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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a single common course numbering system for public |
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institutions of higher education in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.822(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core |
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curriculum of not [no] less than 42 semester credit hours, |
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including specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core |
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curriculum shall be consistent with the single common course |
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numbering system approved by the board under Section 61.832(a) and |
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with the statement, recommendations, and rules issued by the board. |
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An institution may have a core curriculum of other than 42 semester |
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credit hours only if approved by the board. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.830, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.830. PUBLICATION OF GUIDELINES ADDRESSING TRANSFER |
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PRACTICES. In its course catalogs and on its website, each |
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institution of higher education shall publish guidelines |
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addressing the practices of the institution regarding the transfer |
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of course credit. In the guidelines, the institution must identify |
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a course by using the single common course numbering system |
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approved by the board under Section 61.832(a). |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.832, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.832. COMMON COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM. (a) The board |
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shall approve a single common course numbering system for |
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lower-division courses to facilitate the transfer of those courses |
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among institutions of higher education by promoting consistency in |
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course designation and identification. |
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(b) The board shall solicit input from institutions of |
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higher education regarding the development of the single common |
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course numbering system. |
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(c) Each institution of higher education shall: |
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(1) use the approved common course numbering system in |
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the institution's guidelines regarding the transfer of course |
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credit for each course for which a common number designation and |
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course description are included in that system; and |
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(2) include the applicable course numbers from the |
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approved common course numbering system in its course catalogs and |
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other course listings. |
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(d) The board may approve only a common course numbering |
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system already in common use in this state by one or more |
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institutions of higher education. |
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(e) [(c)] The board shall cooperate with institutions of |
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higher education in any additional development or alteration of the |
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common course numbering system approved under Subsection (a), |
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including the taxonomy to be used, and in the development of rules |
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for the administration and applicability of the system. |
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(f) Not later than June 1, 2016, the board shall: |
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(1) approve a single common course numbering system as |
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required by Subsection (a); and |
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(2) establish a timetable that requires institutions |
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of higher education to phase in the inclusion of the applicable |
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course numbers from the approved common course numbering system in |
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their individual guidelines regarding the transfer of course credit |
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and course numbering systems as required by this section so that |
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each institution fully complies with this section for all courses |
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offered for the 2020-2021 academic year and subsequent years. |
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(f-1) Subsection (f) and this subsection expire January 1, |
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2022. |
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[(d)
An institution of higher education shall include in its
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course listings the applicable course numbers from the common
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course numbering system approved by the board under this section.
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For good cause, the board may grant to an institution of higher
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education an exemption from the requirements of this subsection.] |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2015. |