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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the course information required to be posted on a public |
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institution of higher education's Internet website. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.974, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), (f), and (g) and adding Subsection |
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(f-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) Each institution of higher education, other than a |
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medical and dental unit, as defined by Section 61.003, shall make |
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available to the public on the institution's Internet website the |
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following information for each [undergraduate] classroom course |
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offered for credit by the institution: |
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(1) a syllabus that: |
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(A) satisfies any standards adopted by the |
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institution; |
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(B) provides a brief description of each major |
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course requirement, including each major assignment and |
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examination; |
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(C) lists any required or recommended reading; |
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and |
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(D) provides a general description of the subject |
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matter of each lecture or discussion; |
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(2) a curriculum vitae of each regular instructor that |
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lists the instructor's: |
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(A) postsecondary education; |
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(B) teaching experience; and |
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(C) significant professional publications; and |
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(3) if available, a departmental budget report of the |
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department under which the course is offered, from the most recent |
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semester or other academic term during which the institution |
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offered the course. |
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(b) The information required by Subsection (a) must be: |
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(1) accessible from the institution's Internet website |
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home page [by use of not more than three links]; |
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(2) clearly labeled as "public course and syllabus |
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information"; |
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(3) searchable by keywords and phrases; and |
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(4) [(3)] accessible to the public without requiring |
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registration or use of a user name, a password, or another user |
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identification. |
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(f) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, each |
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institution of higher education shall submit a written report |
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regarding the institution's compliance with this section to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, [and] the presiding officer of each legislative |
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standing committee with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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(f-1) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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monitor each institution of higher education to determine whether |
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the institution is in substantial compliance with this section and |
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make available to the public on the coordinating board's Internet |
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website: |
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(1) a list indicating whether each institution of |
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higher education is in substantial compliance with this section; |
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and |
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(2) a copy of each report submitted to the |
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coordinating board under Subsection (f). |
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(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt |
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rules necessary to administer this section, including rules to |
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ensure substantial compliance with this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.974, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2022 spring semester. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is |
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required to implement Section 51.974(f-1), Education Code, as added |
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by this Act, only if the legislature appropriates money |
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specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not |
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appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the coordinating |
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board may, but is not required to, implement that subsection using |
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other appropriations available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |