UT Regents: External Review of UT and UT Law Foundation.
Lawmakers, Observers React to Tense UT System Meeting by Reeve Hamilton of Texas Tribune photo by: Bob Daemmrich Longtime employees of the University of Texas System said they could not […]
Tag Archives: Dan Branch
Perry and Powers: sharing views on higher ed, funding, tuition
By Alexa Ura Daily Texan Funding for higher education at UT-Austin makes up almost 13 percent of the state’s budget, and going into the 2013 legislative session UT President William […]
UT-Austin Unveils Plan to Boost Graduation Rates – by Reeve Hamilton
Updated, 5:30 p.m Wed.: UT-Austin President Bill Powers issued a campus-wide email this afternoon acknowledging his receipt of the task force’s recommendations to boost the school’s four-year graduation rate to […]
Senator Zaffirini Grills Her Friend UT Chancellor Cigarroa – By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, has known Francisco Cigarroa since he was born. His mother is one of her best friends. His father is […]
UT System Launches MyEdu Partnership to Increase Efficiency
By Liz Farmer The UT System announced a partnership Tuesday with the interactive website MyEdu to increase online advising efforts across UT institutions. The partnership is part of UT System […]
Alleged Looter Calls For Eroding University Governance
Written by Michael Quinn Sullivan Empower Texans One can understand the impulse of some bureaucrats and legislators to shield themselves from oversight. But it’s surprising to find a citizen — […]
Western Governors University Announces Investment in WGU Texas
WGU Texas, a subsidiary of the nationally recognized nonprofit Western Governors University, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. WGU Texas announced that it is one of three state subsidiaries […]
UT Regents Bless Cigarroa Plan
Written by Reeve Hamilton Enlargephoto by: Bob Daemmrich Chancellor Dr. Fransisco Cigarroa at the University of Texas Board of Regents meeting in Austin on May 11, 2011. At this morning’s […]
Coalition Encouraged by Announcement Joint Oversight Committee
The below statement is from the Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education in response to yesterday’s announcement by Senator Zaffirini and Representative Branch that the first public hearing of […]
Texas Continues Building on Higher Ed Successes
New laws are boosting state’s higher education effort. By Gov. Rick Perry / Special to the Express-News Last week, Texas partnered with the Western Governors University in the creation of […]
Shameful Shilling
By MQSullivan, Empower Texans Whatever else the Fourth Estate might have once been, reporters of the past were at least willing to ask tough questions of those holding the reins […]
Gov. Perry Announces Creation of Western Governors University Texas
Online university to make a college degree more affordable and accessible for Texans AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry, with the support of Higher Education Chairs Sen. Judith Zaffirini and Rep. […]
Texplainer: Will Budget Cuts Mean Higher Tuition? By Reeve Hamilton
By Reeve Hamilton In the wake of well-documented budget woes, the state Legislature took a more than 9 percent chunk out of higher education funding for public universities and colleges […]
Students, Parents and Taxpayers First – By Rick O’Donnell
Having spent many years in public service, advancing K-12 education accountability, tax relief, higher education reform and running for Congress, one lesson I’ve learned is you can’t make an omelet […]
Attacking the Cost of College, From the Outside
By Reeve Hamilton If there was a theme to the just-concluded 82nd legislative session it was do more with less, and Rep. Dan Branch, Dallas Republican and chairman of the […]
Gov. Perry Appoints Individuals Based on Their Qualifications, Willingness to Serve
By Mary Lee Grant A&M regents are expected to name Jay Kimbrough to a pair of top positions later this week. While Texas A&M’s choice of an interim chancellor is […]
Graduate Quota
TX State funding changes focus less on enrollment By Connie Thompson Enrolling for classes is no longer enough. This Congressional term, marked by budget cuts and fund reallocation, has yet […]
Parents Need To Get on the Bandwagon for Higher Ed Reform
It’s time we rock the ivory tower It is time we rock the Ivory Tower…maybe long overdue. How do parents prepare for the high costs of college? It could be […]
Texas – Seeking Transparency and World-Class Leadership
By William James Legislators want to ensure transparency and impartiality in university boards of regents with a new committee after learning officials were meeting with Gov. Rick Perry behind closed […]
Dewhurst’s Zaffirini Problem – Controversy Expands
By Daniel Greer Texans need to keep a close eye on state Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and Republican Lt. Governor David Dewhurst. Currently Sen. Zaffirini is lead blocking for anti-transparency in […]
Dan Branch and Higher Ed Accountability
By Weston Hicks An avowed ally of controlling university tuition costs, Representative Dan Branch (R) has nevertheless given mixed signals concerning the UT Higher Ed controversy. Branch co chairs the […]
Texas Reviews New Higher Education Financing System
Representative Dan Branch, Republican of Dallas and chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, succeeded this session in passing a major bill on a new financing system for institutions of […]
Zaffirini Ratchets Up UT Controversy Wasting Taxpayers Dollars.
