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.