Texas Association of College
Teachers
Serving Educators Since 1948
77th Texas Legislative Session
TACT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
TACT supports the following priorities:-- Increase the contribution to the new scholarship program TEXAS (Toward Excellence, Access and Success).The $100 million budgeted for the 1999-2001 biennium was an excellent beginning, but additional funding will be necessary to assure access by the state's neediest college students.
-- Commit to a plan of faculty pay equity by the year 2007.Average Texas faculty salaries are now the lowest among the eleven most populous states, creating recruitment and retention disadvantages at a time of expected enrollment increases and greater faculty retirements. Without committing future legislatures, the first phase of a six-year catch-up should be funded.
-- Provide equity for faculty retirement plans.
A. Return to an appropriation of 8.5 percent of salary for all participants of the Optional Retirement Program.
With the national average of faculty defined contribution retirement plans now over 9 percent, Texas pays faculty hired since 1995 only 6 percent, compounding the recruitment problem caused by uncompetitive salaries. Additionally, Texas now has three levels of retirement contributions creating inequities and morale problems.B. Increase the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) benefit multiplier to 2.25 percent.The Legislature in 1999 graciously increased the TRS multiplier used to calculate retirement annuities from 2.0 to 2.2 percent. If actuarial projections permit, a further increase to 2.25 percent would match the calculation of other state employees participating in the Employees Retirement System (ERS).
Approved 10-14-00