The board may charge UT Rio Grande Valley students an intercollegiate athletics fee, but it cannot exceed $15 per semester credit hour unless students approve a higher increase. The revenue must go into a specific athletics fee account and be used only for athletics facilities or the intercollegiate athletics program.
Sec. 54.551. INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FEE; THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY. (a) The board of regents of The University of Texas System may impose on each student enrolled at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley an intercollegiate athletics fee in an amount not to exceed $15 per semester credit hour for each regular semester or summer session, unless the amount is increased as provided by Subsection (d). (b) The board shall deposit revenue from the fee to the credit of an account known as The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley intercollegiate athletics fee account. Revenue from the fee charged under this section may be used only for financing, constructing, operating, maintaining, renovating, or improving an athletic facility or for operating an intercollegiate athletics program at the university. (c) If compulsory student services fees are charged to students enrolled at the university under Section 54.503, the total amount of those fees charged to a student shall be reduced by $15 per semester credit hour beginning with the first semester in which an intercollegiate athletics fee is charged under this section. (d) The fee authorized by this section may not be increased by more than 10 percent from one academic year to the next unless the increase has been approved by a majority vote of those students participating in a general student election held at the institution and called for that purpose. (e) A fee imposed under this section is in addition to any other fee the board is authorized by law to impose, and may not be considered in determining the maximum amount of student services fees that may be imposed under Section 54.503. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 137 (H.B. 1505), Sec. 1, eff. May 18, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 188 (S.B. 1467), Sec. 5, eff. May 30, 2021. SUBCHAPTER F. PREPAID HIGHER EDUCATION TUITION PROGRAM