A deep review of regent activities could continue for 6 years. By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz No one expected institutions of higher learning in Texas and their students to emerge unscarred […]
Judith Zaffirini Vows to Micromanage UT Regents for the Next 6 Years
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said today that public university boards of regents merit close watch for up to six years. Zaffirini chairs the Senate Higher […]
Should Texas A&M take over UH campuses?
by ZEN T. C. ZHENG It could become a reality for students to graduate from the University of Houston’s Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch campuses as Aggies if proponents are […]
Senate Approves Outcome Based Higher Education Bill
By Erin Mulvaney/Reporter The Senate passed a measure Tuesday that would link part of higher education funding to the student and university “outcomes” and performance. The bill carried by Sen. […]
Editorial: Pass These Bills on Higher Ed, Water Plan Money, Smoking Ban
Most college students drop a course on occasion. Some drop them often, change majors on a whim or drop out of school entirely. These students have wasted more than their […]
Resignation Clouds Timing of UHV Meeting
Texas A&M has yet to announce replacement for chancellor The date of a high-profile Victoria meeting of two Texas chancellors and state legislators remains unclear. When Rep. Dan Branch called […]
Gov. Perry: Transparency and Accountability Are Critical to Strengthening Texas Higher Education
TEXAS STATE CAPITOL – Gov. Rick Perry (last month) emphasized his commitment to making higher education more affordable, accountable and accessible to Texans. The governor was joined by Texas Higher […]
Zaffirini’s Hypocrisy – Agitated Effort to Shield UT From Accountability
By Daniel Greer Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) is crystallizing her opposition to transparency and controlling skyrocketing tuition costs. Regent Alex Cranberg’s simple information request about professor compensation and use of […]
Why Does Higher Ed Oppose Stewardship? – The Dirty Little Secret
By MQSullivan Texas‘ universities have a dirty little secret: they don’t want taxpayers, parents or students looking too closely at their books. And they certainly don’t want to answer questions […]
TX College Democrats Reveal Petition Against Budget Cuts
With only two weeks remaining in the 82nd legislative session, college students say they are not ready to give up the fight to fund higher education in Texas. Members of […]
Public Holds Mixed Views of Higher Ed
A majority of Americans (57 percent) believe that the higher education system in the country fails to provide students with good value for the money they and their families spend, […]
House Passes Outcomes-Based Higher Ed Funding Bill
By Reeve Hamilton Texas Tribune photo by: Bob Daemmrich State Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas A bill allowing a chunk of funding for colleges and universities to be dedicated to “outcomes-based” […]
Zaffirini – Senate Bill 5, Designed to Decrease Transparency and Accountability in Higher Ed Spending.
Senate Bill 5, authored by Judith Zaffirini (D) has poison pills buried within, designed to decrease transparency and accountability in higher education spending. The stated purpose of the bill is […]
Stop With the Unnecessary Special Oversight Committees And Kid Glove Treatment of Tenured Professors
By Karen Townsend Tackling Higher Ed Reform in Texas If someone asked you to spearhead the reform efforts for the State of Texas in higher education, what would be your […]
Zaffirini to Chair New Higher Ed Oversight Committee – The UT Controversy Expands
By Reeve Hamilton, Texas Tribune Enlargephoto by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera Speaker Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst have created a new Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence, […]
Zaffirini Hinders Chairman Powell and UT to Be the Best in the Nation
By Melissa Ludwig Gene Powell, a San Antonio businessman who chairs the University of Texas System Board of Regents, would like to reduce tuition by about 50 percent across system […]
Sen. Judith Zaffirini is “Freaked Out”, Praise for Chairman Powell – Conflict Intensifies
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Debate over the direction of the University of Texas System intensified Tuesday when the chairwoman of the state Senate Higher Education Committee dismissed suggestions […]
UT Education Reform – The Controversy (and Battle) Has Just Begun
By Reeve Hamilton Texas Tribune One week ago, Rick O’Donnell’s employment at the University of Texas System came to an abrupt end after 50 days marked by tension and confusion […]
Think tank is helping shape statewide higher ed reforms
‘Productivity’-centered legislation aligns with Texas Public Policy Foundation recommendations By Mary Tuma | 03.09.11 | 2:38 pm Texas A&M University has drawn harsh criticism for controversial initiatives connected to the […]
