided to a student under Subsection (c) a list of actions that the student can take to facilitate graduating from the institution in a timely manner and contact information for available academic, career, and other related support services at the institution to assist the student in that effort.

(e) Authorizes an institution to which this section applies to satisfy the requirements of Subsections (c)(1) and (2) with regard to a student by providing the student with information that is more specific than the information described by those subdivisions.

SECTION 2.  Provides that Section 51.9595, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with undergraduate students who initially enroll in a general academic teaching institution for the 2014 fall semester.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2013.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013