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| 77th Legislature (2001) |
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Tuition Equalization Grant Program (TEG)
Policy Position: ICUT advocated a $48.9 million biennial increase in funding for the TEG program based on a projection that student need for TEG would equal $121 million in fiscal year 2001 and $126.5 million in fiscal year 2002. This projection was based on the assumption that student need would grow by 4.5% per annum. At the time the projections were made TEG need was approximately $116 million and the program was funded at $62.2 million per year.
Result: The Legislature increased TEG funding by $40 million for the biennium. At that level, the program will meet about 65% of student need for TEG.
Toward EXcellence, Access and Success (TEXAS) Grant Program
Policy Position: ICUT supported the recommendation of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the TEXAS Grant Oversight Committee, and the Special Commission on 21st Century Colleges and Universities that funding for the TEXAS Grant program be increased to $211 million for the 2002-2003 biennium.
Result: The Legislature appropriated $282 million for this program for the 2002-2003 biennium.
Other Existing Programs
Texas College Work-Study: ICUT supported the THECB's request for additional funding of $6.2 million to provide more work opportunities for Texas college students.
Result: Funding for this program did not increase.
Teach for Texas Tuition Grant Program: ICUT supported the request of the THECB to increase funding for this program by $11 million to encourage students to become teachers in Texas public schools.
Result: The Legislature appropriated $282 million for this program.
Advanced Technology Research Program: ICUT supported the THECB's recommendation to increase funding to this program and the Advanced Research Program by approximately $40 million.
Result: Funding for this program did not increase.
Proposed Legislation
SB 149 (Carona/Hunter)
This bill proposed technical corrections to the TEG statute, which had not been revised since 1979. The bill corrected the name of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and added provisions to assure that only institutions accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or that have the same accreditation as a state institution may participate in the program. The bill also allowed the THECB to expand the pilot project that allows it to administer the TEG program as a "campus based program."
Result: This bill was passed and signed by the Governor.
SB 575 (Staples/Sadler)
This bill clarified that independent colleges and universities are not "summer camps" to be regulated by the Texas Department of Health, even though they may host children on campus for various summer activities.
Result: This bill was passed without objection and was vetoed by the Governor.
HB 1576 (Telford)
This bill allowed financial aid officers at independent institutions to make TEG grants to TEXAS Grant recipients in amounts that best meet the TEXAS Grant recipients' needs. The combination of the two grants would have exceeded the tuition charged by the students' institutions, and TEG would have remained limited to the statutory maximum grant amount. The change required no additional funding for either program.
Result: This bill was not passed.
ICUT also supported the following legislation:
- SB 572 (Moncrief) to ease the nursing shortage (Passed)
- SB 31 (Zaffirini) to provide students more information about bacterial meningitis (Passed)
- SB 1057 (Ellis) to strengthen the Teach for Texas Tuition Grant Program (Passed)
- SB 555 (Ellis) to create a state college savings plan (Passed)
- SB 573 (Bivins) to create a public awareness campaign to promote the value and availability of higher education (Passed)
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