Education Code § 55.17

Sec. 55.17. PLEDGES; PARIETAL RULES; TYPES OF FEES; ADDITIONAL PLEDGE OF RESOURCES; ACQUISITION, ETC. OF PROPERTY; REVENUE BONDS. (a) Each board may pledge all or any part of its revenue funds to the payment of the bonds, including the payment of principal, interest, and any other amounts required or permitted in connection with the bonds. The pledged revenue funds shall be fixed and collected in amounts that will be at least sufficient to provide for all payments of principal, interest, and any other amounts required in connection with the bonds and, to the extent required by the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds, to provide for the payment of expenses in connection with the bonds and for the payment of operation, maintenance, and other expenses in connection with the aforesaid property, buildings, structures, activities, services, operations, or other facilities. (b) Each board may establish and enforce parietal rules for students and others, and enter into agreements regarding occupancy, use, and availability of facilities, and the amounts and collection of pledged revenue funds that will assure making all the required payments and deposits. (c) Tuition, rentals, rates, and other charges of an institution of higher education authorized by this title may be pledged to the payment of the bonds and shall be fixed and collected from all or any designated part of the students enrolled in the institution or institutions, or any branch or branches thereof, in the amounts and in the manner as determined and provided by the board in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds; and said tuition, rentals, rates, and other charges may be collected in the full amounts required or permitted herein, without regard to actual use, availability, or existence of any facility, commencing at any time designated by the board. Such tuition, rentals, rates, and other charges may be fixed and collected, and pledged to the payment of any issue or series of bonds issued by the board, in the full amounts required or permitted herein, in addition to, and regardless of the existence of, any other specific or general fees at the institution or institutions, or any branch or branches thereof; provided that each board may restrict its power to pledge such additional tuition, rentals, rates, or other charges in any manner that may be provided in any resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds, and provided that no such additional tuition, rentals, rates, or other charges shall be pledged if prohibited by any resolution which authorized the issuance of any then outstanding bonds. (d) Repealed by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1073, Sec. 1.06, eff. Aug. 1, 1997. (e)(1) The board of regents of Texas Tech University, acting separately and independently for and on behalf of Texas Tech University and separately and independently for and on behalf of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, is hereby granted full and final authority and responsibility to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property, buildings, structures, facilities, roads, or related infrastructure for Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. (2) The board of regents of Texas Tech University, acting separately and independently for and on behalf of Texas Tech University and separately and independently for and on behalf of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, may pledge irrevocably to the payment of its revenue bonds all or any part of the aggregate amount of student tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed on students enrolled at Texas Tech University and/or at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; and the amount of any pledge so made shall never be reduced or abrogated while such bonds are outstanding; provided, however, that such tuition charges shall not be pledged pursuant to the authority granted by this Subsection (e)(2) except to the payment of bonds issued in an aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $35 million for the purpose of providing funds to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate, enlarge, or equip property, buildings, structures, facilities, roads, or related infrastructure for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. (3) In addition to the authority granted by Sections 55.13, 55.14, 55.17, and 55.19 of this code, the board of regents of Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center may issue bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board in an additional aggregate principal amount not to exceed $25 million to finance the items listed under Subdivision (1) of this subsection. The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of those bonds all or any part of the revenue funds of Texas Tech University or Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, including student tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed on students enrolled at Texas Tech University or at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The amount of a pledge made under this subdivision may not be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. (4) In addition to the other authority granted by this subchapter, the board of regents of Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center may issue bonds in accordance with this subchapter and in accordance with a systemwide revenue financing program adopted by the board to finance the items listed under Subdivision (1) of this subsection in an additional aggregate principal amount for Texas Tech University not to exceed $30 million, and in an additional aggregate principal amount for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center not to exceed $32.5 million. The board may pledge irrevocably to the payment of those bonds all or any part of the revenue funds of Texas Tech University or the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, including student tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed on students enrolled at Texas Tech University or at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The amount of a pledge made under this subdivision may not be reduced or abrogated while the bonds for which the pledge is made, or bonds issued to refund those bonds, are outstanding. Of the proceeds of bonds authorized by this subdivision for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, $2.5 million may be used only to build and equip a surgical and medical facility in the Midland County Hospital District for a cardiology residency program. (f)(1) The board of regents of The University of Texas System is hereby granted full and final authority and responsibility to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, enlarge, and/or equip property, buildings, structures, and/or facilities for The University of Texas at Dallas, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, The University of Texas at San Antonio, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, The University of Texas Dental School at San Antonio, The University of Texas (Undergraduate) Nursing School at El Paso, and The University of Texas (Clinical) Nursing School at San Antonio. (2) The board of regents of The University of Texas System may pledge irrevocably to the payment of its revenue bonds all or any part of the aggregate amount of student tuition charges required or authorized by law to be imposed on students enrolled at each and every institution, branch, and school operated by or under the jurisdiction of said board of regents of The University of Texas System; and the amount of any pledge so made shall never be reduced or abrogated while such bonds are outstanding; provided, however, that such tuition charges shall not be pledged pursuant to the authority granted by this Subsection (f)(2) except to the payment of bonds issued in an aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $150 million for the purpose of providing funds to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, enlarge, and/or equip property, buildings, structures, and facilities for The University of Texas at Dallas, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, The University of Texas at San Antonio, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, The University of Texas Dental School at San Antonio, The University of Texas (Undergraduate) Nursing School at El Paso, and The University of Texas (Clinical) Nursing School at San Antonio. (g) The board of regents of The University of Texas System, The Texas A&M University System, or Texas Tech University may not issue bonds under this section pursuant to its systemwide revenue financing program for the benefit of an institution under its governance unless the board determines before issuing the bonds that the institution is reasonably expected to have the financial resources necessary to meet its obligations with respect to the bonds without using the resources of any other institution under the governance of the board. This subsection does not decrease the authority of a board of regents to enter into pledges or covenants with respect to bonds, notes, or other obligations under law existing before the effective date of this subsection. (h) Subsections (a) through (g) of this section are cumulative of all other laws on the subject, but they shall be wholly sufficient authority for the issuance of the bonds and the performance of the acts and procedures, and the exercise of the powers granted and authorized thereby, regardless of any restrictions or limitations contained in any other laws; and when any bonds are being issued or any acts or procedures are being undertaken, or any powers being exercised pursuant to those subsections, then to the extent of any conflict or inconsistency between any provisions of those subsections, and any provision of any other law, the provisions of those subsections shall prevail and control. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 3072, ch. 1024, art. 1, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1971. Amended by Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 3335, ch. 1024, art. 2, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1971; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 803, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 757, Sec. 8, eff. June 16, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 748, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1073, Sec. 1.06, 2.02, eff. Aug. 1, 1997.