Last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released a preliminary indictment, outlining items Patrick plans to ask senators to consider in preparation for the next legislative session. In the last edition of the Hotline, Texas AFT identified each preliminary charge affecting K-12 public education. This week, we take a deep dive into the seven interim charges that impact higher education announced by the Lieutenant Governor.
In his first interim appointment to the Senate Higher Education Subcommittee, Patrick revealed much about his intentions for higher education in the upcoming Congress. He directed the committee to “consider and analyze the structure and governance of higher education, with a focus on the role of the 'Faculty Senate.'” The Faculty Senate is the governing body of many institutions of higher education across the country and represents the voice of faculty in university governance. And university. This often includes having a say in personnel decisions, selecting administrators, creating budgets, and determining educational policy.
Shared governance through a Faculty Senate or similar body is a core tenet of academic freedom, as outlined by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which is affiliated with AFT. The fact that Patrick, who has blatantly ignored the importance of academic freedom through repeated attacks on higher education in the last Congress, is now directing the Senate to “recommend establishing guidelines” regarding the Faculty Senate. , does not bode well for the survival of these important educational institutions. institution.
Patrick also directed the Senate to reconsider two controversial bills passed in the last Congress: Senate Bill 17 and Senate Bill 18. SB17, which bans DEI initiatives at public higher education institutions, was passed along party lines during the last regular legislative session. Year. The bill became fully effective in January of this year. In just a few months, the university has eliminated critical student services programs, fired employees who previously held DEI-related positions, and generally over-complied with vaguely written laws. we have seen.
Sen. Brandon Clayton (R-Conroe), author of SB 17 and chairman of the higher education subcommittee, recently threatened to take action if schools do not fully adhere to his vision for SB 17. sent a letter. Creighton called out the university system. The school plans to send representatives to a public hearing in Austin in May to discuss how to prevent diversity, equity and inclusion programs from happening on campus. It is unclear whether this hearing is connected to the preliminary indictment or independent.
While it is common for Congress to consider enacting sweeping legislation like SB18, which would reduce faculty tenure protections in higher education institutions, Patrick's focus on this issue is concerning. That's true. Last session, Patrick's Senate passed a version of SB18 that would completely eliminate faculty tenure at most public institutions in Texas. But the version of SB 18 that passed the House and ultimately became law was significantly reduced. Patrick said at the end of last session that he had no intention of reviving the original version of SB 18, but the fact that he is turning his focus back to the issue does not bode well.
Patrick also directed the subcommittee to consider implementing House Bill 8, a proposal to restructure the state's community college financing system. Although it received little political attention in the last Congress, HB 8 by Rep. Gary Van Deever (R-New Boston) is a significant investment in Texas' community college system, with 50 of the state's Dedicated more than $680 million to the community college system. As previously noted on the Hotline, Austin Community Colleges and Universities like his college are leveraging this generational investment to make college tuition more affordable so students can meet the state's growing workforce needs. It's price.
Echoing a similar call from Gov. Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick added interim responsibility for reviewing policies to prevent anti-Semitism on college campuses. Like Greg Abbott's letter, Patrick's accusations were intended, at least in part, to target student organizations that support a Palestinian state. In this regard, Mr. Patrick also included preliminary charges to investigate the protection of free speech for students, faculty and staff. The Texas AAUP-AFT issued a statement earlier this month rescinding the governor's order “to protect the right of faculty and students to speak on any topic of public or political interest without fear of intimidation, reprisal, or punishment.” I asked. ”
Finally, Patrick included a mandate to “explore the opportunities and challenges of emerging technologies in teaching and learning, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), online education, and digital resources.” The indictment specifically directs the commission to “investigate intellectual property aspects.” With the spread of AI, intellectual property rights have become an important issue. Especially in academia, legislators have an obligation to balance opportunities for innovation with respect for individual contributors.