TFA El Paso (EPCC & UTEP)

Again, this is courtesy of Cesar from UTEP.

CALL TO ACTION – WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PROTECT THE MISSION AND CORE VALUES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
Dear Gregory:

March 24, 2011

We need your immediate help to address what is unquestionably the most serious threat our University has faced in years. The mission and core values of our beloved University are under attack. We are reaching out to you to please contact the UT System Board of Regents and share your concerns.

Although reduced state funding poses a serious challenge for The University of Texas, it pales in comparison to a threat to its MISSION and CORE VALUES. The mission of The University of Texas is to transform lives for the benefit of society through first-class teaching and research. The core values of UT are: learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity and responsibility. Read the rest of this entry →

This article from Texas Monthly is courtesy of Cesar from UTEP.

Board Members with Dr. Paredes TFA President Dr. Kenneth Buckman, Commissioner Paredes,
TFA Executive Director Mary A. Dean

THECB Commissioner Paredes Meets with
Texas Faculty Association Board

Texas Faculty Association, which represents higher education faculty throughout Texas, affiliated with TSTA and NEA, conducted their annual meeting in Austin, TX during the weekend of February 25th through 27th.

On Sunday, TFA’s Board of Directors hosted Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Chairman, Raymund Paredes. A lively, spirited, three hour discussion about THECB’s Legislative Agenda which promotes Outcomes Based Formula Funding and a Priority Model for awarding Texas Grants was held.

Commissioner Paredes and college faculty representatives debated the metrics of measuring learning outcomes. Dr. Paredes affirmed his beliefs in the validity of measuring higher education performance tied to college graduation rates TFA members expressed concerns that the plan could lead to higher graduation rates and the awarding of college degrees with little or no real quality controls.

“We need to produce more graduates with high quality credentials said Commissioner Paredes. 159, 824 students entered college in 2003. Only 54, 335 Texas students earned college degrees by 2009. 60% or 105,489 Texans did not graduate from college during the six year period between 2003 and 2009. TFA members fully support the goal of increasing college graduates and vowed to work with THECB.

During the “What actions should be taken?” section of the meeting, Dr. Paredes encouraged faculty members to contact members of the legislature. Texas higher education faculty are not granted personal leave days like public school teachers and cannot take off work to come to the Capitol during legislative sessions.

TFA president, Dr. Kenneth Buckman noted that according to Dr. Paredes, THECB is two to three years away from being able to measure the outcomes of their plan. However, it appears that the 82nd legislature is preparing to implement this plan before those measures are in place.’’

This document helps to appreciate the magnitude (and the potential negative consequences) of the looming budget cuts in Higher Ed. this legislative session.