The previous two posts have outlined proposals recommended by the Coordinating Board's Advisory Committee on Higher Education Cost Efficiencies, as presented to the Senate Committee on Higher Education last week. Many of these recommendations will require legislative action, and some may take years to get accomplished, even if the House and Senate are in full agreement.
However, the advisory panel also put forward some "Short Term Actions." Below is their list. As with many of the other proposals, it's unclear what the role of the Coordinating Board and Legislature will be in trying to put these plans into action. Also, some of them hardly seem like "short-term" changes.
Of particular note to community and technical college educators is a recommendation that ten percent of all credit hours be taught in off-campus settings. Also it's interesting that the group proposes a "single diagnostic assessment tool by both two-year and four-year institutions to determine college readiness and pinpoint areas of needed preparation." Those who remember the TASP program will find such language familiar.
Below is the panel's verbatim list of short-term recommendations.
The Committee recommends the following short-term actions:
1. Legislation should be enacted that mandates statewide articulation agreements. These agreements should cover both the 42 semester credit hour general education core and an additional 18 semester credit hours that fulfill requirements for a major. Such 60-hour transfer agreements should be developed (as a minimum) for those programs that constitute, collectively, 80 percent of the student transfer activity.
2. Require at least 10 percent of all credit hours produced by two-year colleges and four- year institutions be completed in ways not requiring on-campus instruction – for example, through advanced placement, dual credit, competency based assessments, internships, online learning, etc. This recommendation is made to both promote more efficient uses of existing campus resources and to ensure that students develop skills regarding new ways of learning they will need to be successful in the future.
3. Improve credit hours produced per full-time equivalent faculty member by 10 percent. This recommendation reflects the strong belief of the Committee that targets and benchmarks be established at the state level by THECB action, but that the means by which these goals are achieved must be left to decision makers at the campus level.
4. Clearly state expectations regarding college readiness through a set of readiness standards (which Texas has already put in place) and use of a single diagnostic assessment tool by both two-year and four-year institutions to determine college readiness and pinpoint areas of needed preparation (can be implemented through THECB rules).
5. Require students to have a degree plan no later than upon completion of 42 semester credit hours of coursework, and require them to meet with an advisor prior to enrolling in a course that is not included in their degree plan or when changing degree plans.
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