Certain Circumstances by Undergraduate Students Previous Rule View Rule Next Rule View Rule

(a) Beginning with the fall 2007 academic term, and applying to students who enroll in higher education for the first time during the fall 2007 academic term or any term subsequent to the fall 2007 term, an institution of higher education may not permit an undergraduate student a total of more than six dropped courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education, unless any of the conditions listed in subsection (b) of this section are met. If an institution adopts a policy allowing fewer than six dropped courses under Texas Education Code, §51.907(d), but a student at that institution meets the criteria in subsection (b) of this section, the institution shall allow that student to drop an additional course or courses.(b) An institution of higher education shall permit a student to drop more than six courses if the institution determines good cause exists. If one of the following situations has occurred, an institution shall consider it good cause for purposes of this chapter:(1) a disaster declared by the governor results in cessation or limitation of in-person course attendance by students at the institution of a duration determined by the institution to significantly affect the student's ability to participate in course work with consideration of the length of time of the cessation or limitation of in-person course attendance, the type of courses, and the personal circumstances of students affected by the disaster; or(2) the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number, including a showing of:(A) a severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course;(B) the student's responsibility for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of that care affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course;(C) the death of a person who is considered to be a member of the student's family or who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student that the person's death is considered to be a showing of good cause;(D) the active duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States of either the student or a person who is considered to be a member of the student's family or who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student that the person's active military service is considered to be a showing of good cause; or(E) other good cause as determined by the institution of higher education.(3) An institution shall permit a student who meets the criteria in this paragraph but does not meet the criteria in paragraphs (1) or (2) of this subsection to drop one additional course in addition to the number typically permitted by the institution's policy. If the institution has not adopted a policy under Texas Education Code, §51.907(d), such a student shall be permitted to drop a seventh course if:(A) the student has reenrolled at the institution following a break in enrollment from the institution or another institution of higher education covering at least the 24-month period preceding the first class day of the initial semester or other academic term of the student's reenrollment; and(B) the student successfully completed at least fifty semester credit hours of course work at an institution of higher education that have not been determined to be excess hours pursuant to §13.104(1) - (6) of this title (relating to Exemptions for Excess Hours) before that break in enrollment.(c) For purposes of this section, a "member of the student's family" is defined to be the student's spouse, child, father, mother, brother, sister, step-parent, step-child, or step-sibling.(d) For the purposes of this section, a "person who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student" may include any other relative within the second or third degree of consanguinity, close friends, roommates, or classmates.(e) An institution shall determine on a case-by-case basis whether a student demonstrates good cause due to the death of a person outlined in subsection (d) of this section.(f) An institution of higher education may not count toward the number of courses permitted to be dropped a course that the student dropped:(1) while enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program previously earned by the student; or(2) a dual credit or dual enrollment course that a student dropped before graduating from high school.(g) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a policy for determining a showing of good cause as specified in subsection (b) of this section and shall provide a copy of the policy to the Coordinating Board.(1) Each institution of higher education shall publish the policy adopted under this subsection in its catalogue and other print and Internet-based publications as appropriate for the timely notification of students.(2) The policy shall include a defined appeals process that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, for a student requesting to drop additional classes pursuant to the exception provided in subsection (b)(2)(A) of this section. An institution may institute an appeals process for students requesting an exemption under any of the other subsections.