December 11, 2007- House Speaker Releases Interim Charges
November 8, 2007-Comment Period Open on College Readiness

October 30, 2007-Constitutional Amendment Election

October 25, 2007-Legislative Board to restore healthcare expenses

December 11, 2007

November 8, 2007

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently opened the public comment period on the draft College Readiness Standards.  CRS is arranged by Vertical Teams in language arts, math, science and social sciences that include faculty from public schools, colleges and universities.  The draft was presented at the October board meeting when it was accepted for public comment between October 26 and December 10, 2007.

We strongly encourage viewing and commenting on the draft as it will most likely set the bar on standards and expectations to assure high school graduates are ready for college work.  The comments will be reviewed by the Vertical Teams and a final version of the draft will be presented to the THECB and the Commissioner of Education in January 2008.

To review the 104 page draft, please click here.  To comment, please click here.

October 30, 2007

   Constitutional Amendment Election

Many interesting constitutional amendments on the November 6 ballot (early voting through Friday this week).

Though TACT does not have a position on the 16 propositions, the first two deal with higher education and deserve your attention.  The first one moves Angelo State University from the Texas State University System to the Texas Tech University System.  The second one provides $500 million in general obligation bonds for student financial aid loans - money which will find its way to the campus budgets.

Please vote.

October 25, 2007

The Legislative Budget Board, a.k.a., Governor, Lt. Governor and House Speaker, have forged an agreement to restore more than $150 million - previously vetoed - to community colleges for health care expenses.  The debate during the last session, called proportionality, hinges on whether the state should pay faculty benefit expenses relative to the percent of salaries that are funded by non-state revenues.

To a lesser extent, the issue had the potential to spill over to four-year universities.

An additional agreement now permits community colleges to be eligible for the inaugural $100 million incentive fund, initially proposed by the Governor at $300 million for four-year institutions.

August 23, 2007 

   Representative Lois Kolkhorst named "Legislator of the Year"

State Representative Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has been named by the TACT State Board as the organization's "Legislator of the Year" for her accomplishments and leadership during the 80th Legislative Session.

Rep. Kolkhorst chaired the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, as well as other legislative leadership roles such as membership on the recent House Select Committee on Higher Education.  Highlights of her work include creating the Texas Competitive Knowledge Fund, increasing university formula and Higher Education Group Insurance funding, better funding for nursing education, doubling the student Work Study Program, and increasing the Texas Grant scholarship program.  

"I am proud to have known Lois for years," said TACT President Debra Price.  "Sometimes we compliment legislators for having an open ear, but I compliment her for listening to our ideas and then pushing them through the political process.  She has a track record of accomplishing what she attempts for the benefit of the students, the faculty and all of the beneficiaries of our system of higher education."

TACT has invited Representative Kolkhorst to accept her honor in conjunction with providing the keynote address during the TACT Fall Conference October 19 and 20 in Austin. 

The final version of the state budget for the next two years is currently in the hands of five senators and five house members.

In addition to your own pet projects, TACT's message should be one of appreciation for their efforts on behalf of retired teachers through the Teacher Retirement System.  Additionally, we should request an increase of the employer contribution to the Optional Retirement Program to the same amount as TRS in order to recruit and retain professors needed to meet the enrollment increases envisioned in Closing the Gaps.

Appropriations Conference Committee Members may be reached as follows:
Senator Steve Ogden        512-463-0105        steve.ogden@senate.state.tx.us
Senator John Whitmire      512-463-0115        john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
Senator Tommy Williams   512-463-0104        tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us
Senator Judith Zaffirini       512-463-0121        judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
Senator Robert Duncan     512-463-0128        robert.duncan@senate.state.tx.us
Rep. Warren Chisum         512-463-0736        warren.chisum@house.state.tx.us
Rep. Sylvester Turner       512-463-0554        sylvester.turner@house.state.tx.us
Rep. Lois Kolkhorst           512-463-0600        lois.kolkhorst@house.state.tx.us
Rep. Ryan Guillen             512-463-0416        ryan.guillen@house.state.tx.us
Rep. Dan Gattis                 512-463-0309       dan.gattis@house.state.tx.us

   New Developments for Incentive Funding Bill

Last Monday's First Alert outlined components of Representative Morrison's HB 3828 on institutional performance incentive funding.  It includes a matrix for additional funding to reward legislative priorities, such as degrees by at-risk students and high-demand professions including nursing and technical degrees.  This morning, the companion bill, SB 1029 by Senate Education Committee Chair Florence Shapiro, was heard in the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education.

