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

1. (1) Board--The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
2. (2) Commissioner--The Commissioner of Higher Education.

3. (3) Distance education--Instruction in which the majority of the instruction occurs when the student and instructor are not in the same physical setting. A class is considered a distance education class if students receive more than one-half of the instruction at a distance. Distance education can be delivered synchronously or asynchronously to any single or multiple location(s):

   1. (A) Other than the "main campus" of a senior institution (or "on campus"), where the primary office of the chief executive officer of the campus is located;
   2. (B) Outside the boundaries of the taxing authority of a public community/junior college district; or
   3. (C) Via instructional telecommunications to any other distant location, including electronic delivery of all types.
4. (4) Institutional Plan--A long-term plan describing how an institution seeking authority to offer distance education and off-campus instruction will ensure quality and resources in providing such instruction, based on Board-adopted Guidelines for Institutional Plans.
5. (5) Instructional Telecommunications--Electronic telecommunication technology systems employed to deliver distance education instruction.
6. (6) Off-Campus--Instruction in which one-half or more of the instruction is delivered with the instructor and student in the same physical location and which meets one of the following criteria: for senior institutions, Lamar state colleges, or public technical colleges, off-campus locations are locations away from the main campus; for public community/junior colleges, off-campus locations are locations outside the taxing district.
7. (7) Program--Any certificate or degree program offered by a public institution of higher education.
8. (8) Regional Council--A cooperative arrangement among representatives of all public and independent higher education institutions within a Uniform State Service Region.
9. (9) Senior institution--Public universities, health science centers and health-related institutions. All provisions of this subchapter relating to universities or to "senior institutions" also apply to health science centers and health-related institutions.
10. (10) Service area--The territory served by a public community/junior college district as defined in Texas Education Code, Subchapter J (relating to Junior College District Service Area).
11. (11) Special professional--First professional degree programs, such as law, pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, medicine and veterinary medicine.

Source Note:The provisions of this §4.103 adopted to be effective May 27, 2003, 28 TexReg 4115.