Private or independent institutions of higher education must compile and share course schedules and textbook lists, including specified textbook details, and must meet website, bookstore, revision, and timing requirements.
Sec. 51.452. PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS: DISSEMINATION OF COURSE SCHEDULE AND LIST OF REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS. (a) Each private or independent institution of higher education shall: (1) for each semester or academic term, compile a course schedule indicating each course offered by the institution for the semester or term to postsecondary students; (2) with respect to each course, include with the schedule a list of the required and recommended textbooks that specifies, to the extent practicable, the following information for each textbook: (A) the retail price; (B) the author; (C) the publisher; (D) the most recent copyright date; (E) the International Standard Book Number assigned, if any; and (F) whether the textbook is an open educational resource; (3) except as provided by Subsection (b), at the time required by Subsection (c)(2): (A) publish the textbook list with the course schedule on the institution's Internet website and with any course schedule the institution provides in hard copy format to the students of the institution; and (B) make that information available to college bookstores and other bookstores that generally serve the students of the institution; and (4) except as provided by Subsection (b), as soon as practicable after the information becomes available disseminate as required by Subdivision (3) specific information regarding any revisions to the institution's course schedule and textbook list. (b) A private or independent institution of higher education is not required to publish a textbook list as described by Subsection (a)(3)(A) or any revisions to that textbook list as described by Subsection (a)(4) if a college bookstore publishes that list and any revisions to that list on the bookstore's Internet website on behalf of the institution at the appropriate times required by this section. (c) To allow for timely placement of textbook orders by students, each private or independent institution of higher education shall: (1) establish a deadline by which faculty members must submit information to be included in the course schedule and textbook list required by Subsection (a); and (2) disseminate the institution's course schedule and textbook list as required by Subsection (a)(3) as soon as practicable after the institution has compiled the schedule and list but not later than the 30th day before the first day that classes are conducted for the semester or other academic term for which the schedule and list are compiled. (d) If a private or independent institution of higher education or a college bookstore publishes a textbook list with a course schedule on an Internet website that provides a search function, the institution or bookstore must: (1) ensure that the search function permits a search based on whether a course or section of a course requires or recommends only open educational resources; or (2) provide a searchable list of courses and sections of courses that require or recommend only open educational resources. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 213 (H.B. 33), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Amended by: Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 581 (S.B. 810), Sec. 36, eff. June 9, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 645 (H.B. 1027), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2021.