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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board regarding the initiation, consolidation, or |
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elimination of a degree or certificate program offered by a public |
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institution of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.051, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (e-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(e) The board shall review periodically the role and mission |
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statements, the table of programs, and all degree and certificate |
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programs offered by the public institutions of higher education to |
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assure that they meet the present and future needs of the state and |
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the counties in which they are located. The board's review shall be |
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performed at least every four years and shall involve the |
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chairperson of the institution's board of regents. The board shall |
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also order the initiation[, consolidation, or elimination] of a |
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degree or certificate program if the board determines [programs
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where] that action is in the best interest of the institution, |
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[public institutions themselves or the general requirements of] the |
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State of Texas, or the county [counties] in which the institution is |
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[they are] located, or when that action offers hope of achieving |
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excellence by a concentration of available resources. No new |
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department, school, degree program, or certificate program may be |
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added at any public institution of higher education except with |
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specific prior approval of the board. The board may recommend that |
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[authorize] an institution [to] continue a doctoral program that is |
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inconsistent with the role and mission of the institution if the |
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program was in existence on September 1, 1987, and the board |
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determines that continuation of the program is warranted. |
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(e-1) The board may not order the consolidation or |
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elimination of any degree or certificate program offered by an |
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institution of higher education but may make recommendations to the |
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institution's governing board for that action if the board |
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determines that action satisfies the criteria prescribed by |
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Subsection (e) for ordering the initiation of a program. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2013. |
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