From Representative Roberto Alonzo
Vaccinations Tuition Financial Aid & Other College Issues *
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas On Friday January 20 2012 Texas Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Raymund A. Paredes spoke to a group of news reporters via telephone conference call and addressed a number of hot topic college issues that have been in the media recently including the vaccine requirements for college students workforce training career and technical education tuition financial aid and other matters. The following is just a sampling of some of the comments Commissioner Paredes addressed:
Meningitis vaccinations. Dr. Paredes said his agency the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is monitoring whether a new requirement for all incoming students younger than 30 including those living off-campus is leading to a reduction in enrollment. The THECB is currently looking into reports of spot shortages of the vaccine as well as concerns that some low-income students might not be able to afford it. State health officials said in November 2011 that students are eligible to get the vaccine for free if they cannot pay for it.
Career and technical education. When commenting about this issue the commissioner said:
I dont know that we need more training in skilled trades in high schools. When commenting on this the commissioner was responding to a plea made the previous by Tom Pauken chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission for more of such training.
Every child should be provided a solid academic foundation Paredes said adding that workforce training increasingly is the domain of community and career colleges.
Financial aid. Nearly 60 percent of the states students in kindergarten to 12th grade are from low-income families Paredes said.
So we will push hard for increased funding for Texas Grants when the Legislature meets next year he said. Additionally the legislature last session cut the states main aid program by about 9 percent for the next two years. As a result 77300 students will receive the grant during the biennium down from 106000. One option Paredes said is to apply the money only to academic costs and not to room and board as well so more students can be served.
Emerging research universities.
Texas Tech is right at the front of the pack among schools striving to become tier one research institutions Paredes said. The commissioner didnt say whether any other emerging institutions were neck and neck with Tech. The commissioner also emphasized that its impossible to say when any school might achieve such national status. Paredes has said that it could take 20 to 40 years. Texas State University in San Marcos recently became the eighth public university in Texas to be classified by the coordinating board as an emerging research university making it eligible for additional state funding.
In-state tuition. Notwithstanding much discussion currently in the media by candidates for the Republican nomination for president Paredes said he hasnt heard anything suggesting that the current state law allowing children of undocumented immigrants to pay cheaper in-state tuition at public colleges and universities will be a major legislative issue in Texas next year. However he did say that the coordinating board is expected to tweak its rules next week to underscore students obligation to seek legal status as soon as its available to them.
I dont think students will need an incentive to do that he said
but we will make sure theyre aware of their obligation.
