Higher Education committee approves University of Austin authority, new graduate and doctoral program requests and multiple rule changes

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Committee on Academic and Workforce Success on Oct. 22 approved a suite of program approvals and rule changes including a second certificate of authority for the University of Austin, an amendment to add a Master of Startup Innovation at that institution, a reclassification of the University of Texas at Austin's doctor of nursing practice offerings, and a University of Houston Ph.D. in statistics and data science.

Why it matters: The approvals expand which degrees institutions may award in Texas and adopt rule changes that affect transfer disputes, exemptions to the Texas Success Initiative and the structure of career and technical education programs, measures the committee said are intended to support workforce pipelines and clearer program inventories.

The committee voted by voice to adopt the commissioner's recommendations on each item. Elizabeth Mayer, assistant commissioner for academic and health affairs, told the committee that a desk review and site evaluation of the University of Austin's application found the institution "in compliance of 23 of the 24 coordinating board required standards," and that the institution provided clarifying information on the single standard not met. She said the Certification Advisory Council unanimously recommended approval. The committee approved a second certificate of authority for the University of Austin that, if implemented as described during the meeting, would run from Oct. 25, 2025, through Oct. 2027; certificates are issued in two-year periods and institutions may receive up to four successive certificates absent accreditation requirements.

The committee also approved the University of Austin's request to amend that certificate by adding a master of startup innovation, a graduate program described in staff materials as focused on "training the next generation of company founders and business leaders" and on the lifecycle of startups. Mayer noted the amendment had been recommended for approval based on the site evaluation team and the CAC recommendation.

On doctoral program changes, Mayer said the University of Texas at Austin requested a substantive change to the way its doctor of nursing practice is recorded on the institution's program…