Several interesting developments included an amendment by Senator Averitt that would reward production beyond a baseline of what the schools are already producing.  Also, the total incentive pot was listed at $75 million, though that will be determined by the Appropriations Conference Committee.  Finally, Senator Shapiro's substitute bill removed exit testing, with a measure to be determined later.

April 20, 2007 

   The Cost of Education - TACT President Informs the Press

Please review TACT President Elizabeth Lewandowski's letter to the editor in response to allegations regarding the cost of higher         education published in the Times Records News on April 13, 2007.   
You can read the paper's editorial at http://www.timesrecordnews.com/trn/lo_our_opinions/article/0,1891,TRN_5782_5480933,00.html.

In the editorial “Higher Standards Apply” (4/13/07), the writer once again put forward the myth that “college admission prices are absurdly high”.  In truth, the cost to apply for admission to a university is nominal.  If the writer meant that the cost of higher education is absurdly high, this myth has been perpetrated by the press long enough! 

The cost of higher education at a state university has not risen at a rate significantly higher than the cost of living in the last ten years.  The difference is that today much of the brunt of increasing costs is born by the students rather than the state.  The state of Texas has gone from funding 52% of the cost of higher education to funding 21% of the cost.  At the present rate of decline in state funding, by 2012 the state will no longer financially support any of the cost of higher education.  If the state does not adequately support the cost of higher education, the students must help make up some of the monies needed to fund the universities’ budgets.

A study on the financial benefit to a student with a bachelor’s degree shows that on average that individual can expect to earn $1,000,000 more in their lifetime than someone with a high school diploma, a significant increase in earning potential!  Yes, middle class students today, unable to qualify for grants, frequently must take out a student loan.  Those loans are at a very low interest rate, only require payments after the student leaves school and have a very low default rate.

If the cost of higher education is truly bothering you, please write to your state legislators and demand that they appropriately fund higher education!

Elizabeth J. Lewandowski
President
Texas Association of College Teachers

April 17, 2007 

   HB 3828: Incentive Funding for Universities

The highlight of Monday's committee meetings was Chairman Morrison's HB 3828 - institutional performance incentive funding - in her House Committee on Higher Education.

The bill includes several matrices which reward schools with new money for reaching targets based upon at-risk student success and critical field completion in such disciplines as engineering, nursing and computer science.  Testimony was nearly unanimous in its support, with the notable exception of the Texas Community College Teachers Association, which opposed it on the grounds that it may lead to grade inflation and does not reward the other missions of higher education.

Senate Education Committee Chair Florence Shapiro is carrying the companion legislation. 

Representative Jim McReynolds has requested that his HB 894 - the TACT-backed bill that would study faculty salaries relative to comparable schools in other populous state - be heard by the House Higher Education Committee on Monday morning, March 26.  That date has NOT been confirmed.

You can help two ways:
Call committee members to register your support.
Rep. Geanie Morrison (chair)             512-463-0456
Rep. Brian McCall (vice chair)            512-463-0594
Rep. Roberto Alonzo                           512-463-0408
Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock                   512-463-0684
Rep. Fred Brown                                  512-463-0698
Rep. Helen Giddings                           512-463-0953
Rep. Donna Howard                            512-463-0631
Rep. Diane Patrick                              512-463-0624
Rep. Patrick Rose                               512-463-0647

Second, we need your testimony.  TACT's primary argument is that Texas faculty salaries are too low, creating recruitment and retention problems.  We need your stories about vacancies created or not filled because of our lack of competitive compensation.  We would prefer to attribute your story to a specific department and university, but if you prefer to remain anonymous we will respect that, so note on our testimony, and destroy your email.

February 19, 2007 

   Legislative Visits Follow-up

You will read more soon about TACT's Legislative Conference and Capitol visits this past weekend, but here's Monday's update:
Rep. Fred Brown's House Bill 116 was heard and considered favorably this morning in the House Higher Education Committee.  It would limit students to three Q-drops, while allowing certain flexibility to institutions for unusual circumstances.  During a visit afterward, Rep. Brown told TACT that the amendment to change the number of courses allowed to be dropped from three to six, TACT's recommendation, was not ready in time for the hearing but would be offered on the House Floor.

Several legislators promised last week to sign on as co-authors to Rep. Jim McReynolds' HB 894, the TACT-endorsed study of Texas faculty salaries by institution compared to similar institutions in other largely populated states.  McReynolds' staff told TACT today that the paperwork would be in the chief clerk's office today, a message then shared with the TACT-supporting legislators.  Staff also promised that a hearing would be requested this week, so it is not too early to ask your legislator to support HB 894 and consider co-authoring. 

Finally, TACT supported the recommended ORP rate increase found in SB 1, the budget bill, during a hearing today of the Senate Finance Committee.