Texas Association of College Teachers
Serving Educators Since 1948

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION - 78

CSSB466

   By:  West, et al.                                     S.C.R. No. 78
         99S1514/1                           
                            SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Over the course of the twentieth century the State
 1-2     of Texas has risen to become preeminent among the 50 states, more
 1-3     diverse in the composition of its citizens and economy than most,
 1-4     and more unified in its collective will to achieve than any other;
 1-5     and
 1-6           WHEREAS, This elevation of Texas in stature among the people
 1-7     of the United States has been achieved not only through the benefit
 1-8     of an abundance of natural resources and the drive and optimism of
 1-9     its citizens, but also through the benefit of a strong system of
1-10     education, and the state has produced two presidents, the first
1-11     African-American congresswoman, countless productive citizens, and
1-12     advances in medicine, science, space exploration, computer
1-13     technology, and the arts; and
1-14           WHEREAS, In recent years the governor and the legislature
1-15     have successfully focused significant resources and attention on
1-16     the state's K-12 public education system in an effort to ensure
1-17     that every child receives an education of the highest quality, and
1-18     the increased resources and attention have yielded substantially
1-19     improved student academic performance and higher standardized test
1-20     scores; and
1-21           WHEREAS, The state's K-12 public education system is now
1-22     graduating increasingly higher percentages of students who are
1-23     academically and mentally prepared for the challenge and
1-24     opportunity to go to college; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, A highly educated citizenry comprised of individuals
 2-2     from all socioeconomic backgrounds will be critical to this state
 2-3     in order to sustain its economy, ensure the health and safety of
 2-4     its citizens, and create opportunity for all Texans in the
 2-5     twenty-first century; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, The 76th Legislature is the last legislature of the
 2-7     twentieth century and wishes to ensure for the citizens of the next
 2-8     century a system of higher education that is positioned to
 2-9     successfully navigate the challenges of the twenty-first century;
2-10     now, therefore, be it
2-11           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-12     hereby create the Special Commission on Twenty-First Century
2-13     Colleges and Universities to study issues relating to the systems
2-14     and institutions of higher education in the state, including
2-15     two-year colleges and technical colleges, and the method and level
2-16     of funding for various institutions of higher education in the
2-17     state as it pertains to their mission and role; the accessibility
2-18     and affordability of higher education in the state, including how
2-19     projected changes in the demographics of the state may impact
2-20     higher education institution enrollment capacity, student
2-21     populations, state student financial assistance programs, and
2-22     higher education admissions policies; the historic success of
2-23     institutions of higher education in retaining, educating, and
2-24     graduating students, including the factors that impact individual
2-25     institution retention and graduation rates, and the merit of
2-26     employing a system of accountability among institutions of higher
 3-1     education in the state; and the role of technology in the provision
 3-2     of higher education services throughout the state, including the
 3-3     efficiency of current higher education telecommunications and
 3-4     distance-learning network infrastructures, and the role of this
 3-5     medium in providing greater access to higher education services for
 3-6     the citizens of the state; and, be it further
 3-7           RESOLVED, That the commission be composed of 15 members, with
 3-8     five members being appointed by the governor, five members being
 3-9     appointed by the lieutenant governor, and five members being
3-10     appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and, be
3-11     it further
3-12           RESOLVED, That the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker
3-13     of the house of representatives serve as honorary cochairs of the
3-14     commission.  The lieutenant governor shall designate a member of
3-15     the commission as the chair of the commission and the speaker of
3-16     the house of representatives shall designate a member of the
3-17     commission as the vice chair of the commission; and, be it further
3-18           RESOLVED, That the chair may appoint advisory committees, as
3-19     necessary, whose composition may be determined by the chair and
3-20     whose members need not be members of the commission; and, be it
3-21     further
3-22           RESOLVED, That the commission shall hold meetings and public
3-23     hearings at the call of the chair, employ staff, and procure goods
3-24     and services as needed to further the work of the commission; and,
3-25     be it further
3-26           RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget Board, the Texas
 4-1     Legislative Council, the Governor's Office, the Texas Education
 4-2     Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the State
 4-3     Auditor's Office, the senate, and the house of representatives be
 4-4     authorized to provide staff support to the commission on the
 4-5     request of the commission; and, be it further
 4-6           RESOLVED, That the commission have authority to issue process
 4-7     as provided in Sections 301.024 through 301.027, Government Code,
 4-8     and that the commission, except as modified by or pursuant to this
 4-9     resolution, have all other powers and duties provided to special
4-10     committees by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government Code, and the
4-11     Senate and House Rules of Procedure; and, be it further
4-12           RESOLVED, That the commission be authorized to request the
4-13     assistance, where needed in the discharge of its duties, of all
4-14     state agencies, departments, and offices and of all institutions of
4-15     higher education in the state and that it be the duty of such
4-16     agencies, departments, offices, and institutions of higher
4-17     education to assist the commission when requested to do so.  The
4-18     commission shall have the power to inspect the records, documents
4-19     and files of all agencies, departments, and offices of the state
4-20     and all institutions of higher education to the extent necessary to
4-21     the discharge of its duties within the area of its jurisdiction;
4-22     and, be it further
4-23           RESOLVED, That the commission members and advisory committee
4-24     members be reimbursed from funds made available to the commission
4-25     for their necessary expenses incurred in carrying out the
4-26     provisions of this resolution in the same manner as is provided by
 5-1     law for members of boards of state agencies and that the operating
 5-2     expenses of the commission be paid from funds of the senate, the
 5-3     house of representatives, the Texas Legislative Council, and other
 5-4     participating agencies and institutions of higher education; and,
 5-5     be it further
 5-6           RESOLVED, That the commission be entitled to accept gifts,
 5-7     grants, and donations, subject to such limitations or conditions as
 5-8     may be provided by law; and, be it further
 5-9           RESOLVED, That the commission make a complete report,
5-10     including findings, recommendations, and drafts of any legislation
5-11     deemed necessary, to the legislature no later than November 1,
5-12     2000.  Copies of the reports shall be filed in the Legislative
5-13     Reference Library, with the Texas Legislative Council, with the
5-14     secretary of the senate, with the chief clerk of the house of
5-15     representatives, and with the office of the governor.






