By: Zaffirini S.C.R. No. 66 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, An informed, intelligent, and well-educated 1-2 citizenry is essential to the future growth and prosperity of our 1-3 state; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Programs of study should be designed to help those 1-5 who are unable to attend school during the day or unable to 1-6 relocate to a community offering higher education degree programs; 1-7 and 1-8 WHEREAS, There is widespread public support for the 1-9 development of alternatives to traditional programs for obtaining 1-10 higher education degrees; and 1-11 WHEREAS, It is the desire of leaders of the State of Texas to 1-12 prepare students for the 21st century through improved use of the 1-13 latest technological teaching tools; and 1-14 WHEREAS, There are at least 16 independent telecommunications 1-15 networks currently in use by Texas institutions of higher education 1-16 to offer courses; now, therefore, be it 1-17 RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas 1-18 hereby encourage institutions and systems of higher education to 1-19 continue and to expand efforts to utilize telecommunications 1-20 technologies to deliver courses and programs to Texans who need 1-21 them; and, be it further 1-22 RESOLVED, That the present university telecommunications 1-23 systems such as those of The University of Texas System, The Texas 2-1 A&M University System, University of Houston, Texas Tech 2-2 University, the participants in TAGER, and the community colleges 2-3 with telecommunications capability redouble their efforts to 2-4 provide innovative instruction and to link their systems for 2-5 sharing resources and increasing efficiency; and, be it further 2-6 RESOLVED, That the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 2-7 encourage the development of telecommunications partnerships which 2-8 would enhance educational opportunities at colleges, universities, 2-9 teacher training centers, health institutions, and business and 2-10 industrial centers; and, be it further 2-11 RESOLVED, That the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 2-12 encourage the development of instructional telecommunications 2-13 programs in traditionally underserved areas and populations and in 2-14 ways that support the Texas Educational Opportunity Plan for Higher 2-15 Education; and, be it further 2-16 RESOLVED, That the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 2-17 encourage the systematic use of telecommunications in higher 2-18 education in accordance with occupational shortages as defined by 2-19 state agencies, professional organizations, communities, and 2-20 others; and, be it further 2-21 RESOLVED, That by January 1, 1995, the Texas Higher Education 2-22 Coordinating Board provide a progress report to the 74th 2-23 Legislature on the use of telecommunications in higher education to 2-24 increase the availability of courses and to improve access to 2-25 educational programs for traditionally underserved areas and 3-1 populations.