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AN ACT
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relating to The University of Texas at Brownsville, including its |
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partnership agreement with the Texas Southmost College District. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsection (c), Section 78.02, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(c) The university may enter into any [a partnership] |
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agreement with the Texas Southmost [Union Junior] College District |
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to facilitate higher education advancement and opportunity in the |
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district's service area and the transition of students from Texas |
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Southmost College to [in the manner authorized by Subchapter N,
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Chapter 51, to offer a lower-division, occupational, or technical
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course that is not offered at] the university. An agreement may |
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cover any matter related to those purposes, including the |
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facilitation of the transfer of course credit and the alignment of |
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courses between the university and the college. |
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SECTION 2. Section 78.03, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The board may prescribe courses leading to customary |
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degrees offered at leading American universities and may award |
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those degrees, including bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees |
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and their equivalents [authorize the university to offer any
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upper-level or graduate course which is authorized by the Texas
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Higher Education Coordinating Board]. |
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(a-1) A department, school, or degree program may not be |
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instituted without the prior approval of the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board. |
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SECTION 3. Section 78.04, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 78.04. FACILITIES. (a) The board shall make |
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provisions for adequate physical facilities for use by the |
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university. Subject to the agreement of the parties as provided by |
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Subsection (b), the facilities may include facilities[,] on land |
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committed by the board of trustees of the Texas Southmost [Union
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Junior] College District on the district's Texas Southmost College |
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campus. The provision of facilities is[,] subject to the normal |
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requirements of the board and the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board. |
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(b) The board and the board of trustees of the Texas |
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Southmost College District may contract with each other for the use |
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of facilities. The terms of the contract shall be negotiated |
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between the parties and must provide for reasonable compensation |
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for the use of facilities. |
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SECTION 4. Subsections (b) and (d), Section 78.02, and |
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Sections 78.07 and 78.08, Education Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 5. (a) The University of Texas at Brownsville and |
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the Texas Southmost College District, formerly referred to as the |
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Southmost Union Junior College District, are free-standing, |
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independent institutions that have operated in close association |
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under a partnership agreement authorized by Section 78.02, |
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Education Code. It is the intent of this Act to facilitate the |
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independent operation of the university and the college district in |
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the absence of such a partnership, but this Act does not affect the |
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authority of the university and the college district to continue in |
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partnership or to establish a new partnership at a future date. |
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(b) The University of Texas at Brownsville and the Texas |
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Southmost College District shall cooperate to ensure that each |
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institution timely achieves separate accreditation from a |
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recognized accrediting agency before the termination of the |
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existing partnership agreement and shall continue a partnership |
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agreement in effect until August 31, 2015, to the extent necessary |
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to ensure accreditation. |
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(c) The University of Texas at Brownsville and the Texas |
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Southmost College District may extend or renew the existing |
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partnership agreement, agree to its earlier termination, or execute |
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a new agreement as necessary to ensure accreditation. |
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(d) The University of Texas at Brownsville and the Texas |
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Southmost College District shall submit to the legislature a |
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semiannual report on the status of the partnership until each |
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institution achieves separate accreditation and the existing |
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partnership agreement is terminated. |
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SECTION 6. 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, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1909 passed the Senate on |
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May 5, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the |
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Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2011, by the |
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following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1909 passed the House, with |
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amendment, on May 24, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 144, |
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Nays 0, two present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |