A new measure would revise existing performance reviews of university programs, requiring institutions to assess the economic value of their degrees every five years.
Senate Bill 757 by State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) would establish a rating system that evaluates program graduates’ median student loan debt to median annual earnings ratio.
Ratings would reflect the most recent data from the Texas Workforce Commission, higher education institutions, the federal government, and other reliable sources. Each degree’s program rating would be based on post-graduate earnings: two years after graduating with a bachelor’s degree, three years after earning a master’s degree, and five years after completing a doctoral degree.
Programs with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 75 percent or less are rated as “reward” programs, while those with a performance ratio of more than 75 percent, but not exceeding 100 percent are considered programs to “monitor.”
“Sanction”-rated programs would have a debt-to-earnings ratio of more than 100 percent, and “sunset” programs would have a ratio of over 125 percent.
When majors are rated as “sunset,” students enrolled would be notified of the rating and provided an explanation of its ramifications. Students in the program can complete their degrees, but the university will no longer accept new student enrollments. After all students have graduated or decided to leave the program, it would be consolidated or eliminated.
The 89th Legislative Session ends on June 2.
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