Higher Education, Select - 72nd R.S. (1991)
Committee Members
Public members
- Nancy Atlas
- Harry M. Reasoner
- Herbert H. Reynolds
- Joe Rushing
- Bill Webb
- H. Bartell Zachry, Jr.
Charges
- Study the purposes, performance, administrative methods, formula allocation system and the use of funds appropriated for higher education.
- Review the goals for higher education established in the master plan for higher education adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and identify specific goals that the state must attain by the year 2000. The final report shall also contain recommended goals to be met on a biennial basis until the year 2000;
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Assess the performance of the Texas higher education system in accomplishing the following purposes, with particular attention to the comparable performance of states, regions, and nations with which Texas competes:
1. preparing an adequate number of well-informed citizens and qualified professionals, as measured by enrollment rates, retention rates, incidence of degrees and certificates granted, performance on state licensure examinations, and other appropriate measures;
2. preparing an adequate number and quality of professionals in various fields to ensure a competitive work force, with emphasis on the supply of professionals compared to the demand and projected need of such professionals in the future;
3. preparing an adequate number and quality of public school teachers and administrators to provide for an effective and efficient public primary and secondary school system;
4. providing access to higher education programs to all citizens, regardless of age or ethnicity; and
5. providing to organizations and individuals in Texas access to relevant research results and new ideas in support of a dynamic economy;
- Conduct an analysis comparing trends in funding per student, expenditure per student, administrative cost per student, and other relevant measures of comparison of the Texas higher education system and the systems of other states with which Texas competes
- Examine methods of projecting student enrollment and projections through the year 2000 for each sector of higher education.
- Review institutions' expenditures of funds and use of authority to set and collect fees.
- Examine methods for colleges and universities to share critical resources using cooperative degree programs, telecommunication access to libraries, computers, selected classes, and coordinated research programs.
- Examine means to reduce dropout rates and increase opportunities for students to achieve educational goals quickly and with a minimum of wasted effort;
- Monitor implementation of sunset legislation; and identify specific goals the state must attain by the year 2000 and biennial goals that must be achieved until that time.
- The Committee shall monitor and oversee legislation enacted during the 72nd Regular and Special Called Sessions that was considered by the standing Senate Education Committee and the House Higher Education and Public Education Committees including legislative mandates; all Performance Audit Review Recommendations, adopted or not; and any agency-initiated changes.
- The Committee shall verify the number of employees in each program that is the focus of the study, and monitor and oversee documentation of salary increases, both legislative increases and agency-initiated increases, including merits, classification and other salary actions.
- The Committee shall verify the number and status of outcomes and outputs as identified in the Appropriations Bill, HB 1, 72nd Legislature, First Called Session.
- The Committee shall identify and review agencies' existing performance standards and determine whether the agencies exceeded, met or failed to meet those standards.
Notes
Appointed by the Speaker and the Lieutenant Governor, 9/27/1991. (Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock Appointments 1991-1999, L1803.1 P926A 1991-1999.
Harry M. Reasoner (Member), was an ex-officio member of the Select Committee by virtue of his position as chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. His initial appointment expired 8/31/1991, however, he continued to serve until Nancy Atlas (Member) was appointed chair of the Coordinating Board on 1/02/1992.
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