Texas drop rule

Rey Castillo / Staff writer

Texas Senate Bill 1231, which was passed during the 80th Texas Legislative Session, limits the number of drops that certain undergraduate students may accrue without a punitive grade. Undergraduate students who complete a high school program, or the equivalent, and enter a Texas public institution of higher education for the first time on or after the Fall Semester of 2007 are subject to the requirements of Senate Bill 1231.

Texas Senate Bill 1231 states “Beginning with the fall 2007 academic term, an institution of higher education may not permit an undergraduate student a total of more than six dropped courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education, unless the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number.”

According to College 101, money was the ultimate issue when it came to the Texas drop law. The state of Texas gives money to colleges and universities based on the number of credit hours students are registered for.

“I think it is unfair because things may come up, if there is a limit then students would be stuck in a horrible situation, do to speak with whatever plan they already choose and overall getting pressured that will result in hurting their academics and overall their college career.” History Major Antonio Medina is not pleased with the Texas Drop rule and feels that it is not fair to students.

Kinesiology major Carlos Garcia, however, does not find much issue with the bill. “I don’t have a problem with it honestly, I just started college and so far I have not had a problem. I think it is fair for everyone – kids or no kids, full time job or no full time job, whatever they decide it is fair.”

According to Del Mar College Register, in some cases the law does recognize situations if a student were to become sick or ill, or have an accident, or the student is called to work and had to attend, as well if there are problems at home. For situations like these, a student may have the option to drop without suffering the consequence.

A student may also drop before “census” which means a student may drop and receive a full refund if dropped by the first day of class, and a seventy percent refund of their payment back by a certain date and not have the class counted against them under the drop rule.

In a case were a student was to reach the limit of drops and tried to drop a seventh, the rule is that the school will not let the course be dropped, and could cause a drop in the student’s GPA, overall affecting the student’s finical aid into the next university they choose to attend.

Overall, the law may seem unfair to many or even fair to some, but it is all part of going to college in Texas. Whether the six-drop rule is a good rule cannot be fully judged yet. As Medina states, “It is unfair and students would be stuck and pressured to rush their academics and overall hurting their education.” Time will only tell in the near future how this law will play about, students have six drops to use in their entire college career, and may we all use them wisely.

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