Senate committee hears bill to transfer University of Houston–Victoria to Texas A&M system

Senate Committee on Education members heard testimony on Senate Bill 2361, a proposal to transfer the University of Houston–Victoria from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M University System, during a public hearing where community and industry leaders urged support and system officials warned the technical transition would take significant time and resources.

Senator Kolkhorst, the bill sponsor, told the committee the transfer would “align the region with the goals that Texas A and M University System has” and would allow new engineering, agriculture and STEM degree programs tailored to the Victoria region’s industrial base. She said the measure includes provisions “to ensure a smooth transition for health care benefits for the employees of the university.”

The committee heard from Texas A&M System officials and local leaders who described broad local backing and potential economic benefits, but also outlined operational hurdles. James Hallmark, vice chancellor for academic affairs for the Texas A&M University System, said the systems integration work is substantial and time-consuming and warned that accreditation timing posed a near-term constraint: “without accreditation, the students would not be eligible for financial aid.” He added that the student information system and other core platforms are “particularly problematic and will likely take a year or longer to transition.”

Local officials and business leaders framed the transfer as a workforce and economic development opportunity. Dwayne Crocker, mayor of Victoria, testified the change would let the university “align degree programs to fit our regional industries” and help supply graduates for local employers. Jonas Titus, president of the VEDC regional partnership, said the region has “a project pipeline of over $25,000,000,000 worth of investments and 4,000 new jobs” and needs aligned academic programs to support that growth. Ben Keating, president of Keating Auto Group, said about 80,000 students graduate within 100 miles of Victoria each year and that UHV’s current market share “is around 1%” compared with a typical 10% for other regional A&M institutions.

Industry witnesses also testified. Amy Blanchett, senior communications representative for Formosa Plastics Corporation Texas, said the company employs about 4,000 full‑time employees and contractors at its Point Comfort site and currently lists roughly 90 job openings; she urged the committee to enable degree programs in software engineering, cybersecurity, and multiple engineering disciplines to build a local talent pipeline. John Zacek, a Victoria College board member, testified that workforce and agricultural programs are in demand locally and that Victoria College currently delivers a large share of the area’s workforce training.

Procedural notes recorded on the record: the committee laid out a committee substitute for SB 2361 but could not adopt it because several members were absent. Senator Kolkhorst indicated she would withdraw the committee substitute rather than adopt it without quorum, and the chair left the bill pending “subject to the call of the chair.” No final vote or formal adoption of the substitute was recorded at the hearing.

If enacted, witnesses said, the transfer would require separate appropriations to fund start‑up programs and extensive technical work to migrate benefits, financial systems, and student records. Supporters emphasized potential gains in regional workforce alignment; system staff and witnesses emphasized the accreditation, IT and human resources work necessary before governance could change.

The committee recessed for the floor session and left SB 2361 pending; proponents and system staff said they would continue negotiating memoranda of understanding and implementation details before any final action.