SECTION 4.272. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Academic credit course--A college-level course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

(2) Area Institution--A university, health-related institution, independent institution, or legislatively established or Board-approved higher education center which is within a 50-mile radius of a proposed off-campus instruction site.

(3) Board--The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

(4) Clinical course--An academic credit course that is a health-related, work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills, and concepts.

(5) Clinical facility--A health care facility which provides learning experiences for students.

(6) Commissioner--The Commissioner of Higher Education; as used in this subchapter, "Commissioner" means the agency acting through its executive, and his or her designees, staff, or agents.

(7) Community College--Any public community college as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003 and §130.005, and whose role, mission, and purpose is outlined in Texas Education Code, §130.0011 and §130.003.

(8) Continuing Education Course--A non-credit higher education technical course offered for continuing education units, has specific occupational and/or apprenticeship training objectives, and provides a quick and flexible response to business, industry, and student needs for intensive preparatory, supplemental, or upgrade training and education.

(9) Continuing Education Unit or CEU--Ten contact hours of participation in an organized educational experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction and not offered for academic credit.

(10) Degree--Any title or designation, mark, abbreviation, appellation, or series of letters or words, including "associate", "bachelor's", "master's", and "doctor's" and their equivalents and foreign cognates, which signifies satisfactory completion of the requirements of a program of study which is generally regarded and accepted as an academic degree-level program by accrediting agencies recognized by the Board.

(11) Doctoral Degree--An academic degree beyond the level of a master's degree that typically represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field.

(12) First-Professional Degree--An award that requires completion of a program that meets all of the following criteria:

(A) completion of the academic requirements to begin practice in the profession;

(B) at least two years of college work prior to entering the program; and

(C) a total of at least six academic years of college work to complete the degree program, including prior required college work plus the length of the professional program itself. First-Professional degrees are discipline-specific, including, but not limited to, degrees such as: Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.); Medicine (M.D.); Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.); Law (L.L.B, J.D.); and Pharmacy (Pharm.D).

(13) Formula Funding--The method used to allocate appropriated sources of funds among institutions of higher education.

(14) Formula-funded Course--An academic credit course delivered face-to-face or by distance education, including correspondence, whose semester credit hours are submitted for formula funding.

(15) Institution of Higher Education or Institution--Any public technical institute, public community college, public senior college or university, medical or dental unit, Lamar state college (public state college), or other agency of higher education as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003.

(16) Main Campus--The primary campus or campuses of an institution of higher education supplying instruction and supported by on-site administration, also referred to as on-campus.

(17) Non-credit course--A course that results in the award of continuing education units (CEU) as specified by International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) criteria. Only courses that result in the award of CEUs may be submitted for state funding.

(18) Off-Campus Course--A course in which a majority (more than 50 percent) of the instruction occurs when the students and instructor(s) are in the same physical location and which meets one of the following criteria: for public senior colleges and universities, Lamar state colleges, or public technical colleges, off-campus locations are locations away from the main campus; for public community colleges, off-campus locations are sites outside the service area.

(19) Off-Campus Degree or Certificate Program--A program in which a student may complete a majority (more than 50 percent) of the credit hours required for the program through off-campus courses.

(20) Off-Campus Instruction--The formal educational process in which a majority (more than 50 percent) of the instruction occurs when the students and instructor(s) are in the same physical location and which meets one of the following criteria: for public senior colleges and universities, Lamar state colleges, or public technical colleges, off-campus locations are locations away from the main campus; for public community colleges, off-campus locations are sites outside the service area.

(21) Out-of-State/Out-of-Country Courses and Programs--Academic credit courses and programs delivered outside Texas/United States to individuals or groups who are not regularly enrolled on-campus students. Out-of-state and out-of-country courses do not receive formula funding.

(22) Public Health-Related Institution or Health-Related Institution--A medical or dental unit as defined by Texas Education Code, §61.003(5).

(23) Public Technical Institute or College--The Lamar Institute of Technology or any campus of the Texas State Technical College System.

(24) Public University or University--A general academic teaching institution as defined by Texas Education Code, §61.003(3).

(25) Regional Council--A cooperative arrangement among representatives of all public, private or independent institutions of higher education within a Uniform State Service Region, as established under Texas Education Code, §51.662.

(26) Regular On-Campus Student--A student who is admitted to an institution, the majority of whose semester credit hours are reported for formula funding and more than 50 percent of coursework is primarily taken at an institution's main campus or on one or more of the campuses within a multi-campus community college system.

(27) Self-Supporting Courses and Programs--Academic credit courses and programs whose semester credit hours are not submitted for formula funding.

(28) Semester Credit Hour--A unit of measure of instruction consisting of sixty (60) minutes, of which fifty (50) minutes must be direct instruction, over a fifteen-week period in a semester system.

(29) Service Area--The territory served by a community college district as defined in Texas Education Code, §130.161.

(30) Study-in-America Courses--Off-campus, academic credit instruction which is delivered outside Texas but in the United States primarily to regular on-campus students.

(31) Study-Abroad Courses--Off-campus, academic credit instruction which is delivered outside the United States primarily to regular on-campus students.

(32) Workforce continuing education course--A course offered for continuing education units (CEUs) with an occupationally specific objective and supported by state funding. A career technical/workforce continuing education course differs from a community service course offered for recreational or avocational purposes which is not supported by state funding.

Source Note: The provisions of this §4.272 adopted to be effective February 23, 2010, 35 TexReg 1452; amended to be effective February 23, 2011, 36 TexReg 917; amended to be effective November 26, 2014, 39 TexReg 9203; amended to be effective May 25, 2015, 40 TexReg 2754