TCCTA Blog

Campus Gun Bill Referred to Committee

A bill to allow licensed carriers of concealed firearms to bring their weapons into college and university campus buildings has been sent to the Senate Committee on State Affairs by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

You can access SB 11 here. (Click on "text" for the bill itself. New proposed language adding to current law is underlined.) The bill is very similar, if not identical, to failed measures introduced in previous Regular Sessions. Here is a recent post for background.

A companion bill, HB 837, has been filed in the House. Here is an impressive list of primary authors.

You will note that the Senate bill also has many sponsors—an indication of broad support in the chamber, which has only 31 members.

Media reports indicate that Senate passage is likely, especially given a recent Capitol dust-up over the Lt. Gov.'s presumed intentions involving a separate "open carry" firearms bill. The Lt. Gov. is the presiding officer of the Senate and controls the agenda, absent any extremely unusual circumstances.

From an article in the Austin American-Statesman by Chuck Lindell (not online presently):

Stung by criticism from gun rights supporters, Lt Gov, Dan Patrick announced Wednesday that he had advanced a bill to allow guns to be carried on public college and university campuses.

In announcing that Senate Bill 11 was sent to the State Affairs Committee for action—a relatively routine matter, Patrick promised to move the campus carry measure to the House "as quickly as constitutionally allowed."

The move also will allow the Senate to focus on other pro-gun legislation, including bills allowing gun owners to openly carry pistols in holsters, Patrick said, "which I have consistently supported."

Many gun rights advocates blasted Patrick after he announced Tuesday that he didn't see enough support in the Senate or House to pass legislation allowing open carry of handguns.

Here is the TCCTA Legislative Resources page.

A Day Without Adjuncts

A National Adjunct Walkout Day is planned by organizers for Feb. 25, in an attempt to demonstrate the plight of part-time instructors. Here is an interesting article by Colleen Flaherty, in Inside Higher Ed.

The first thing a reader observes about this effort is the role of social media, which allows individuals to communicate with great efficiency (and perhaps anonymity). You will also note that much of the enthusiasm for a walk-out is, shall we say, focused in other regions of the country. Some adjuncts in other states have a degree of job protection in their contracts. Such is not the case in Texas generally—a raw fact that must be taken into consideration.

Part-time instructors in Texas are, for the most part, "at will" employees. This means supervisors can make hiring decisions each semester based on any legal (as in non-discriminatory according race, religion, etc.) criteria. Presumably it's all about scheduling, budgetary, and pedagogical issues. "Sorry, Dr. Henderson, we don't have any open sections next fall," might be a typical (and totally accurate) statement from a department chair or disciplinary coordinator. Not showing up for work gets noticed quickly, and certainly has pedagogical implications.

Of course many adjuncts don't feel aggrieved and are delighted to teach as their schedules allow. Others, however, try to earn a living by teaching part-time, and are presently distressed by the reduction in course loads necessitated by state and federal stipulations that schools pay benefits for those working beyond a certain chronological threshold. This is likely part of what is driving contemporary anxieties.

Full-time faculty members—generally sympathetic—know also that revenue is fungible, but finite. Money placed in a new pot must be taken out of another, absent new funds from tuition, taxes, and such.

Nevertheless, the movement discussed in the piece is an interesting development. Please read it for the full flavor.

TCCTA has created an Ad Hoc Committee on Adjunct Issues that is gathering information on the best approach for the association regarding part-time faculty.

Update on Community College Day

TCCTA has reserved room E1.018, just off the open-air rotunda in the Capitol Extension, for members to gather throughout Community College Day, Tuesday, Feb. 3. Here is a previous post for background.

Here is additional information:

Community College Day at the Capitol
Tuesday, Feb. 3
E1.018, Capitol Extension
Schedule (from the Texas Association of Community Colleges)
Maps and Floor plans

It is strongly advised that members arrange appointments with their legislative delegations (see Who Represents Me?) prior to the event.

Information about the current Regular Session of the Legislature, including the association's legislative program and Guide to Political Participation, is available on the TCCTA Legislative Resources Website.

TCCTA leaders will have printed copies of the above material available in Room E1.018 the day of the event.

Join us!

 

Reverse Transfers Get Complicated

Reverse transfers occur when a community college awards a degree to a student who has already moved on to a university. Basically the two-year school, upon learning of a student completing the required work elsewhere for an associates degree, grants the credential routinely, with the student's consent.

This fairly new development is one component of the strategy to increase graduation rates at community colleges.

Presumably it's a win-win but, as Katherine Mangan points out in the Chronicle of Higher Education, there can be problems.

For one thing, sometimes it's hard to "hunt down" students who have transferred, but this situation is improving with new techniques of data analysis. Surprisingly, some students don't want an associates degree, and private scholarships may be jeopardized by any intervening credential.

Generally most authorities don't believe that awarding an associates degree makes students less likely to finish at a university. In thinking about it, this might be dependent upon the contemporary job market. Now that the oil boom in Texas is slowing down, perhaps fewer students will be tempted by lucrative jobs and quit school before getting their bachelors degree.

Finally, some individuals wonder that, if colleges get more revenue under performance funding for more degrees, it amounts to "cooking the books," according to the article.

Guns-on-Campus More Likely

Last week the Texas Senate altered its procedural rules regarding how bills are allowed to reach the floor. The change will allow a bill to be debated by the full Senate if 19 senators agree, not the 21 required previously. The chamber has 31 members.

The rule was designed originally to compel compromise and to allow a determined minority to slow things down.

Media reports vary as to whether it will make any substantive difference. See, for instance, this report by Erica Grieder in Texas Monthly.

When Capitol observers speculate on policy issues that may be affected, two subjects arise: private school vouchers and allowing licensed carriers of concealed firearms to bring their weapons into college and university campus buildings. The former is not directly related to community colleges, but may have a ripple effect with dual credit, for instance. As for the latter, it's hard to find a more potent issue with two-year college educators.

In previous Sessions, TCCTA has asked that local institutions be allowed to decide for themselves whether to be "gun-free." In 2015, this may be the most practical suggestion to pass along to lawmakers.

One wild card with this issue is a simultaneous legislative effort to allow "open carry" of handguns virtually anywhere.

Make Plans for May Round Up

Assemble a group of people who really care about teaching and place them in an relaxed,unstructured setting in the beautiful Texas hill country. The rewards can be astounding: Over the years, many teachers have reported that the Round Up allowed them to believe in their chosen profession as never before.

The annual TCCTA Great Teaching Round Up is scheduled for May 18-21, 2015, at the Canyon of the Eagles in Burnet.

The Great Teaching Round Up differs from most conferences in that, for the most part, the program is created by the participants themselves. The staff’s major role is facilitation. The format varies but often includes: teaching clinics, panels, organized discussions, “hands on” workshops, and presentations by participants or Round Up staff. It also features choices among activities. The exchange takes place not only in scheduled sessions but also informally on walks around the ranch, in conversations at dinner, or on excursions around Lake Buchanan.

It is important to make plans now. Many colleges and faculty organizations sponsor Round Up participation for selected faculty members.

Here is registration form with additional information.

Capitol Event Slated for Feb. 3

The biennial Community College Day at the Capitol, hosted by the Texas Association of Community Colleges, is scheduled for Feb. 3.

As in the past, TCCTA members are invited to participate in the event. It is an opportunity to meet with legislators and their staffs about vital issues facing two-year colleges in Texas.

Also please make plans to attend the rally on the south steps of the Capitol at 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 3, and the lunch sessions following. (See the TACC Website for details about where and when schools in your region will meet for lunch.)

Throughout the day, TCCTA will have a conference room available at the Capitol for members to drop by. Please make a point to stop in to discuss how your conversations with legislators are going. Association leaders are very interested to hear what feedback members receive in their private meetings.

A subsequent post here prior to the event will include the meeting room location, as well as TCCTA “talking points” to share during your consultation with legislators.

Members are strongly advised to communicate with local college administration to advise them of your interest in participating, and to be included on the list of attendees for lunch.

National Trend in Humanities Improving

One might guess that community colleges are awarding fewer and fewer associates degrees in humanities fields these days, but perhaps not. A recent report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences indicates that the trend in disciplinary degrees has started to move up.

From the report:

• The number of associate degrees in the humanities increased from 1987 to 2013 by an average of 4.3 percent each year, growing from 113,587 to 338,688. Most were in “liberal arts” and “liberal studies” fields that drew from a variety of disciplines but required a disproportionate number of credits in humanities subjects.
• As a share of all associate degrees, those with a significant humanities component rose from 25.8 percent in 1987 to 38.9 percent in 2013.
• The opposite trend has been occurring in recent years at four-year colleges. At the bachelor’s-degree level, the number of degrees awarded in the core humanities disciplines, including classical studies, English language and literature, foreign languages, history, linguistics, and philosophy, dropped 2.4 percent from 2012 to 2013. It was the third decline in four years after nearly a decade of stability.

It's unclear if the same pattern applies to Texas, as there are a lot of factors to consider. For one thing, regarding the second point above, the Texas core curriculum includes six semester hours of American history, so any enrollment increase in students pursuing a bachelor's degree in any field would add to the total. It doesn't necessarily signify more interest in the humanities. 

Also, some schools are moving away from declared majors altogether. And finally, which academic disciplines to include in the humanities category has always been a judgment call. Some social science disciplines, for instance, are occasionally placed in the field.

All the same, it is nice to know that the doomsayers may be incorrect about a very important component of a college education.

 

Repeal of Dream Act Meets Resistance

Some newly elected members of the Legislature, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, support repeal of the Texas Dream Act, which allows undocumented students to pay in-state college tuition after graduating from high school if they have lived in Texas for three years and have signed an affidavit promising to seek legal residency.

However, according to an article by Ryan McCrimmon, in the Texas Tribune, those who support the program are already stepping forth, including at a demonstration at the Capitol last week.

Some advocates are student beneficiaries and their parents, but the list also includes at least one powerful business group:

At Wednesday's rally, Bill Hammond, the CEO of the Texas Association of Businesses — which endorsed Patrick for lieutenant governor but has opposed him on this issue — spoke about the economic and social impact of the law.

"They work hard, they go to school, they graduate, they do what we want them to do," Hammond said. "They will be the future teachers, doctors, architects, engineers in Texas if we allow this program to continue."

The Coordinating Board estimates that the Act benefited more than 20,000 students in 2013, according to the article.

 

About Those For-Profits…

You may have noticed media chatter recently about how community colleges, because of low completion rates, don't measure up when compared to for-profit schools. One article referred to community colleges as "terrible."

Well, apparently the critics got something very important wrong. For-profit schools generally offer short-term certifications, while community colleges offer academic programs that take at least two years to complete. Naturally the former will likely get students through more quickly.

It's all discussed (with links to the critics) by Ben Miller, in Washington Monthly. Please have a look.

The article also points out that tuition at community colleges is far lower than at the for-profits, which tend to operate with federal grants and student loans.

The media coverage is generated by President Obama's proposal to subsidize tuition at community colleges. Obviously, the for-profits have something to say on this subject, which is to be expected. Comparative numbers are often a problem when different types of institutions are involved.

A key passage from the WM piece:

Community colleges have their problems. Their overall completion rates can and should be higher. Some are an organizational mess. But the facts held up by [Cato Institute critic] McCluskey et al. do not hold up to meaningful scrutiny.

The most dubious is the centerpiece claim about graduation rates. The typical talking point, which McCluskey repeats, is that around 20 percent of students at community colleges graduate, compared with over 60 percent of those attending for-profit two-year institutions. These figures come from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, a database of information reported by colleges themselves.

The key fact you need to know about these numbers—and one McCluskey elides—is that they don’t capture what type of credential a student sought or received. Community colleges mostly award associate degrees, which typically take a minimum of two years to complete. For-profits, by contrast, focus on certificates that can be earned in a year or less. In 2012-13, just 14 percent of first-time full-time students at for-profit colleges earned a credential that required two years or more of study; at community colleges it was 74 percent.

In effect, McCluskey and others are comparing the graduation outcomes of programs that can be just a few months against those that involve multiple years of study. It’s not a surprise then that the programs that require less to finish look better.