TCCTA President Testifies on Funding

TCCTA President Revis Bell, St. Philip's College, testified Friday before a joint hearing of the Division of Budget, Planning and Policy of the Office of the Governor and the Legislative Budget Board staff. The hearing signals the advent of the appropriations process for the forthcoming Regular Session of the Legislature, which convenes in January. Mr. Bell addressed a host of funding issues of vital concern to community and technical college educators.

His remarks, in part, are included below:

On matters of state funding for community colleges, we are in full accord with the Texas Association of Community Colleges. Two-year schools are expected to enroll over 70 percent of new students. They now enroll 75 percent of the state’s freshmen and sophomores and 78 percent of minority freshmen and sophomores. We agree with the Coordinating Board that funding must increase dramatically if community colleges are to achieve state objectives under the Closing the Gaps initiative. Also, the state’s financial commitment must rise in order to mitigate the effect of local tuition increases. High tuition hampers community college enrollment, since many of our students are in precarious financial situations.

In terms of Performance Funding, our association welcomes all valid documentation of institutional accountability, such as the measures reported under current law to the Coordinating Board. It is important to note, however, that directing extra revenue to “successful transfers,” as well as to degrees and certificates awarded, could inadvertently harm an important mission of two-year colleges, since many students enroll in courses for workforce training only, and return to their jobs with enhanced skills. This role of community colleges should not be penalized.

No one wants students to succeed academically more than faculty. The Coordinating Board’s proposal to reward “completers” assumes that a new funding mechanism will create a novel motivation. We see no empirical evidence to suggest such a correlation. If the state wishes to pursue such a course, it should do so carefully and with ample opportunity for all stakeholders to provide insights.

Funding must also be maintained at a robust level for group health benefits for community colleges under the Group Benefits Program with the Employees Retirement System of Texas. We are in complete agreement with the Texas Association of Community Colleges that applying proportionality in funding health insurance would constitute bad public policy. To attract and retain talented faculty, a secure package of health benefits is paramount, and each state dollar lost subtracts from the instructional mission of the school.

Lastly we also believe that—especially in these uncertain financial times—funding for the Optional Retirement Program and Teacher Retirement System should be maintained at the highest level possible. Our association is grateful for the increased level of state funding provided during the 2007 Regular Session. We urge lawmakers to continue the good work on these vital programs.