Senate Education Committee discusses higher education

The Senate K-16 Education Committee met March 20th to discuss a variety of bills regarding the governance of institutions of higher education. The committee focused on the activities of faculty senates and the perception that free speech is being stifled on college campuses. Committee Chairman Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) and other members lamented that college is no longer preparing students for the job market and that they do not offer as many "degrees of value" as they did in years past.

Much of the discussion centered around SB 37, a bill that would require colleges and universities to annually review the core curriculum at their institution to ensure it is focused on preparing students for professional and civic life. It also limits faculty senates to advisory roles only; this restriction is in response to recent incidents in which faculty senates initiated votes of no confidence in other university leadership. SB 37 would also establish the Office of Excellence in Higher Education, a new initiative within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The primary purpose of the office is to serve as an intermediary between the legislature, the public, and institutions of higher education and to investigating reports of noncompliance with state law by institutions of higher education.

Discussion was mostly focused on the quality of higher education offerings, the increasing number of high school students arriving at colleges and universities without prerequisite knowledge, and concerns about stifling the speech of university faculty.

The bill was left pending in committee and will be voted on another time.

Updates from the Capitol

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• Graduation/Higher Ed