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Historical Rule for the Texas Administrative Code

TITLE 19EDUCATION
PART 1TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD
CHAPTER 5RULES APPLYING TO PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND HEALTH-RELATED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN TEXAS
SUBCHAPTER CAPPROVAL OF NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES, HEALTH-RELATED INSTITUTIONS, AND ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING DEGREE PROGRAMS
RULE §5.44Presentation of Requests and Steps for Implementation

(a) Requests for new degree programs shall be made in accordance with the following procedures.

  (1) Approval of new bachelor's and master's programs is automatic if all of the following conditions are met:

    (A) The program has institutional and governing board approval.

    (B) The institution certifies compliance with the Standards for New Bachelor's and Master's Programs.

    (C) The institution certifies that adequate funds are available to cover the costs of the new program.

    (D) New costs during the first five years of the program would not exceed $2 million.

    (E) The program is a non-engineering program (i.e., not classified under CIP code 14).

    (F) The program is not one which the institution previously offered and has been closed due to low productivity in the last 10 years.

    (G) The program would be offered by a university or health-related institution.

    (H) No objections to the proposed program are received by the Coordinating Board during the 30-day comment period.

  (2) If a proposed bachelor's or master's program meets the conditions in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the institution shall submit a request to the Assistant Commissioner of Academic Affairs and Research to add the program. If a proposed program does not meet the conditions outlined in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the institution must submit a proposal using the standard degree program request form.

  (3) The Coordinating Board shall post the proposed program online for public comment for a period of 30 days. If no objections occur, the Coordinating Board staff shall update the institution's program inventory accordingly. No new program shall be implemented until all objections are resolved. The Coordinating Board reserves the right to audit a certificate or degree program at any time to ensure compliance with any of the criteria outlined in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

  (4) An institution requesting a new doctoral program shall submit a proposal using the standard doctoral program request form. All requests for new doctoral programs require preliminary authority prior to the submission of a degree program request.

(b) Requests for new certificate programs shall be made in accordance with the following procedures.

  (1) Approval of new undergraduate and graduate certificate programs is automatic if all of the following conditions are met:

    (A) The certificate program has institutional approval.

    (B) The institution certifies that adequate funds are available to cover the costs of the new certificate program.

    (C) The certificate program meets all other criteria in §5.48 of this title (relating to Criteria for Certificate Programs at Universities and Health-Related Institutions).

    (D) No objections to the proposed certificate program are received by the Coordinating Board during the 30-day comment period.

  (2) If a proposed certificate program meets the conditions in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the institution shall submit a request to the Assistant Commissioner of Academic Affairs and Research. If a proposed certificate program does not meet the conditions outlined in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the institution must submit a proposal using the standard program request form.

  (3) The Coordinating Board shall post the proposed program online for public comment for a period of 30 days. If no objections occur, the Coordinating Board staff shall update the institution's program inventory accordingly. No new certificate program shall be implemented until all objections are resolved. The Coordinating Board reserves the right to audit a certificate program at any time to ensure compliance with any of the conditions outlined in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(c) Requests for administrative changes shall be made in accordance with the following procedures. Administrative changes include the creation of new administrative units--such as colleges, schools, divisions, and departments--as well as changes to existing administrative units, such as a name change, consolidation of existing units, or movement of a program into another unit.

  (1) The Coordinating Board shall post the proposed administrative structure online for public comment for a period of 30 days for any administrative change request that concerns the creation of new administrative units such as colleges, schools, divisions, and departments. If no objections occur, the Coordinating Board staff shall update the institution's administrative unit structure accordingly. No new administrative unit shall be implemented until all objections are resolved. The Coordinating Board reserves the right to audit an administrative unit at any time to ensure compliance with any of the conditions outlined in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

  (2) Approval of an administrative change is automatic if all of the following conditions are met:

    (A) The administrative change has institutional and governing board approval;

    (B) The institution certifies that adequate funds are available to cover the costs of the administrative change;

    (C) New costs during the first five years would not exceed $2 million;

    (D) The administrative change meets all other criteria in §5.47 of this title (relating to Criteria for Administrative Change Requests); and

    (E) The administrative change request concerns changes to existing administrative units, such as a name change, consolidation of existing units, or movement of a program into another unit; or, no objections to the proposed administrative change are received by the Coordinating Board during the 30-day comment period for those administrative change requests that concern the creation of new administrative units such as colleges, schools, divisions and departments.

  (3) If a proposed administrative change meets the conditions in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the institution shall submit a request to the Assistant Commissioner of Academic Affairs and Research to update the administrative structure of the institution. If a proposed administrative change does not meet the conditions outlined in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the institution must submit a proposal using the standard administrative change request form.


Source Note: The provisions of this §5.44 adopted to be effective May 28, 2003, 28 TexReg 4125; amended to be effective May 12, 2005, 30 TexReg 2662; amended to be effective August 26, 2009, 34 TexReg 5678; amended to be effective February 22, 2010, 35 TexReg 1454; amended to be effective November 29, 2010, 35 TexReg 10496

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