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 inventory, splitting the DNP into a DNP in clinical nurse specialist and a DNP in nurse practitioner. Mayer said the change "does not include any new resources, faculty, or courses," and would more accurately reflect the types of advanced practice graduates the university produces; the committee approved the substantive change.

The University of Houston's request to offer a doctor of philosophy in statistics and data science also won committee approval. Staff described the proposed program as a 71-semester-credit-hour, in-person Ph.D. intended to be completed in about five years. Institution materials provided to the committee said the university plans to offer teaching and research assistantships funded at $21,893 annually per assistantship; staff recommended approval and the committee adopted the recommendation.

The committee adopted multiple rule changes and new rules. David Chapman, deputy commissioner for academic and workforce initiatives, presented proposed rules to establish the general education curriculum advisory committee required by Senate Bill 37; he said the committee would have 14 members, seven each from two-year and four-year public institutions. Daniel Perez, assistant deputy commissioner, presented amendments to implement Senate Bill 2786 that expand nonapplicability of the Texas Success Initiative for specified public-safety and emergency-response occupations, and said the rules were clarified after public comment to require institutions to verify eligibility at each enrollment period. Tina Jackson, assistant commissioner for workforce education, presented a new subchapter to set program-of-study institutional requirements for career and technical education level 1 certificates (15'to'42 semester credit hours). Lee Rector, associate commissioner for workforce education, presented amendments to the Opportunity High School diploma program that update approved assessments and correct an assessment level; she said initial enrollment estimates for the program ranged roughly from about 20 to 50 participants in the program's first six months, and that only five colleges are statutorily approved to offer the program.

Several items were approved on the consent calendar with no registered public testimony, including reports and appointments: the community college transfer student report (General Appropriations Act, SB 1, Art. 3, Sec. 45), the Tobacco Fund Settlement annual progress report for fiscal 2025, a study and report on assisting students with autism spectrum disorder (Texas Education Code —61.06694), appointment of members to advisory councils required by Texas Education Code sections 61.06641 and 61.0522, and receipt of Fiscal Year 2026 Carl D. Perkins midyear reallocation funds not to exceed $10,500,000. The committee also approved multiple rule-consent items and four-year rule reviews listed on the agenda.

Votes at a glance - Motion to adopt minutes of the July 23, 2025 meeting: approved by voice vote. - Nonrule consent calendar (items 5a'5d and related reports): approved by voice vote. - Rule consent calendar (multiple rule items numbered on the agenda): approved by voice vote. - Agenda item 5e: Adopt commissioner's recommendation to grant University of Austin a second certificate of authority to grant degrees in Texas: approved by voice vote. (Staff: Elizabeth Mayer.) - Agenda item 5f: Approve amendment to UATX certificate to add Master of Startup Innovation: approved by voice vote. (Staff: Elizabeth Mayer.) - Agenda item 5g: Approve UT Austin substantive change to record DNP as DNP in clinical nurse specialist and DNP in nurse practitioner: approved by voice vote. (Staff: Elizabeth Mayer.) - Agenda item 5k: Approve University of Houston Ph.D. in statistics and data science: approved by voice vote. (Staff: Elizabeth Mayer.) - Agenda items 5L1, 5L6'5L13 and assorted proposed rule amendments (including new rules for general education curriculum advisory committee, transfer dispute resolution, Texas Success Initiative amendments, program-of-study institutional requirements, Opportunity High School diploma assessment updates): approved by voice vote. (Staff: David Chapman, Daniel Perez, Tina Jackson, Lee Rector.)

What the committee did not do: No registered public testimony was offered on committee items. Several votes were taken by voice; the record in the meeting transcript shows aye responses and no recorded opposing votes on the items discussed.

Speakers (as recorded in the meeting transcript): Emma Nevarez, committee chair; Javed Anwar, committee member; Stacy Hawk, committee member; Ashley Thomas, committee member; Lisa Cantu, student representative; Elizabeth Mayer, assistant commissioner for academic and health affairs (presenter); David Chapman, deputy commissioner for academic and workforce initiatives (presenter); Daniel Perez, assistant deputy commissioner for academic and workforce initiatives (presenter); Tina Jackson, assistant commissioner for workforce education (presenter); Lee Rector, associate commissioner for workforce education (presenter). Dr. Wong was noted as unable to attend.

Background details and clarifications provided in the meeting record - University of Austin: staff said an initial site evaluation and desk review were performed and that the institution was cited as meeting 23 of 24 coordinating board standards; UATX provided clarifying information on standard 22 (students' rights and responsibilities), and the Certification Advisory Council recommended approval. Staff referenced Texas Administrative Code standards for operation of institutions (staff cited the coordinating board's rules and review process). - Certificates of authority: staff noted certificates are typically valid for two-year periods and institutions may be granted up to four successive certificates; after eight years, an institution must have accreditation from a board-recognized accrediting agency absent sufficient cause. - University of Houston Ph.D.: program described as 71 semester credit hours, in person, with an expected completion window of up to five years; the institution plans to provide assistantship funding at $21,893 per assistantship annually. - Texas Success Initiative (TSI) amendments: staff clarified that institutions must verify eligibility for the TSI nonapplicability exemption at each enrollment period, and staff added a definition of "political subdivision" in response to public comment. - Opportunity High School diploma: the amendment updates the list of approved assessments and corrects the STAAR attainment level that had been mispublished; initial enrollment is expected to be modest and limited by statute to five colleges unless statutory changes occur.

The committee adjourned after approving the agenda items and moved to a break before the next full-board committee meeting.