TITLE 19.EDUCATION

Part 1. TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD

Chapter 1. AGENCY ADMINISTRATION

Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

19 TAC §1.12

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §1.12, concerning approval of trips to foreign countries by Board staff if expenses are paid from appropriated funds without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9494).

Specifically, this new rule delegates the authority of the Board, under Article IX, §5.09(i), General Appropriations Act, 77th Texas Legislature, to approve travel to foreign countries, except for Canada or Mexico, to the Commissioner. It also requires that the Commissioner submit a report on certain foreign travel with required approvals, by October 1 of each year, to the Governor's Office of Budget and Planning and the Legislative Budget Board.

No comments were received concerning the new rule.

The new rule is adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.027, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200745

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


19 TAC §1.13

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §1.13, concerning the Board's relationship with the Internal Auditor and the reporting responsibilities of the Internal Auditor (H.B. 609, 77th Texas Legislature) without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9495).

Specifically, this new rule is adopted to implement changes to Texas Government Code, §2102, relating to internal auditing of state agencies. The adopted rule requires that the Board appoint the internal auditor for the Board, that the internal auditor report directly to the Board on all matters except for those administrative matters that require the decision of the Commissioner, that the internal auditor develop an annual audit plan, conduct audits and document deviations, and discuss reports with the Administration and Financial Planning Committee of the Board, and that the internal auditor provide all audit reports directly to the Board. Additionally, the rule provides that the Board receives the advice and counsel of the Commissioner regarding matters of termination, discipline, transfer, or reclassification or changes in powers, duties or responsibilities of the Internal Auditor.

No comments were received concerning the new rule.

The new rule is adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.027, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules and Texas Education Code, §61.029, which requires the appointment of an internal auditor for the Board.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200744

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


Subchapter D. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

19 TAC §1.64

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts amendments to §1.64, concerning the designation of the Official Nonprofit Partner as "College for All Texans Foundation: Closing the Gaps," and the appointment and membership of its Board of Trustees without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9496).

Specifically, these amendments designate "College for All Texans Foundation: Closing the Gaps" as the official nonprofit partner of the Board and provide that the Commissioner shall serve as an ex officio trustee with no vote. To reflect the by-laws of the official nonprofit partner, these amendments incorporate the term "trustee" in describing the board members of the nonprofit partner and provide that a majority of the trustees are appointed by the Chair of the Board.

No comments were received concerning the amendments to the rule.

The amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.027, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules and Texas Government Code, §2255.001, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules regarding standards of conduct with private organizations.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200746

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


Chapter 5. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

19 TAC §5.4

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §5.4, concerning period of time for which Coordinating Board approval to establish a degree program or implement an administrative change at a university or health-related institution is valid, without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9496).

Specifically, this new rule would establish a period of time for which Coordinating Board approval to establish a degree program or implement an administrative change is valid.

Comments were received regarding the new rule as follows:

Comment: We received positive comments from five institutions/systems: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, The University of Texas System, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Stephen F. Austin State University, and the University of Houston System.

Response: No negative comments were received and no changes were made in response to these comments.

The new rule is adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.027, which provides the Coordinating Board with general rule-making authority and the Texas Education Code, §61.051, which provides the Coordinating Board with authority to coordinate institutions of public higher education in promoting quality education.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200740

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


Subchapter D. CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL OF NEW DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMS

19 TAC §5.74

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts amendments to §5.74, concerning eliminating the need for requiring consideration of a doctoral proposal at two quarterly Board meetings, without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9497).

Specifically, these amendments would eliminate the need for requiring consideration of a doctoral proposal at two quarterly Board meetings.

Comments were received regarding the amendments as follows:

Comment: The following institutions or organizations submitted comments supporting the proposed change: The University of Texas System, The University of Texas at San Antonio, and Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Response: Since the comments from the institutions were favorable, no changes were made.

Comment: The Texas State University System submitted comments on the doctoral considerations, in general, but not specifically relating to the proposed amendments.

Response: Since the comments were favorable, no changes were made.

Comment: The University of Texas-Pan American supported the current process and objected to the proposed amendment stating that the change could prevent potentially affected institutions' review and comment on proposed programs. The institution stated that if there was a way to notify campuses about the submission of doctoral proposals and allow time for comment and/or objection, their concerns would be resolved.

Response: For several years, we have been notifying institutions through our website about all proposals under consideration. The site http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/pdf/0202.pdf lists all proposals under review and provides guidance about submitting comments. No changes were made in response to this comment.

The amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.027, which provides the Coordinating Board with general rule-making authority and the Texas Education Code, §61.051, which provides the Coordinating Board with authority to coordinate institutions of public higher education in promoting quality education.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200741

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


Chapter 13. FINANCIAL PLANNING

Subchapter K. TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM

19 TAC §§13.190 - 13.197

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §§13.190 - 13.197 concerning the Technology Workforce Development Grant Program. Sections 13.193 and 13.194 are adopted with changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9497). Sections 13.190 - 13.192 and 13.195 - 13.197 are being adopted without changes and will not be republished. Specifically, the new rules will establish guidelines for the creation and management of the grant program.

Comments were received regarding the proposed new rules as follows:

Comment: Ms. Gray Mayes, on behalf of the Texas Engineering and Technology Consortium, commented that awards should be made as soon as possible.

Response: The staff agreed with this comment and Section 13.194 was changed to authorize the Commissioner to make award for Fiscal Year 2002.

The new rules are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.051, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to coordinate institutions of higher education.

§13.193.Proposal Solicitation.

(a) At least once each biennium, and no more often than once each fiscal year, the Board shall authorize distribution of a request for proposals.

