October 27, 2011    

Reeve Hamilton, The Texas Tribune    

At a recent hearing of the new joint higher education oversight committee, Senator Judith Zaffirini asked the chairmen of the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System regents what they had done to prevent conflicts of interest on their respective boards. There was a long pause.

October 28, 2011    

Reeve Hamilton    

At a recent hearing of the new joint higher education oversight committee, state Sen. Judith Zaffirini asked the chairmen of the University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System regents what they had done to prevent conflicts of interest on their respective boards. There was a long pause.

The Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Ed Governance, Excellence & Transparency met in Austin today to discuss the quality of governing boards in Texas.  The committee heard testimony from current and former regents from the following systems: University of Texas, Texas A&M, University of Houston, University of North Texas, and Texas Tech.

Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas) was on hand to celebrate the centennial of Ben Milam Elementary School in Uptown Dallas.  Rep. Branch joined Milam Principal Anna Gamez and current and former Milam students and teachers to commemorate the day.  Branch later presented a resolution and flag to Principal Gamez, and visited with several Milam graduates from the 1920s and 1930s.

October 21, 2011    

The Dallas Morning News    

House Speaker Joe Straus did more this week than hand out homework assignments to the chamber's committees for the next year.

To a considerable degree, he revealed his mindset. He's thinking about jobs, especially in manufacturing, and state efficiency.

October 21, 2011    

Robert T. Garrett    

House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, did more Thursday than hand out homework assignments to his chamber's committees for the next year. To a considerable degree, he revealed his mindset. And he's thinking about jobs, especially manufacturing jobs, and state efficiency.

October 19, 2011    

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 Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa's Framework for Excellence Action Plan, which focuses on trimming costs by increasing university efficiency. The goal for implementing MyEdu is to increase graduation rates by helping students better understand how to navigate through their degree plans with online advising. UT-Austin, UT-Arlington and UT-Permian Basin will be the first to receive the MyEdu platform, although officials did not announce an exact date when the decision was made. The MyEdu platform will expand to all other UT System institutions in 2012.

October 18, 2011    

Shabab Siddiqui    

Monday's legislative hearing featured a parade of the chairmen — and one chairwoman — of the state's six public university systems' boards of regents. Members of the Legislature asked questions ranging from efficiency to diversity of campuses and from the influence of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to the ideal size of boards. One seldom-mentioned topic even found its way to the hearing: the role of the student regent.

October 18, 2011    

Ralph K.M. Haurwitz    

The University of Texas System has put a controversy about seven proposed "breakthrough solutions" behind it and is focused on advancing its 15 academic and health campuses, the chairman of the Board of Regents said Monday.

Gene Powell, testifying before a special legislative panel examining higher education governance, said the board stands squarely behind Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa's plan to raise graduation rates, expand online learning and establish medical schools in South Texas and Austin.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     

Oct. 12, 2011

JOINT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

GOVERNANCE, EXCELLENCE AND TRANSPARENCY

LAUNCHES COMMITTEE WEBSITE

AUSTIN-- A new website to promote transparency and keep Texans informed in real time was launched at the first hearing of the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency.

The website, http://heget.posterous.com, features key hearing dates and agendas and allows for real-time posting of written testimony during committee hearings.