.
Honorable Bevington Reed
Commissioner, Coordinating Board
Texas College & University System
P. 0. Box 12788, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711
Opinion NO. M-1065
Re: Whether Texas State
Technical Institute has
the authority to award
Dear Dr. Reed: baccalaureate degrees.
You ask whether Texas State Technical Institute may award
baccalaureate degrees in Technical Education and in Technology
at its James Connally campus in Waco.
The James Connally Technical Institute was established
in 1965 under the control of the Board of Directors of Texas
A&M University. The enabling Act, Article 2615f-1, Vernon's
Civil Statutes, is quoted in part as follows:
"Section 2. . . .
"a. No series of courses or course
of study shall be offered which leads to
a baccalaureate, masters, doctorate or
professional degree; . . .'I
In 1969, by Article 2615f-la, Vernon's Civil Statutes, the Texas
State Technical Institute was created with its own board of
regents. This statute was codified in 1971 as Section 135 of
the Texas Education Code. We note that in the general index to
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Honorable Bevington Reed, page 2 (M-1065)
Title 3-Higher Education, which is a part of the codification
enacted by the Legislature, Texas State Technical Institute is
listed in Subtitle G - Non-Baccalaureate System. Section 135
is quoted in pertinent part as follows:
"135.03. Role and Scope of Institute
(a) The institute shall provide occupationally
oriented programs in highly technical and vocational
areas, including field or laboratory work and
remedial or related academic and technical instruc-
tion. Particular emphasis shall be placed on in-
dustrial and technological manpower needs of the state.
Technical and vocational programs shall be subject to
the approval of the State Board of Vocational Educa-
tion. Related academic instruction is subject to the
approval of the Coordinating Board, Texas College and
University System.
(b)The institute shall provide training programs
for technical teachers, counselors, and supervisors
which shall be subject to prior and continuing approval
of the State Board of Vocational Education.
(c)The institute shall conduct manpower develop-
ment and utilization research programs for identification
of training and retraining needs and projected needs
and for curriculum development, either individually or
in cooperation with other public and private institu-
tions."
"135.04. Approval of Programs
(a)Educational programs wholly or partially
financed from state funds are subject to the prior
approval of the State Board of Vocational Education
and the Coordinating Board, Texas College and Uni-
versity System."
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Honorable Bevington Reed, page 3 (M-1065)
"135.51. Certificates and Diplomas
The board shall prescribe and award certifi-
cates and diplomas limited to those common to
technical education."
We are not apprised of what certificates and diplomas are
"common to technical education" but the several legislative
Acts make clear to us that the Legislature has consistently
viewed Texas State Technical Institute as an intermediate
vocational and technical training institution, with ancillary
academic programs. According to your request, Texas State
Technical Institute has requested permission to grant baccalaureate
degrees in Technical Education and in Technology. In Webster's
Third New International Dictionary, a bachelor (baccalaureate)
is defined as "a person who has received what is usually the
first or lowest degree conferred by a college or university or
by some professional schools."
Our opinion is that Texas State Technical Institute does
not have the authority to grant baccalaureate or bachelor degrees.
SUMMARY
The Texas State Technical Institute does
not have the authority to grant baccalaureate
or bachelor degrees.
m-
Yodrs very truly,
6 A
/(j&$&-J*
Attorne General of Texas
Prepared by Malcolm L. Quick
Assistant Attorney General
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r
,
Honorable Bevington Reed, page 4 (M- 1065)
APPROVED:
OPINION COMMITTEE
Kerns Taylor, Chairman
W. E. Allen, Co-Chairman
John Reeves
Jack Goodman
Ben Harrison
J. C. Davis
SAMUEL D. MCDANIEL
Staff Legal Assistant
ALFREDWALKER
Executive Assistant
NOLA WHITE
First Assistant
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