| (a) The Commissioner may approve proposals from the
public universities and health-related institutions for new baccalaureate
or master's degree programs and, in very limited circumstances, new
doctoral programs, on behalf of the Board in accordance with the procedures
and criteria specified in this section.
(b) To be approved by the Commissioner, a proposal
for a new degree program must include certification in writing from
the Board of Regents of a proposing institution, in a form prescribed
by the Commissioner, that the following criteria have been met:
(1) The curriculum, faculty, resources, support services,
and other components of a proposed degree program are comparable to
those of high quality programs in the same or similar disciplines
offered by other institutions.
(2) Clinical or in-service placements, if applicable,
have been identified in sufficient number and breadth to support the
proposed program.
(3) The program is designed to be consistent with the
standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission
on Colleges, and with the standards of other applicable accrediting
agencies; and is in compliance with appropriate licensing authority
requirements.
(4) The institution has provided credible evidence
of long-term student interest and job-market needs for graduates;
or, if proposed by a university, the program is appropriate for the
development of a well-rounded array of basic baccalaureate degree
programs at the institution where the principal faculty and other
resources are already in place to support other approved programs
and/or the general core curriculum requirements for all undergraduate
students.
(5) The program would not be unnecessarily duplicative
of existing programs at other institutions.
(6) Implementation and operation of the program would
not be dependent on future Special Item funding.
(7) New costs to the institution over the first five
years after implementation of the program would not exceed $2,000,000.
(c) In addition to the requirements listed in subsection
(a) and (b) of this section, a new doctoral program may only be approved
by the Commissioner if:
(1) the institution already offers a doctoral program
or programs in a closely related disciplinary area,
(2) those existing doctoral programs are productive
and offered at a high level of quality,
(3) the core faculty for the proposed program are already
active and productive faculty in an existing doctoral program at the
institution,
(4) the institution has notified Texas public institutions
that offer the proposed program or a related program and resolved
any objections; and
(5) there is a very strong link between the program
and workforce needs or the economic development of the state.
(d) A proposal for a new degree program must include
a statement from the institution's chief executive officer certifying
adequate financing and explaining the sources of funding to support
the first five years of operation of the program.
(e) If a proposal meets the criteria specified in this
section, the Commissioner may either approve it or forward it to the
Board for consideration at an appropriate quarterly meeting.
(f) If a proposal does not meet the criteria specified
in this section, the Commissioner may deny approval or forward it
to the Board for consideration at an appropriate quarterly meeting.
Institutions may appeal the decision to deny approval to the Board.
(g) If a proposed program is the subject of an unresolved
grievance or dispute between institutions, the Commissioner must forward
it to the Board for consideration at an appropriate quarterly meeting.
(h) The Commissioner shall make available to the public
universities, health-related institutions, community/technical colleges,
and Independent Colleges of Texas, Inc. a list of all pending proposals
for new degree programs. If an institution wishes to provide the Commissioner
information supporting a concern it has about the approval of a pending
proposal for a new degree program at another institution, it must
do so within 14 days of the initial listing of the proposal, and it
must also forward the information to the proposing institution.
(i) The authority given to the Commissioner to approve
proposals from public universities and health-related institutions
for new degree programs (and other related duties given under this
section) may be delegated by the Commissioner to the Assistant Commissioner
for Academic Quality and Workforce.
(j) Each quarter, the Commissioner shall send a list
of his approvals and disapprovals under this section to Board members.
A list of the approvals and disapprovals shall also be attached to
the minutes of the next quarterly Board meeting.
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §5.50 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 15, 2013, 38 TexReg 5063; amended to be effective May 29, 2018, 43 TexReg 3347 |
