Texas university chancellors pledge flat tuition for more funding

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As Texas lawmakers contemplate what to do with an unprecedented $32.7 billion state surplus, leaders of the state’s six largest public university methods are pitching that almost $1 billion be allotted towards larger schooling.

If lawmakers agree, these university chancellors pledge to carry tuition flat for all undergraduate college students for the subsequent two tutorial years.

In a letter despatched to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, Senate Finance Committee Chair Joan Huffman and House Finance Committee Chair Greg Bonnen in mid-December, the university chancellors requested for more general-revenue funding in addition to more funding for university worker medical insurance and this system that provides free school tuition to army veterans and their youngsters.

“Our education mission is funded almost entirely by two sources of funding: state support and student tuition and fees,” says the letter, which The Texas Tribune obtained Tuesday. “Without increased state support, Texas institutions must look to additional efficiencies and then tuition and fees to be able to continue to maintain high quality education. In order to hold tuition flat for our students and their families, Texas universities seek increased state investment.”

The letter is signed by six chancellors: James Milliken of the University of Texas System, John Sharp of the Texas A&M University System, Renu Khator of the University of Houston System, Michael R. Williams of the University of North Texas System, Tedd Mitchell of the Texas Tech University System and Brian McCall of the Texas State University System.

None of the Texas legislators who had been despatched the letter instantly responded to requests for remark.

In the letter, the chancellors argue that at the moment’s college students require more hands-on tutoring and advising, elevated psychological well being help and higher know-how providers at a time when “inflation, supply-chain delays, and skilled labor shortages” are creating challenges.

The chancellors requested a virtually 7% — $352 million — improve within the cash allotted via a funding method for instruction, university buildings and analysis, arguing the state wants to extend common funding past enrollment progress. Last legislative session, lawmakers added $380 million to the two-year state price range on the final second to completely fund for scholar enrollment progress.

Overall, through the last legislative session, state lawmakers put $486 million more into the funding formulation, which offer cash for numerous features inside public universities, health-related establishments and group schools, in contrast with the earlier session.

But funding per semester credit score hour, which the Legislature makes use of to find out how a lot cash a public university receives based mostly on the kind of class and enrollment, has continued to say no since 2008. Then, universities obtained $59.02 per weighted credit score hour. Last session, lawmakers accepted a $55.65 weighted credit score hour for the biennium.

Meanwhile, average semester tuition and fees for a full-time student at a public university elevated by 27% between 2014 and 2021, in keeping with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The chancellors additionally proposed that the state put $80 million in funding particularly towards regional universities, which embrace faculties corresponding to Texas A&M International University in Laredo and the University of Texas at Tyler in East Texas. Last legislative session, lawmakers created a program to place further funding towards the regional public universities and allotted a 12 months of federal funding towards these faculties. The chancellors say further funding would allow these faculties to assist at-risk college students full school.

The chancellors additionally renewed a constant request every session to get more state funding for the Hazlewood Legacy Program, which supplies free tuition for qualifying army veterans and their households.

According to the letter, universities waived $176.4 million in prices for qualifying veterans’ youngsters in 2021, however the state’s reimbursement coated solely 13% of that value. Chancellors argued that shifts the price of this system to different college students who’re paying tuition and signifies that even when the state supplies the identical quantity of funding as earlier bienniums, universities begin off each two years with a funding deficit.

They are asking the state to reimburse universities to cowl the prices of veterans’ dependents, an estimated $276 million.

Finally, the chancellors additionally ask the state to fund larger schooling worker medical insurance on the similar fee as different state workers, which might value an estimated $290 million. Currently, the state covers lower than 80% of the speed for state workers, in keeping with the letter.

The proposal detailed within the letter applies solely to universities, that are known as common tutorial establishments, and to not health-related establishments inside these methods. But the chancellors say those that have health-related establishments of their methods are additionally requesting comparable will increase within the funding formulation for these college.

Disclosure: Texas A&M International University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University System, Texas A&M University System, Texas State University System, University of Texas System, University of Houston and University of North Texas have been monetary supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Financial supporters play no position within the Tribune’s journalism. Find an entire list of them here.