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THECB government relations staff outlines legislative items affecting higher education including financial aid request and accreditation bills
Summary
John Wyatt, THECB senior director for government relations, briefed LTAC on the 89th Texas Legislature: an agency request for roughly $364 million in additional financial aid funding, and a slate of filed bills on governance, tenure, accreditation and program ROI that THECB staff are tracking.
A THECB government relations official told the Learning Technology Advisory Committee that the legislature—s early focus has been K-12 but that higher education policy activity will accelerate as committees begin hearings on higher education issues.
John Wyatt, senior director for government relations at THECB, said the agency—s budget request includes approximately $364 million in additional funding across financial aid programs to better serve eligible students in the Texas Grant and related programs. The request aims to serve 70% of eligible students in major programs and to ensure continuity of aid for students who transfer from community colleges to universities.
Wyatt summarized several bills filed in the opening months of the 89th Legislature that could affect higher education policy. Items he cited include SB 1489 (Sen. Bettencourt), which would clarify faculty senates— advisory role and require meetings to be open to the public; HB 1830, a House bill that would effectively prohibit new tenure contracts going forward while honoring existing tenure arrangements; and SB 1322, a proposal to create a Texas Higher Education Accreditation Commission to identify allowable accrediting agencies.
Wyatt also described HB 281 (Rep. Tepper), which would require THECB to review degree programs for graduate earnings relative to debt and create tiers and potential consequences if a program—s return on investment is low. He said the bill-filing deadline was near and cautioned that more bills may be introduced before the deadline.
Wyatt encouraged LTAC members to monitor committee postings on the legislature—s portal and to reach out to THECB staff with questions. He said House Higher Education and the Senate public-education/higher-education committee schedules would post hearings in the days ahead and that THECB staff will provide briefings and responses as needed.
Ending: Wyatt asked LTAC members to contact THECB staff with questions and said the agency would circulate committee hearing notices and updates as the session advances.
