Sec. 61.308. RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATE. (a) A private postsecondary educational institution which desires to renew its certificate of authority shall apply to the board at least 180 days prior to the expiration of the current certificate.

(b) The application for renewal shall be made on forms provided by the board and shall be accompanied by a renewal fee set by the board in an amount not to exceed the average cost of reviewing the application, including the cost of necessary consultants.

(c) The board shall renew the certificate if it finds that the institution has maintained all requisite standards and has complied with all rules and regulations promulgated by the board.

(d) A private postsecondary educational institution may be granted successive certificates of authority for a period not to exceed the number of years provided by rule of the board. The board rules must recognize that certification by the state is intended to safeguard the public interest until an institution has developed the strength to satisfy appropriate accreditation standards and it is intended that an institution advance from certification status to fully accredited status in due course.

(e) If, after a good-faith effort, an institution cannot achieve accreditation within the period of time prescribed by the board, the institution may appeal for extension of eligibility for certification because of having been denied accreditation due to policies of the institution based on religious beliefs or other good and sufficient cause as defined by rule of the board. The board shall consider the application of any accreditation standard that prohibited accreditation of the institution on the basis of religious policies practiced by the institution as a prima facie justification for extending the eligibility for certification if all other standards of the board are satisfied.

Added by Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1867, ch. 587, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 1975. Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 2729, ch. 745, Sec. 4, eff. June 16, 1981; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 516, Sec. 9, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 232, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.