(a)Requests for new degree programs must [
shall] be made in accordance with the following procedures.
(1)Institutions must [shall]
request new bachelor's and master's programs using the most recent
version of the appropriate degree program request form.
(2)Institutions must submit documentation sufficient
to establish that the new program meets all of the criteria listed
in §5.45 of this title (relating to Criteria for New Baccalaureate
and Master's Degree Programs). Board staff will review for completeness
all requests for new programs within five business days of
receipt. If Board staff determines that the request is incomplete
and additional information or documentation is needed, the institution
must respond with all of the requested information or documentation
within ten working days or the request will be returned to the institution.
An institution may resubmit a request that was incomplete as soon
as it has obtained the requested information or documentation.
(3)New bachelor's and master's programs will [shall]
be approved if all of the following conditions are met:
(A)The proposed 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 proposed program is a non-engineering program
[(i.e., not classified under CIP code 14)].
(F)The proposed program would be offered by a university
or health-related institution.
(4)If a proposed bachelor's or master's program meets
the conditions in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the institution
may [shall] submit a request to the Assistant Commissioner
of Academic Quality and Workforce [Workforce, Academic
Affairs and Research] to add the program to the institution's
Program Inventory. If a proposed program does not meet the conditions
outlined in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the institution must
submit a proposal using the most recent version of the full
request form.
(5)If the minimum number of semester credit hours
required to complete a proposed bachelor's program exceeds 120, the
institution must provide detailed documentation describing the compelling
academic reason for the number of required hours, such as programmatic
accreditation requirements, statutory requirements, or licensure/certification
requirements that cannot be met without exceeding the 120-semester
credit hour limit. The [Coordinating] Board staff will
review the documentation provided and make a determination to approve
or deny a request to exceed the 120-semester credit hour
limit.
(6)The institution proposing the program must [
shall] notify all public institutions of higher education within
50 miles of the teaching site of their intention to offer the program
at least 30 days prior to submitting their request to the Coordinating
Board. If no objections occur, the Coordinating Board staff will [
shall] update the institution's program inventory [accordingly
]. If objections occur, the proposing institution must resolve
those objections prior to submitting the request to the Coordinating
Board. If the proposing institution cannot resolve the objection(s),
and the institution wishes to submit the proposed program, the proposing
institution may request the assistance of the Assistant Commissioner
of Academic Quality and Workforce [Workforce, Academic
Affairs and Research] to mediate the objections and determine
whether the proposing institution may submit the proposed program.
No new program will [shall] be approved [
implemented] until all objections are resolved.
(7)The Coordinating Board reserves the right to audit
a degree program at any time to ensure compliance with any of the
criteria outlined in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(8)An institution requesting a new doctoral program
must [shall] submit a proposal using the most
recent version of the standard doctoral program request form.
(b)Requests for new certificate programs will [
shall] be made in accordance with the following procedures.
(1)New undergraduate and graduate certificate programs
will [shall] be approved 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).
(2)If a proposed certificate program meets the conditions
in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the institution may [
shall] submit a request to the Assistant Commissioner of Academic
Quality and Workforce [Workforce, 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 most recent version of the full [
standard program] request form.
(3)The institution proposing the certificate program
must [shall] notify all public higher education institutions
within 50 miles of the teaching site of their intention to offer the
certificate program at least 30 days prior to submitting their request
to the Coordinating Board. If no objections occur, the Coordinating
Board staff shall update the institution's program inventory [accordingly
]. If objections occur, the proposing institution must resolve
those objections prior to submitting the request to the Coordinating
Board. If the proposing institution cannot resolve the objection(s),
and the institution wishes to submit the proposed certificate program,
the proposing institution may request the assistance of the Assistant
Commissioner of Academic Quality and Workforce [Workforce,
Academic Affairs and Research] to mediate the objections and
determine whether the proposing institution may submit the request
for the proposed certificate program. No new certificate program
will [shall] be implemented until all objections
are resolved.
(4)The Coordinating Board reserves the right to audit
a certificate program at any time to ensure compliance with any of
the conditions outlined in §5.48 [§5.45]
of this title.
The agency certifies that legal counsel has
reviewed the proposal and found it to be within the state agency's
legal authority to adopt.
Filed with the Office
of the Secretary of State on September 29, 2016
TRD-201605058 Bill Franz
General Counsel
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Earliest possible date of adoption: November 13, 2016
For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114
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