House Higher Education met on April 1 to take up a number of bills. This report covers HB 2827 (M. González) and HB 3348 (Pacheco).
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Vote Outs
HB 1259 (Darby) (9 ayes, 0 nays)
HB 199 (Ortega) (9 ayes, 0 nays)
HB 695 (E. Morales) (9 ayes, 0 nays)
HB 2827 (M. González) – Relating to the transfer to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board of certain responsibilities relating to postsecondary education and career counseling
- Gonzalez – Is a cleanup bill that clarifies Texas Oncourse is a part of the THECB
Harrison Keller, Commissioner Higher Education – On
- Texas OnCourse is an initiative that was chartered by the legislature in 2015
- Texas OnCourse is considered one of the most comprehensive college and career planning programs in the nation
- J Murphy – Did this predate COVID-19?
- Yes, already have an infrastructure for across the state
HB 2827 left pending
HB 3348 (Pacheco) (CS) – Relating to the number of baccalaureate degree programs certain public junior colleges may offer
- Pacheco – Expands the number of baccalaureate degree programs from three to five
Richard Rhodes, Chancellor ACC – On
- Thankful for support such as this bill; have launched two baccalaureate programs in RN to BSN and software development
- Are planning a third baccalaureate BAS degree; are applied associate degrees, are not in competition with other universities
- Colleges need to expand their baccalaureate degrees to compete and keep up with workforce needs; are affordable and high quality
- Parker – How many are completing a bachelor’s degree?
- RN to BSN is 100 a year and software development starting at 40, will likely be 100
- Parker – Is a stable number?
- Yes, the most graduates we can have is 100 per program
- Parker – Have appropriate are your facilities for the capacity of students?
- Facilities are appropriate
- Murphy – Does the THECB give you capacity parameters? Do you have to re-apply?
- They put the cap at 100
Mike Flores, Chancellor Alamo Colleges – On
- Serve a vast region and student population; supports open enrollment and low-cost education
- Overviews students’ ROI and the ROI to the community/state; upon graduation students in the college district generate $2 billion in added income to the region
- Prior to the pandemic, were workforce needs in IT and healthcare
- San Antonio College will launch an RN to BSN program in August; future programs would be IT and healthcare management
- Murphy – Have not rolled out a bachelor’s program yet?
- Will roll out RN to BSN program in August
- SACSCOC in January will have to approve other two in healthcare and IT management
HB 3348 left pending