In 2000, Texas higher education in Texas was languishing behind other states and a plan was adopted to “close the gaps” by 2015. A decade later, Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes tells the Tribune that significant change is still needed.
Higher Education
Coverage of universities, colleges, student issues, and education policy shaping Texas’ campuses, from The Texas Tribune.
Raymund Paredes: The TT Interview
In 2000, higher education in Texas languished compared to other states, and a plan was adopted to “close the gaps” by 2015. A decade later, the commissioner of higher education tells the Tribune that bold steps still need to be taken. But can we afford to take them?
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 33
Topics in this week’s TribCast include the Texas GOP convention, the ongoing back-and-forth between the Perry and White camps, and the near-dissolution of the Big 12 conference.
TribBlog: “The Conference Formerly Known as the Big 12”
Now that the central question of tomorrow’s House Higher Ed Committee meeting on athletic conference realignments has been answered, Chairman Dan Branch says there’s no need for the show to go on.
TribBlog: No Fury Like A Wentworth Scorned
State Sen. Jeff Wentworth calls new Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall a “Johnny-come-lately opportunist” and says he knows who should have gotten the job: state Sen. Jeff Wentworth.
TribBlog: Political Football [Updated]
Shopping for a new athletic conference? Make sure the political alignment matches up with the school alignment.
Going the Distance
Increasing numbers of college students are attending classes, and even completing some degree programs, online — an innovation that could be welcome in an era of rising enrollments and shrinking budgets. But virtual higher ed has its critics, who say the distance learning model will never match what one lawmaker terms the “interpersonal Aristotle style” of education.
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramsey on what the new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll says about the governor’s race, education, immigration, and other issues; Grissom on a far West Texas county divided over Arizona’s immigration law; Ramshaw talks health care reform and obesity in Texas with a legendary Dallas doctor; M. Smith on the Collin County community that’s about to break ground on a $60 million high school football stadium; Aguilar on the backlog of cases in the federal immigration detention system; Philpott of the Green Party’s plans to get back on the ballot; Hu on the latest in the Division of Workers’ Comp contretemps; Mulvaney on the punishing process of getting compensated for time spent in jail when you didn’t commit a crime; Hamilton on the fight over higher ed formula funding; and my sit-down with state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin: The best of our best from May 24-28, 2010.
Gaming the Systems
Should we base the funding of state universities on course completion rather than enrollment? The commissioner of higher education says yes. Some state lawmakers say no — not until we attack the manipulation of the financing formula by the higher ed lobby.



