1. Staff Legislative Recommendations to the 85th Texas Legislature

2. Coordinating Board Role and Responsibilities Program Expansion and Off-Campus Sites Recommend the Coordinating Board be provided specific authority to review and approve new locations outside of existing main campuses for the purpose of evaluating the potential for unnecessary duplication of services and resources. Institutions offer instruction in a number of off-campus settings, including Multi-Institution Centers (MITCs), branch campuses and other sites. As new sites are being considered, it is important to define the Coordinating Board role in ensuring that such sites do not create unneeded duplication. Recommend engaging in negotiated rulemaking to clarifying definitions of off- campus academic, technical and research sites such as MITCs, branch campuses and other sites. 2

3. Coordinating Board Role and Responsibilities Oversight of Career Schools and Colleges Career colleges are an important component of 60x30TX goals for attainment and completion. Recommend clarifying the agency’s authority regarding requiring compliance with accrediting bodies, federal financial rules, and state statutes and rules, and ability to revoke Certificates of Authorization for cause. Recommend establishing the agency as the repository for student records of closed institutions, contingent on sufficient funding. 3

4. Student Financial Aid Programs TEXAS Grants As the state’s primary grant programs for students at public universities (TEXAS Grant) TEXAS Grant, will play an important role in meeting the attainment, completion and student debt goals of 60x30TX. Recommend limiting grant recipients to 135 semester credit hours (down from 150 SCH currently) to incent timely completion and use savings to serve additional eligible students. Recommend requiring recipients to complete 30 SCH per year, through any combination of fall, spring and summer sessions. Recommend accommodating more middle-income families by limiting grant award amounts to the cost of tuition, fees and a book stipend, minus Pell. Recommend removing institutional “matching” requirements if the student does not meet the priority EFC level. 4

5. Student Financial Aid Programs Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG) The state’s primary grant programs for students at public community, state and technical colleges, TEOG is important to meeting the attainment, completion and student debt goals of 60x30TX. Recommend accommodate more middle-income families by limiting grant award amounts to the cost of tuition, fees and a book stipend, minus Pell. Recommend expanding the number of SCH that a recipient enrolled in a community college baccalaureate program may receive the grant to 135 SCH (currently 75 SCH). Clarify statute to allow institutions the discretion to continue a student’s TEOG despite exceeding the number of allowable semester credit hours or years due to a hardship. 5

6. Student Financial Aid Programs Financial Aid Award Notifications Meeting the 60x30TX debt goal will require students to be informed consumers regarding their student loans. Recommend requiring institutions to provide students annually specific information regarding their indebtedness, including amount borrowed to date and estimated future loan payments. Collaborate with institutions to foster innovative practices for communicating this information to students, such as through mobile apps. Work Study Mentorship Program Work-Study Student Mentorship Programs provide funding for college students to mentor or counsel students in higher education or in high school to improve student access to higher education. Recommend expanding the allowable use of funds to include not just programs that improve access, but also student success programs such as tutoring and advising. 6

7. Higher Education Funding Policies Outcomes Based Funding Providing a strong financial incentive for institutions to focus on helping students quickly earn their certificate or degree is critical to achieving the attainment and completion goals of 60x30TX. Recommend amending statute to implement the “Graduation Bonus” framework for public universities developed by the General Academic Institution Formula Advisory Committee. Recommend supporting increased funding for community college success points. Course Restrictions on Returning Adult Students Helping adult students who wish to return and complete their education will assist with 60x30TX goals for attainment and completion. Consider granting returning adult students one opportunity to enroll in higher education without penalty due to statutory restrictions such as the “30 hour rule,” the “45 hour rule,” the “three-peat” rule, and the “six-drop” rule. 7

8. Additional Recommendations for Consideration Community College Baccalaureate Programs Meeting 60x30TX goals for attainment and completion will require creating new pathways for students to achieve a relevant degree. Recommend a measured, deliberative process for gradually expanding the authority for some community colleges to offer baccalaureate programs in certain fields. Prioritizing Graduate Medical Education Recommend seeking a resolution from the Legislature that resources should be committed first to increasing the availability of residency positions before creating additional medical schools. Healthcare Workforce Study Recommend mandating a study of the healthcare workforce in Texas to better align resources with need. 8

9. Statutory Updates and Clarifications Common Admission Application Recommend updating statute to add ICUT and K-12 to advisory committee and reflect the systems’ current capabilities. Statewide Preceptorship Program Recommend updating statute to include family medicine. Student Loan Program Statute Recommend updating statute to align with previous Constitutional amendments and current practices. Higher Education Assistance Plans Recommend eliminating a duplicative section in statute that requires two different lists to be generated of low college-going high schools. 9