The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Coordinating Board) adopts amendments to §15.43 concerning the eligibility criteria to receive distributions from the National Research University Fund with changes to the proposed text as published in the February 5, 2016, issue of the Texas Register (41 TexReg 893). The intent of the amendments is to clarify the academic achievement of a freshman class; faculty distinctions are counted for each of two years measured; and faculty awards of distinction are counted only in the year the award was given.

One comment was received from Texas State University.

Comment: The comment noted that awards and not faculty should be counted in §15.43(b)(3)(E)(ii), since a single faculty may receive multiple awards in a given year.

Response: Staff agree with this change. Coordinating Board practice in previous years has been to count multiple awards by a single faculty. The change based on the comment received is adopted for §15.43(b)(3)(E)(i) and (ii).

The rule is adopted under Texas Education Code, Chapter 62, Subchapter G, §62.146, which authorizes the Coordinating Board to prescribe standard methods of reporting for determining the eligibility of institutions to receive distributions from the National Research University Fund.