(a) The number of students admitted to the program shall be determined by the number of qualified faculty, adequate educational facilities and resources, and the availability of appropriate clinical learning experiences for students.
(b) If a program that is accredited by a national nursing accreditation agency plans an increase of enrollment of 25% or more, it must file a substantive change proposal with the accreditation agency. Programs that are not accredited by a national nursing accreditation agency must seek approval prior to an increase in enrollment of twenty-five percent (25%) or greater by headcount in one (1) academic year for each nursing program offered. The program must notify Board Staff four (4) months prior to the anticipated increase in enrollment by following Board Education Guideline 3.5.2 available at https://www.bon.texas.gov. The Executive Director shall have the authority to approve an increase in enrollment on behalf of the Board. When determining whether to approve a request for an increase in enrollment under this rule, the Executive Director and/or the Board shall consider:
  (1) the comparison of previous to projected nursing program enrollment by headcount;
  (2) enrollment projections and enrollment management plan;
  (3) the effect of the change of enrollment on faculty workload;
  (4) clinical placement/utilization;
  (5) additional resources required by the enrollment increase; and
  (6) the program's plan to evaluate the effect of the enrollment increase on the program's success.
(c) Individuals enrolled in approved professional nursing education programs preparing students for licensure shall be provided verbal and written information regarding conditions that may disqualify graduates from licensure and of their rights to petition the Board for a Declaratory Order of Eligibility. Required eligibility information includes:
  (1) Texas Occupations Code §§301.252, 301.257, and 301.452 - 301.469; and
  (2) Sections 213.27 - 213.30 of this title (relating to Good Professional Character, Licensure of Individuals with Criminal History, Fitness to Practice, and Declaratory Order of Eligibility for Licensure).
(d) The program shall have a Nursing Student Handbook with well-defined, written nursing student policies based upon statutory and Board requirements, including nursing student admission, dismissal, progression, graduation policies, and policies to ensure students fulfill requirements for obtaining criminal history record information as set forth in the Occupations Code §301.257. Processes shall be in place for policy development, implementation, and enforcement.
  (1) Student policies shall be in accordance with the requirements of all applicable federal and state agencies.
  (2) Nursing student policies which differ from those of the governing entity shall be in writing and shall be made available to faculty and students.
(e) Reasons for dismissal from the program shall be clearly stated in written nursing student policies and shall address:
  (1) behavior evidencing actual or potential harm to patients, clients, or the public;
  (2) criminal behavior that could affect licensure, as set forth in §213.28 (relating to Licensure of Individuals with Criminal History) of this title;
  (3) current fitness to practice nursing, as set forth in §213.29 (relating to Fitness to Practice) of this title; and
  (4) good professional character, as set forth in §213.27 (relating to Good Professional Character) of this title.
(f) Policies shall facilitate mobility/articulation, be consistent with acceptable educational standards, and be available to students and faculty.
(g) Student policies shall be furnished manually or electronically to all students at the beginning of the students' enrollment in the professional nursing education program.
  (1) The program shall maintain a signed receipt of student policies in all students' records.
  (2) The program shall maintain evidence of student receipt of the Board's licensure eligibility information as specifically outlined in subsection (c) of this section.
  (3) It is the responsibility of the program and the nursing faculty to define and enforce nursing student policies.
(h) Acceptance of transfer students and evaluation of allowable credit for advanced placement remains at the discretion of the dean or director of the program and the governing entity. Upon completing the program's requirements, the transferred student is considered to be a graduate of the program.
(i) Students shall have mechanisms for input into the development of academic policies and procedures, curriculum planning, and evaluation of teaching effectiveness.
(j) Students shall have the opportunity to evaluate faculty, courses, and learning resources and these evaluations shall be documented.

Source Note: The provisions of this §215.8 adopted to be effective January 9, 2005, 29 TexReg 12190; amended to be effective October 19, 2008, 33 TexReg 8509; amended to be effective December 27, 2010, 35 TexReg 11668; amended to be effective October 23, 2012, 37 TexReg 8304; amended to be effective April 19, 2016, 41 TexReg 2753; amended to be effective August 9, 2018, 43 TexReg 5074; amended to be effective November 30, 2023, 48 TexReg 6907