From the ECS State Policy Database Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 From bill summary: Requires the test sponsor of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to provide testing accommodations to a test subject who is disabled. The bill would require the process for determining whether to grant an accommodation to be made public, the outcome of the request to be conveyed to the requester within a reasonable amount of time, and the reasons for a denial of a request for accommodation to be stated to the requester in writing. Requires that test sponsor to establish a timely appeals process when a request is denied and to clearly post on the LSAT website information on refund policies for individuals whose requests for accommodation are denied. Prohibits that test sponsor from notifying a test score recipient that the score of any test subject was obtained by a subject who received an accommodation, and prohibits that test sponsor from withholding any information that would lead a test score recipient to deduce that a score was earned by a subject who received an accommodation. Provides an intentional violation of these requirements would subject a test sponsor to the above civil penalty. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_2101-2150/ab_2122_bill_20120926_chaptered.pdf Title: A.B. 2122 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov TX Adopted 08/2012 Postsec. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board proposes an amendment to s.5.46, concerning Criteria for New Doctoral Programs, by adding alternative criteria for meeting the undergraduate success measure standard. The intent of the amendment is to bring consistency across the Coordinating Board rules and staff procedures for the approval of new doctoral programs. Specifies the alternative undergraduate success measures an institution must meet to satisfy s.5.24(b)(5) and to be in line with s.5.46(15) of Coordinating Board rules adopted in January 2011. If an institution's six-year baccalaureate graduation rate is below the state average minus The University of Texas at Austin and Texas AandM University, permits new doctoral programs to still be considered if the institution meets at least two of three alternative criteria. Adopted as published in May 11, 2012 Texas Register (pages 30- of 85): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0511/0511prop.pdf Full text as published in August 24, 2012 Texas Register (pages 60-61 of 169): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0824/0824adop.pdf Title: 19 TAC 5.46 Source: www.sos.state.tx.us KY Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. Allows the comprehensive universities to offer a combined maximum of 18 advanced practice doctoral programs with the approval of the council on postsecondary education. Ensures each comprehensive university the opportunity to offer a minimum of two programs. Provides these 18 programs must include advanced practice doctoral programs in nursing and Ed.D. programs. Directs the council on postsecondary education to assess the approval process in five years or once 18 programs are approved, whichever occurs first. Permits the council on postsecondary education, subsequent to the review, to retain the current maximum or recommend a new maximum for consideration by the general assembly. http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/12RS/SB131/bill.doc Title: S.B. 131 Source: www.lrc.ky.gov TX Adopted 05/2011 Postsec. Clarifies the process by which previously approved doctoral programs at public institutions may be approved for distance delivery (including off-campus or as a self-supporting program). Presently, any doctoral program wishing to be delivered by such means must receive board of higher education approval prior to offering the program. The proposed changes will enable institutions approved to offer a doctoral program to do so via a distance education modality, off-campus or as a self-supporting program with the approval of the commissioner of higher education or his/her designee. Adopted as published in February 11, 2011 Texas Register (pages 3 and 4 of 68): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0211/0211prop.pdf Title: 19 TAC 4.261 and 4.275 Source: www.sos.state.tx.us TX Adopted 05/2011 Postsec. Defines terms, including "doctoral graduation rate", "graduate placement" and "master's graduation rate". Provides that if the minimum number of credit hours required to complete a bachelor degree program exceeds 120, the institution must provide a compelling academic reason. Provides the higher education coordinating board will review the documentation provided and make a determination to approve or deny a request to exceed the 120-hour limit. Requires each public university and health-related institution to review all doctoral and master's programs at least once every 7 years. Provides processes and criteria for such reviews. Provides that the criteria by which master's and doctoral programs will be evaluated include student graduation rate, and that graduate placement (i.e., employment or further education/training) is one of the criteria for evaluating master's programs. Sections 5.43 and 5.44 adopted as published in the February 11, 2011 Texas Register (page 5 of 68): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0211/0211prop.pdf. Section 5.52 adopted as published in the May 20, 2011 Texas Register (pages 7-9 of 21): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0520/0520adop.pdf Title: 19 TAC 5.43, 44, 52 Source: KY Signed into law 03/2011 Postsec. Permits a comprehensive university to provide up to three advanced practice doctoral programs, including an Ed.D. program. Directs the council on postsecondary education, in consultation with the advisory conference of presidents, to develop criteria and conditions upon which an advanced practice doctoral