FY 2022 Compliance Report: Internet Access to Course Information
As required through the passage of Texas House Bill 2504 and subsequent rules by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas A&M University–Central Texas submits the following report to document compliance with all provisions of the legislation and rules related to “Public Access to Course Information.”
Overview
The institution’s HB 2054 Web site is located at https://tamuct.edu/hb2504 and is accessible by one link from the institution’s home page. The Web site provides useful information and demonstrates the institution’s commitment to accountability, transparency and open communication with students, parents, legislators, the public, and all stakeholders. On this site, users easily find:
- For each undergraduate and graduate classroom course offered for credit by the institution
- a course syllabus
- a curriculum vita for the instructor of record
- for each academic department under which the course is offered, a departmental budget report
- a departmental budget report for the department under which the course is offered
- For work-study employment opportunities, a link to current job openings
Online Syllabus Requirement
Instructors of record are responsible for developing course syllabi. The university requires consistent content in each syllabus, which mirrors the legislatively mandated information, including a brief description of each major course requirement, including each major assignment and examination, learning objectives, required/recommended reading, and a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion.
Syllabi are currently created using Microsoft Word. The current process requires faculty to create a pdf version, which is then uploaded online a URL for each syllabus. The university is in the process of investing into an online platform that integrates with LMS technology.
Faculty are responsible for creating course syllabi by the seventh-class day in a given semester. Public access is available at https://www.tamuct.edu/syllabi/index.html by clicking on the syllabus link for the course. The course syllabus for each undergraduate and graduate classroom course is posted each semester by the seventh-class day of the term.
Curriculum Vitae Requirement
Texas A&M University–Central Texas maintains curriculum vitae for all faculty members in accordance with Texas Education Code 51.974. The university requires a consistent format for faculty vitae, which includes legislatively mandated information on the institutions of higher education attended and degrees earned, all previous teaching positions, and significant professional publications relevant to academic positions held. A database of faculty vitae is linked to the university’s HB 2504 Web site. Vitae for newly hired instructors teaching courses are added at the beginning of each semester. Public access curriculum vitae information is available at https://www.tamuct.edu/syllabi/index.html by clicking on the instructor’s name. The curriculum vita of each instructor of record for an undergraduate and graduate course is posted each semester by the seventh-class day of the term.
Syllabi are currently created using Microsoft Word. The current process requires faculty to create a pdf version, which is then uploaded online a URL for each syllabus. The university is in the process of investing into an online platform that integrates with LMS technology.
Faculty are responsible for creating course syllabi by the seventh-class day in a given semester. Public access is available at https://www.tamuct.edu/syllabi/index.html by clicking on the syllabus link for the course. The course syllabus for each undergraduate and graduate classroom course is posted each semester by the seventh-class day of the term.
Departmental Budget Report Requirement
Individual departmental budget reports are posted on the college’s HB 2504 Web site. This page will be updated at the beginning of each academic year and is published online at https://www.tamuct.edu/syllabi/.
In addition, this page also links to the university’s annual operating budget reports.
Work-Study Employment
A&M–Central Texas publishes and continuously updates a list of work-study employment opportunities through Handshake on the following Web page: https://tamuct.joinhandshake.com/login.
In addition, this page can also be accessed from the university’s Financial Aid web page at https://www.tamuct.edu/financial-aid/index.html.
End-of-Course Evaluations Requirement
In addition to the evaluation measures already in place in departments and programs, will be creating a new end-of-course student evaluation protocol for all courses in the most recent full academic year. The current course evaluation system uses software provided by Explorance BLUE in conjunction with Canvas to electronically gather and compile course evaluations. Students are sent a link to their course evaluation two weeks before each class ends.
Summary results of the course evaluations are made publicly available on Texas A&M University’s HB 2504 Web site at https://www.tamuct.edu/hb2504/ once the protocol is officially in place in FY 2023.
Website Requirements
The HB 2504 website for Texas A&M University–Central Texas has the following characteristics and features:
- accessible from the institution’s Internet website home page by use of not more than three links; searchable by keywords and phrases;
- accessible to the public without requiring registration or use of a username, a password, or another user identification;
- term information available not later than the seventh day after the first day of classes for the semester or other academic term during which the course is offered;
- updated as soon as practicable after the information changes, at least once for every semester in which the course is offered; and
- retains information through the second anniversary of the date on which the institution initially posted the information.
Responsible Administrator
Dr. Peg Gray-Vickrey, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) is the institution’s administrator responsible for implementing provisions of HB 2504. The Academic Affairs Division is responsible for continuing oversight of the reporting system, ensuring participation and support, and submitting a compliance report not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year. Information on deadlines, plans for modifications, and other updates originate from Academic Affairs and are communicated to deans, directors, department chairs and faculty.
Inquiries regarding Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ HB 2504 Web site and compliance plans may be sent to compliance@tamuct.edu.