(b) The request for proposals shall be distributed to all members of the consortium at least 30 working days prior to the due date for proposals.

(c) The request for proposals shall contain all information necessary to prepare a grant proposal for the program including the financial and other resources available for distribution and the evaluation criteria that will be used.

(d) The request for proposals shall include grant conditions that will describe eligible uses of grant funds, reporting requirements, and relevant administrative restrictions associated with the grants.

(e) Each eligible institution shall be permitted to submit one sole proposal and one joint proposal for each academic program for which proposals are being requested.

§13.194.Proposal Evaluation.

(a) The Commissioner shall organize a competitive, peer-review system for evaluating proposals.

(b) In evaluating proposals, reviewers shall consider the quality of the academic program, placement record for recent graduates, the feasibility of the institution's plans for increasing enrollments and graduates, and the cost-effectiveness of those plans.

(c) The advisory committee shall review the recommendations of the reviewers and the staff and make recommendations to the Board.

(d) Reviews will not be disclosed to persons outside the Board at any time, except that each individual investigator (grant applicant) will receive a copy of the reviews of his or her proposal with the names, affiliations, and any other identifying characteristics of the reviewers redacted; and

(e) The names and affiliations of reviewers will be released as a group, without an identifying link to any grant application, until after the review process is complete.

(f) For Fiscal Year 2002, the Commissioner shall make the grant awards. Thereafter, the Board shall make grant awards. Decisions of the Commissioner/Board are final.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 7, 2002.

TRD-200200801

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 27, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


Chapter 21. STUDENT SERVICES

Subchapter BB. PILOT PROGRAM FOR ENROLLING STUDENTS FROM MEXICO

19 TAC §§21.931 - 21.939

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts the repeal of §§21.931 - 21.939, concerning Programs for Enrolling Students from Mexico without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9499).

Specifically, the repeal of the rules add The University of Texas at San Antonio to the Border County Program and remove it from the Pilot Program, clarify that the Border County Program is no longer limited to institutions located in bordering counties, clarify that the Border County Program is no longer limited to general academic teaching institutions, and clarify that the subchapter governs both programs.

There were no comments received regarding the repeal of the rules

The repeal of the rules are adopted under the Texas Education Code, § 54.060, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules governing a Pilot Program and a Border County Program for needy students from Mexico who are eligible to pay resident tuition rates at certain public institutions of higher education in Texas.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200738

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6162


Subchapter BB. PROGRAMS FOR ENROLLING STUDENTS FROM MEXICO

19 TAC §§21.931 - 21.938

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §§21.931 - 21.938, concerning Programs for Enrolling Students from Mexico. Sections 21.931, 21.933 and 21.934 are adopted with changes to the proposed text as published in the November 23, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 9499). Section 21.932 and §§21.935 - 21.938 are adopted without changes and will not be republished.

Specifically, the new rules add The University of Texas at San Antonio to the Border County Program and remove it from the Pilot Program, clarify that the Border County Program is no longer limited to institutions located in bordering counties, clarify that the Border County Program is no longer limited to general academic teaching institutions, and clarify that the subchapter governs both programs.

Comments were received regarding the proposed new rules as follows:

Comment: Representatives of Texas A&M University, the University of North Texas, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas at Arlington all asked that the requirement that a student in the Pilot Project be enrolled on a full-time basis be waived if the student needs fewer hours than a full-time load to graduate.

Response: Staff agrees. Section 21.934(a)(3) has been changed to allow this exception.

Comment: Dan Overton thought the scope of the rules implied that all needy students from Mexico are eligible to pay resident tuition rates.

Response: Staff agrees. The wording of the scope has been changed to clarify that the rules are for determining the eligibility of needy students from Mexico.

The new rules are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §54.060, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules governing a Pilot Program and a Border County Program for needy students from Mexico who are eligible to pay resident tuition rates at certain public institutions of higher education in Texas.

§21.931.Authority, Scope, and Purpose.

(a) Authority. Authority for this subchapter is provided in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 54, Subchapter B, Tuition Rates. These rules establish procedures to administer the subchapter as prescribed in §54.060(b) and (d).

(b) Scope. The rules set forth in this subchapter are applicable to determining eligibility of needy students from Mexico to pay resident tuition rates at certain public institutions of higher education in Texas.

(c) Purpose. The purpose of the programs is to encourage students from Mexico with limited financial resources to enroll in certain Texas public institutions of higher education.

§21.933.Eligible Institutions.

(a) Pilot Program. Any general academic teaching institution or component of the Texas State Technical College System as defined in §61.003 of the Texas Education Code is eligible to participate in the pilot program.

(b) Border County Program. A border county program is an instructional program offered by any general academic institution or component of the Texas State Technical College System located in a county bordering Mexico, or by Texas A&M University-Kingsville, by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, or The University of Texas at San Antonio.

§21.934.Eligible Students for the Pilot Program.

(a) A student is eligible, if he/she:

(1) is a citizen of Mexico,

(2) meets the admissions requirements and any restrictive enrollment criteria of the institution in which he/she enrolls,

(3) enrolls on a full-time basis unless fewer hours are needed for graduation, and

(4) shows financial need after the financial resources of the foreign student and the student's family are considered in keeping with Board guidelines.

(b) A student admitted for enrollment at an eligible institution prior to July 12, 1991 may not participate in the pilot program unless able to prove financial need that was unknown at the time of admission.

(c) Although financial need is the primary eligibility criterion for the pilot program, institutions may set priorities in selecting participants from among eligible students.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 5, 2002.

TRD-200200739

Jan Greenberg

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 25, 2002

Proposal publication date: November 23, 2001

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6558