degree program may be approved. Requires that the criteria include a determination of the academic and workforce needs for a program, consideration of whether the program can be effectively delivered through a collaborative effort with an existing program at another public university in the state, and a university's capacity to effectively offer the program. Requires the requesting university to provide assurance that funding for the program will not impair funding of any existing program at any other public university. Requires the university to annually report to the council, identifying the full cost of and all funding sources for each approved doctoral program, and the performance of each approved program. Directs the council to submit the approval process to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by October 15, 2011. Prohibits a comprehensive university from offering specified terminal doctorate or first professional degrees, and from describing itself in official publications or in marketing materials as a research university or research institution. http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/11RS/SB130/bill.doc Title: S.B. 130 Source: www.lrc.ky.gov TX Adopted 02/2011 Postsec. Adds an additional criterion for the approval of new doctoral degree programs. Stipulates that the most recent six-year baccalaureate degree graduation rate must equal or exceed the most recent six-year statewide average baccalaureate degree graduation rate. For the purposes of the amendment, baccalaureate degree graduation rates at Texas AandM University and The University of Texas at Austin are not included in the calculation of the statewide average six-year baccalaureate degree graduation rate. Pages 4-6 of 246: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0218/0218adop.pdf Title: 19 TAC 5.46 Source: www.sos.state.tx.us TX Adopted 11/2010 Postsec. Sections 5.43, .44, .52: Adds a definition of new doctoral degree programs, revises the requirements for submitting administrative change requests, adds doctoral degree program audits for public institutions of higher education and health-related institutions, and reorganizes information for clarity. Section 5.44 adopted as published in November 26, 2010 Texas Register (pages 2-3 of 21): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/1126/1126adop.pdf. Sections 5.43 and .52 adopted as published in the August 13, 2010 Texas Register (pages 12-13 of 156): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0813/0813prop.pdf Sections 5.53, .54: New sections establish the authority for quality and effectiveness audits of new doctoral degree programs, and establish a procedure for handling instances of noncompliance with conditions of approval of new doctoral degree programs. Adopted as published in the August 13, 2010 Texas Register (pages 13-14 of 156): http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0813/0813prop.pdf Title: 19 TAC 5.53, 54 Source: www.sos.state.tx.us ME Signed into law 03/2010 Postsec. Amends the Health Professions Loan Program; provides that loans for medical, veterinary and dental education are to be repaid at varying interest rates depending upon the nature and location of the practice; eliminates loans for optometry students; eliminates new access seats for veterinary education in the Doctors for Maine's Future Scholarship Program; makes changes to the advisory committee on medical education to reflect the changing nature of the programs. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/chappdfs/PUBLIC488.pdf Title: S.B. 116 Source: http://www.mainelegislature.org NY Adopted 10/2009 Postsec. Amends the State University of New York Tuition and Fees Schedule to increase tuition for resident students in graduate and professional programs. no changes to as published in July 29, 2009 register. Pages 44-46 of 47: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register/2009/jul29/pdfs/rules.pdf Title: Title 8 NYCRR section 302.1(c) - (i) Source: www.dos.state.ny.us OH Signed into law 07/2009 Postsec. Section 371.20.95(B): Directs the chancellor, in consultation with representatives of state universities, to conduct a study on the effectiveness and appropriateness of funding for doctoral programs through the doctoral set-aside as allocated in H.B. 1. Provides the study may examine alternative funding methodologies to improve the alignment between university doctoral programs and the goals of the strategic plan for the University System of Ohio. Requires that the study be completed by April 15, 2010. Authorizes the chancellor to use the results of the study to recomend changes in the determination of the distribution of the doctoral set-aside beginning in FY 2011. Requires the chancellor to report any such formula changes to the Controlling Board by August 30, 2010. Section 371.20.80(D)(2): Requires up to 12.89% of the appropriation for university main campuses in the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years to be reserved for support of doctoral programs to implement the funding recommendations made by representatives of the universities (to be referred to as the "doctoral set-aside). Requires 90% of the FY 2010 and 80% of the FY 2011 doctoral set-aside to be allocated to universities in proportion to their share of the total number of Doctoral I equivalent FTEs as calculated on an institutional basis, using a frame of reference specified in H.B. 1. Requires 5% of the FY 2010 and 10% of the FY 2011 doctoral set-aside to be allocated to universities in proportion to each campus's share of the total statewide doctoral degrees, weighted by the cost of the doctoral discipline. Requires the chancellor, in calculating each campus's doctoral degrees, to use the three-year average of doctoral degrees awarded for the three-year period ending in the prior year. Requires 2.5% of the FY 2010 and 5% of the FY 