    By Haywood, deceased		       C.S.S.B.   No.     466


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2	relating to faculty compensation policies at institutions of higher 
1-3	education.
1-4		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 
1-6	amended by adding Section 51.9081 to read as follows:
1-7		Sec.  51.9081.  FACULTY COMPENSATION POLICIES UNTIL 2005.  (a)
1-8 not later than January 1, 2000, the governing board of each
1-9 institution of higher education, as defined by  Section 61.003,
1-10 shall determine whether the average salary of each faculty level at 
1-11 the institution for the state fiscal biennium ending September 1,
1-12 1999, is less than the average salary for that faculty level paid
1-13 at public institutions of higher education by the 10 most populous
1-14 states, not including this state, according to the most recent
1-15 information available. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-16 Board shall assist the governing body of the institution in 
1-17 obtaining the information necessary to administer this section
1-18    (b)  If the governing body of an institution determines that
1-19 the average salary of a faculty level at the institution for the 
1-20 state fiscal biennium ending September 1, 1999, is less than the
1-21 average salary for that faculty level paid by the other states, the
1-22 governing body shall report that determination and the relevant 
1-23 data to the coordinating board.  The coordinating board shall prescribe 
1-24 a plan for that institution to reduce the percentage difference
2-1 between the average salary of each faculty level at the institution and
2-2 the average salary of that faculty level paid by the other states by one-third 
2-3 in each of the next three state fiscal bienniums, to the extent funds
2-4 are available, so that at the end of the third biennium the average
2-5 salary of each faculty level at the institution is equal to or
2-6 greater than the average salary of that faculty level paid by the
2-7 other states.  The institution shall implement the coordinating board's plan
2-8 or take other action necessary to achieve the same or greater average
2-9 salary of each faculty level by the end of each biennium covered by
2-10 the plan.
2-11    (c)  In establishing funding formulas under Section 61.059
2-11 for institutions to which this section applies, the coordinating
2-12 board shall account for any salary increases required to be made at
2-13 those institutions under Subsection (b).
2-14    (d)  This section expires September 1, 2005.
2-15 SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 
2-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 
2-21 passage, and it is so enacted.