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

1. (1) Academic courses--Semester or quarter hour credit courses as included or allowed under the provisions of the Community College Academic Course Guide Manual designed for college transfer to institutions of higher education in completion of associate and baccalaureate degree programs.
2. (2) Associate degree program--A grouping of courses designed to lead the individual directly to employment in a specific career, or to transfer to an upper-level baccalaureate program. This specifically refers to the associate of arts, associate of science, associate of applied arts, associate of applied science, and the associate of occupational studies degrees. The term "applied" in an associate degree name indicates a program in which the content is primarily technical.
3. (3) Board or coordinating board--The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
4. (4) Certificate program--Workforce programs designed for entry-level employment or for upgrading skills and knowledge within an occupation. Certificate programs serve as building blocks and exit points for AAS degree programs.
5. (5) Commissioner of higher education or commissioner--The chief executive officer of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
6. (6) Concurrent course credit--The award of credit to a student upon successful course completion for both high school credit (graduate requirements) and college credit (associate degree requirements.)
7. (7) Continuing education unit or CEU--Ten (10) contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction, as outlined in the Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education.

8. (8) Contractual agreements--Agreements or contracts between public community/junior or technical colleges and one of the following:

   1. (A) a non-SACS/COC-accredited organization, for postsecondary instructional services that could not be offered otherwise;
   2. (B) a public secondary school, for instructional services that could not be offered otherwise; or
   3. (C) another SACS/COC-accredited institution of higher education, whether public or independent.
9. (9) Contract instruction--Postsecondary workforce education and training in which specific instruction is provided by a public community/junior or technical college or a non-SACS/COC-accredited organization to a contracting entity. This arrangement is utilized when conventional methodology or instructional systems are difficult or impossible to obtain.
10. (10) Developmental courses--Courses designed to correct academic deficiencies and bring students' skills to an appropriate level for entry into college.

11. (11) 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 community/junior college district; or
    3. (C) via instructional telecommunications to any other distance location, including electronic delivery of all types.
12. (12) Governing board--The body charged with policy direction of any public community/junior college district, the technical college system, public senior college or university, or other educational agency including but not limited to boards of directors, boards of regents, boards of trustees, and independent school district boards.
13. (13) Governing board, tech-prep consortium--Consists at a minimum of representatives of each educational entity that participates in a Tech-Prep consortium which determines the policies and operations of the Tech-Prep consortium in accordance with its written by-laws and fiscal agency and personnel agreements. A representative may represent multiple entities as agreed upon by the participating consortium members.

14. (14) Independent institution of higher education--A private or independent college or university that is:

    1. (A) organized under the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act;
    2. (B) exempt from taxation under Article V, Section 2, of the Texas Constitution and §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
    3. (C) accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
15. (15) Postsecondary institutions--Any public community/junior college; public technical college; public senior college or university offering applied associate degree programs; and proprietary institutions offering applied associate degree programs.
16. (16) Related-instruction--Relates to Section 9.27, organized off-the-job classroom instruction in theoretical or technical subjects required for the completion of an apprenticeship program.
17. (17) Remedial and compensatory--All courses designated as developmental or remedial in the Community College Academic Course Guide Manual. These courses are designed to address academic deficiencies and may not be offered for college degree credit.
18. (18) Remedial courses--Courses for high school students designed to correct academic deficiencies and bring students' skills to an appropriate level for graduation from high school.
19. (19) SACS/COC--The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
20. (20) Technical courses or programs--Workforce education courses or programs for which semester/quarter credit hours are awarded.
21. (21) Tech-Prep consortium--A collaboration of educational entities and, at local option, employer and labor organizations, and universities defined under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, as amended, and the Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter T, Tech-Prep Education (hereinafter referred to as "the Code"), which work together to implement a Tech-Prep program.
22. (22) Unique need academic course--An academic course created by a college to satisfy a unique need and designed to transfer into a baccalaureate program.
23. (23) Vocational courses or programs--Workforce education courses or programs for which continuing education units (CEUs) are awarded.
24. (24) Workforce continuing education course--A course offered for continuing education units (CEUs) with an occupationally specific objective and supported by state funding. A workforce continuing education course differs from a community service course offered for recreational or avocational purposes and is not supported by state funding.
25. (25) Workforce education--Technical courses and programs for which semester/quarter credit hours are awarded, and vocational courses and programs for which continuing education units are awarded. Workforce education courses and programs prepare students for immediate employment or job upgrade within specific occupational categories.

Source Note:The provisions of this §9.1 adopted to be effective August 23, 1998, 23 TexReg 8429; amended to be effective February 23, 2000, 25 TexReg 1369.