A governing board may charge designated tuition, set different tuition rates, and continue one historic charge amount without a public hearing; certain funds accounting and set-aside rules also apply.
Sec. 54.0513. DESIGNATED TUITION. (a) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board, under the terms the governing board considers appropriate, may charge any student an amount designated as tuition that the governing board considers necessary for the effective operation of the institution. (b) A governing board may set a different tuition rate for each program and course level offered by each institution of higher education. A governing board may set a different tuition rate as the governing board considers appropriate to increase graduation rates, encourage efficient use of facilities, or enhance employee performance. (c) Amounts collected by an institution of higher education under this section are institutional funds as defined by Section 51.009 of this code and shall be accounted for as designated funds. These funds shall not be accounted for in a general appropriations act in such a way as to reduce the general revenue appropriation to a particular institution. (d) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 359, Sec. 16(1), eff. January 1, 2012. (e) Section 56.033 of this code requiring certain percentage amounts of tuition to be set aside for grants and scholarships does not apply to tuition collected under this section. (f) A governing board of an institution of higher education may continue to charge as tuition under this section the amount that it charged as the building use fee at that institution in the 1996-1997 academic year without holding a public hearing, but may not increase tuition under this section above that amount without holding a public hearing. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1073, Sec. 1.01, eff. Aug. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 655, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1321, Sec. 1, 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 359 (S.B. 32), Sec. 16(1), eff. January 1, 2012.