HBA-MPM H.B. 3508 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3508
By: Wilson
Higher Education
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, The University of Texas System board of regents lacks direct
student representation.  The addition of a voting student board member
would allow for representation of student interests.  House Bill 3508
provides for the addition of a voting student regent to be selected by a
uniform application process administered from the general academic teaching
institutions of the UT system. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3508 amends the Education Code to require the governor to
appoint a student regent to the board of regents of The University of Texas
System (UT system).  The bill requires the student government of each
general academic teaching institution in the UT system to solicit
applicants for the position of student regent in the academic year
preceding the date on which the term of a student regent expires and to
select three individuals from the applicants at that institution to be
screened by the Student Advisory Council (council) of the UT system.  The
council is required to select three individuals from the screened nominees
and refer them to the chancellor of the UT system.  On approval of the
individuals, the chancellor is required to send their names to the
governor.  The governor is required to appoint one of the individuals to
serve as student regent for the next term of that office. 

The bill sets forth eligibility criteria for a student to serve as student
regent and grants the student regent certain powers and duties, including
voting privileges.  The bill provides that the student regent holds office
for a two-year term beginning September 1 of each odd-numbered year.  The
bill provides that the student regent may not be appointed from the same
general academic teaching institution for consecutive terms. The bill
authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to remove a
student regent from the board by a vote of two-thirds of the coordinating
board members.  If a student regent is removed or a vacancy in the position
occurs, the vacancy is required to be filled through the same process in
which a student regent is originally selected. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

October 1, 2001.