2011 doctoral set-aside to be allocated to universities in proportion to their share of research grant activity, using National Science Foundation data. Requires grant awards from the National Health Institute to be weighted at 50%. Requires 2.5% of the FY 2010 and 5% of the FY 2011 doctoral set-aside to be allocated to universities based on other quality measures that contribute to the advancement of the chancellor's strategic plan; requires the chancellor to identify these other quality measures in consultation with universities. Pages 2955-2956 and 2948-2949 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf Title: H.B. 1 - Section 371.20.95(B) and 371.20.80(D)(2) Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us TX Adopted 02/2009 Postsec. Requires public institutions with doctoral programs to publish information on their Web sites regarding the "18 Characteristics of Doctoral Education" as approved by the higher education coordinating board. Requires each such institution to develop and implement a plan for using the 18 Characteristics for ongoing evaluation and quality improvement of each doctoral program. Title: 19 TAC 1.5.C.5.51 Source: www.lexis.com UT Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, provides a graduate tuition waiver of up to $10,000 at a state institution of higher education for Purple Heart recipients under specified conditions. http://le.utah.gov/~2008/bills/hbillenr/hb0271.pdf Title: H.B. 271 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet LA Issued 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Executive Order 15: http://gov.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/15ExecOrderStateEmployeePay.pdf Executive Order 17 amends Executive Order KBB 2007-15 to clarify its application to unclassified employees of registrars of voters; includes students and graduate assistants, faculty of public higher education institutions, employees of special schools, intermittent employees, seasonal employees and elected local or statewide officials. http://gov.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/17ExecOrderAmendKBB200715StateEmployeePay.pdf Title: E.O. 15 and 17 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet ID Signed into law 03/2007 Postsec. Directs the state board of education to engage the services of a consultant to study the feasibility of offering medical education through: (i) a distributive model in partnership with Idaho's public universities and medical community; and (ii) other delivery models the board deems worthy of consideration. Provides that neither the consultant nor the oversight of this study may be affiliated with any of Idaho's public universities. Directs the consultant to report his/her findings to the state board of education by November 2007. Directs the state board of education to report the findings of the study and make recommendations to the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature. Session Law Chapter 269 http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/S1210.html Title: S.B. 1210 Source: www3.state.id.us VA Signed into law 03/2007 Postsec. Prohibits students participating in a course of professional instruction or clinical training program from performing a pelvic examination on an anesthetized or unconscious female patient unless the patient or her authorized agent gives informed consent to such examination, the performance of such examination is within the scope of care ordered for the patient, or in the case of a patient incapable of giving informed consent, the examination is necessary for diagnosis or treatment of such patient. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?071+ful+HB2969ER Title: H.B. 2969 Source: http://leg1.state.va.us/lis.htm VA Passed 03/2007 Postsec. This joint resolution of the legislature establishes a joint subcommittee to study science and technology education in business, law, and policy graduate programs in state institutions of higher education. http://198.246.135.1/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?071+ful+HJ611ER Title: H.J. 611 Source: http://leg1.state.va.us/lis.htm ME Signed into law 03/2007 Postsec. Authorizes the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts to confer the degree of Doctor of Visual Arts upon students in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 10704. On December 13, 2006 the State Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the institute's application to confer the degree and transmitted its recommendation to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs in accordance with the Department of Education's rules, Chapter 149. Private and Special Law 1 http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/billpdfs/LD046201.pdf Title: H.B. 361 Source: Maine Legislature WY Signed into law 02/2007 Postsec. Community College Expands the Hathaway scholarship program to graduate and professional degrees; clarifies provisions regarding students attending multiple institutions under the Hathaway scholarship program; extends time for attending postsecondary institutions under the Hathaway program as specified. http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2007/Enroll/HB0099.pdf Title: H.B. 99 Source: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2007/bills.htm IL Signed into law 08/2004 Postsec. Community College Amends the Illinois Consortium for Educational Opportunity Act. Changes the short title to the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Program. Provides that institutions that grant doctoral degrees must have representatives on the Board. Makes changes concerning the definition of "institution of higher education", the Program Board, assistance to graduates, subcommittees, reporting, grants, and other matters.http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=093-0862 Title: S.B. 3107 Source: Illinois Legislative Web site