by Chuck Hempstead, TACT Legislative Director
Again the TACT Board met recently and again it tweaked the Legislative Agenda, which will be distributed during the fall legislative visits and spring legislative session. It will come as no surprise that defending against attacks on tenure and enhanced funding for higher education remain at the top of the list.
Now that the Florida Governor is joining the bandwagon against tenure, Texas may ride a national wave of anti-intellectualism.
We can hope that attacks on higher education will cool following November elections or even now that incumbents have won their primaries, but don’t hold your breath. Readers will remember how TACT staved off bills last session to water down tenure, and that’s frequently how it works – throw up the ideas one session to pass them the next. Now that Texas A&M librarians have given up tenure, the changes are coming from multiple angles.
Another TACT Board initiative is to continue to expand the number of visits with legislators in their districts. Prior to elections and the beginning of session, elected officials are frequently easier to find near their homes than in Austin. Here’s the recent TACT article on how to meet with your legislator.
It has been too long since I have used this space to thank the TACT Board Members for the time and talents they expend on behalf of Texas faculty. For 75 years, TACT has a proud tradition of accomplishments benefitting teachers, researchers, students and taxpayers. Texas higher education has earned its place of leadership in the world, and TACT continues to assist in those contributions.
