Sec. 54.0071. AUTHORITY OF INSTITUTION TO PROVIDE PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR STUDENT WITH DELAYED FINANCIAL AID. (a) The governing board of an institution of higher education may postpone the due date for the payment of all or part of the tuition and mandatory fees for a student for a semester or term in which the student will receive one or more delayed financial aid awards if:

(1) the student has not received the awards by the regular due date for payment of the tuition and mandatory fees; and

(2) the student agrees to assign to the institution a portion of the awards equal to the amount of tuition and mandatory fees for which the due date is postponed.

(b) A postponed due date under Subsection (a) applies only to the portion of tuition and mandatory fees to be covered by the student's delayed financial aid awards. When the financial aid awards become available, a governing board that postpones a due date under this section shall apply the awards toward the amount of tuition and mandatory fees due and immediately release any remaining amount of the awards to the student.

(c) If after the due date for a student's tuition and mandatory fees is postponed under this section the student becomes ineligible to receive one or more of the delayed financial aid awards, or the amount awarded is less than the amount of tuition and mandatory fees due, the governing board shall provide the student a reasonable period, not to exceed 30 days, to pay the unpaid amount of tuition and mandatory fees. The board may deny a student credit for work done in the semester or term if the student fails to pay the tuition and mandatory fees by the end of that period.

(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall prescribe procedures for the administration of this section.

(e) If a student with delayed financial aid awards has elected to pay tuition and mandatory fees by installment as permitted by Section 54.007 and if the governing board elects to postpone the due date for the student's tuition and mandatory fees as authorized by this section, the governing board in the manner provided by this section shall postpone the due date for each installment payment that becomes due before the student receives the awards.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1181 (S.B. 1227), Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2005.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 264 (H.B. 1341), Sec. 2, eff. June 17, 2011.