The Legislature’s initial budget proposals to close four community colleges caught many lawmakers off guard. But what largely escaped their attention — the slashing of health benefits across all such institutions — concerns community college officials the most.
Higher Education
Coverage of universities, colleges, student issues, and education policy shaping Texas’ campuses, from The Texas Tribune.
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Higher Education
Texas Already Has a $10,000 Degree — But for How Long?
Gov. Rick Perry has challenged Texas universities to develop a bachelor’s degree costing no more than $10,000, books included. As it turns out, there already is a $10,000 bachelor’s degree here — and the Legislature may be on the verge of eliminating it.
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Health care
The Texas Tribune Weekly TribCast: Ep 66
This week’s episode of the TribCast features Evan, Ross, Reeve, and Ben mulling over the State of the State, the new House committee assignments, and the politics of abortion.
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Higher Education
Students Rally for UT Funding
Cries of “Texas fight” and “It’s 8:45, and we’re still underfunded” rang across a crowd of nearly 100 students, who marched to the Capitol this morning to rally for adequate funding for the University of Texas.
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Higher Education
Senators Call Tuition Set-Aside Theft, Secret Tax
One state senator calls it “a 20 percent backdoor secret tax” on those paying for college. Another argues that eliminating it would help create a Texas with a “have-and-have-not culture.” And some students say the the tuition set-aside program mandated by the state in 2003 is just plain theft.
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Higher Education
University of Texas President Bill Powers Hospitalized
University of Texas President Bill Powers has been hospitalized with a pulmonary embolism.
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Economy
Perry to Push Colleges to Offer $10,000 Degree
Gov. Rick Perry will challenge the state’s colleges and universities to offer a $10,000 bachelor’s degree, including books, in his State of the State speech later this morning, according to sources familiar with some of the proposals.
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Guides
Texplainer: What’s a Tier-One University?
There’s no universal definition but essentially, the term refers to the country’s top research-focused universities. While there are specific benchmarks to be considered part of that group, some aren’t clear or rely purely on perception.
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Higher Education
Tier-One Contender Wary of Cuts
Jim Spaniolo, the president of UT-Arlington, said the university is committed to increasing its engagement with research that “could change the quality of life of many, many people” — but funding cuts resulting from the state’s budget shortfall would slow that momentum.
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Higher Education
Paige & Spellings: The TT Interview
At a recent forum titled “Improving Productivity in Public Education,” former U.S. Secretaries of Education Rod Paige and Margaret Spellings under George W. Bush took time to discuss the state’s looming budget cuts, the Bush legacy, the Obama administration and what they believe needs to change in public education.