Curbing Our Tuition? Wait for 2007, I Hope
The Legislature met and discussed ways to deal with tuition during the 2005 session of the Texas Legislature. As I've said before, I do not see major changes in higher education until the pivotal 2007 session when we could see changes to both tuition and with system consolidation.
According to the Associated Press, higher education spending in Texas is set to grow from nearly $17 billion in 2004-05 to more than $18 billion for 2006-07.
"If the schools continue to skyrocket increases on tuition, the mood of the Legislature will be such that we'll either put a cap on it or repeal deregulation," Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Tuesday in an article published by the Associated Press.
I hope that Lt. Governor Dewhurst and his colleagues in the Legislature repeal deregulation. This session, Senators and Representatives alike were saying they did not expect the huge increases that most state institutions saw following tuition deregulation's passage in 2003.
Governor Rick Perry signed an executive order during the 2003 regular session of the Texas Legislature saying that all fee and tuition increases must be justified by better quality. Have we truly seen that?
I'd say that the academic quality has worsened as our university has struggled in hiring qualified professors to teach classes. We have more adjuncts than I recall in the time I've been at SHSU. We have better quality students thanks to admission requirement changes, but I am not sure our quality has improved. Faculty are more concerned with research due to the changes in the track system. Due to enrollment increases, we've had the need for these adjuncts and lecturers. And academic money is being used on flat-screen televisions instead of needed materials. The Deans seem to run in circles covering that one up!
Thanks to tuition deregulation, during the 2003-2004 academic year, tuition statewide increased on average 16 percent. Here's hoping the legislators regain control, so we never have to deal with increases like those. Unfortunately, it comes down to the state budget and whether or not a shortfall will exist for the 2007-2009 budget which will be put together during the 2007 regular session.
According to the Associated Press, higher education spending in Texas is set to grow from nearly $17 billion in 2004-05 to more than $18 billion for 2006-07.
"If the schools continue to skyrocket increases on tuition, the mood of the Legislature will be such that we'll either put a cap on it or repeal deregulation," Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Tuesday in an article published by the Associated Press.
I hope that Lt. Governor Dewhurst and his colleagues in the Legislature repeal deregulation. This session, Senators and Representatives alike were saying they did not expect the huge increases that most state institutions saw following tuition deregulation's passage in 2003.
Governor Rick Perry signed an executive order during the 2003 regular session of the Texas Legislature saying that all fee and tuition increases must be justified by better quality. Have we truly seen that?
I'd say that the academic quality has worsened as our university has struggled in hiring qualified professors to teach classes. We have more adjuncts than I recall in the time I've been at SHSU. We have better quality students thanks to admission requirement changes, but I am not sure our quality has improved. Faculty are more concerned with research due to the changes in the track system. Due to enrollment increases, we've had the need for these adjuncts and lecturers. And academic money is being used on flat-screen televisions instead of needed materials. The Deans seem to run in circles covering that one up!
Thanks to tuition deregulation, during the 2003-2004 academic year, tuition statewide increased on average 16 percent. Here's hoping the legislators regain control, so we never have to deal with increases like those. Unfortunately, it comes down to the state budget and whether or not a shortfall will exist for the 2007-2009 budget which will be put together during the 2007 regular session.
posted by Jason Plotkin | 5:59 AM
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