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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring a public institution of higher education to |
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make available to the public on the institution's Internet website |
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certain course information; authorizing a penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.974 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.974. INTERNET ACCESS TO COURSE INFORMATION. (a) |
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Each institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, |
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shall make available to the public on the institution's Internet |
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website the following information for each classroom course offered |
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for credit by the institution: |
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(1) a syllabus that: |
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(A) satisfies any standards adopted by the |
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institution; |
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(B) provides a brief description of each major |
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course requirement, including each major assignment and |
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examination; |
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(C) lists any required or recommended reading; |
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and |
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(D) provides a general description of the subject |
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matter of each lecture or discussion; |
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(2) a curriculum vitae of each regular instructor that |
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lists the instructor's: |
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(A) postsecondary education; |
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(B) teaching experience; and |
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(C) significant professional publications; and |
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(3) if available, a course budget report from the most |
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recent semester or other academic term during which the institution |
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offered the course. |
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(b) The information required by Subsection (a) must be: |
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(1) accessible from the institution's Internet website |
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home page by use of not more than three links; |
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(2) searchable by keywords and phrases; and |
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(3) accessible to the public without requiring |
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registration or use of a user name, a password, or another user |
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identification. |
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(c) The institution shall make the information required by |
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Subsection (a) available not later than the seventh day after the |
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first day of classes for the semester or other academic term during |
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which the course is offered. The institution shall continue to make |
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the information available on the institution's Internet website |
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until at least the fifth anniversary of the date on which the |
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institution initially posted the information. |
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(d) The institution shall update the information required |
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by Subsection (a) as soon as practicable after the information |
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changes. |
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(e) The governing body of the institution shall designate an |
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administrator to be responsible for ensuring implementation of this |
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section. The administrator may assign duties under this section to |
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one or more administrative employees. |
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(f) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules under which the coordinating board may impose a |
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reasonable administrative penalty against the responsible |
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administrator of an institution designated under Subsection (e) who |
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knowingly violates this section. The rules must provide for the |
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coordinating board to hold a hearing to determine whether a penalty |
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is to be imposed and the amount of any penalty. The coordinating |
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board shall base the amount of any penalty on: |
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(1) the seriousness of the violation; |
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(2) any history of a previous violation; |
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(3) the amount necessary to deter a future violation; |
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(4) any effort to correct the violation; and |
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(5) any other matter justice requires. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Section 51.974, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2010 fall semester. |
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(b) Not later than April 1, 2010, the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall adopt rules relating to administrative |
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penalties as required by Section 51.974(f), Education Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |