(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board values its employees and, pursuant to Texas Government Code Chapter 661, Leave, Subchapter A, State Employee Sick Leave Pool, an agency sick leave pool shall be administered to assist employees and their immediate families in dealing with catastrophic illnesses or injuries that force employees to exhaust all of their available leave. The eligibility of the agency's employees to withdraw time from the sick leave pool and any concomitant obligations assumed by employees in order to receive such leave, shall be as set forth in the Board's policies.(b) The sick leave pool program shall be administered by the Commissioner of Higher Education or his or her designee.