By Turner of Coleman H.C.R. No. 215
74R10416 JLZ-D
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, As the pace of technological advances quickens and
1-2 local economies become increasingly dependent on a technically
1-3 sophisticated workforce, the state of postsecondary technical
1-4 education becomes an issue of growing importance to the
1-5 continuation of Texas' economic well-being; and
1-6 WHEREAS, An extensive body of literature on the subject
1-7 reveals that education and training are clearly connected to
1-8 economic performance, both of the individual worker and of society
1-9 as a whole, and in an increasingly technology-driven workplace,
1-10 there must be a corresponding increase in emphasis on technical
1-11 training; and
1-12 WHEREAS, A 1990 study entitled Workforce 2000, which surveyed
1-13 more than 600 companies nationwide, revealed a disturbing
1-14 perception among those employers that "technical employees are, and
1-15 will continue to be, the most difficult to recruit" and that
1-16 "demand for them is expected to be so great that they will be able
1-17 to name their own salaries and the conditions of their employment";
1-18 and
1-19 WHEREAS, Despite this anticipated shortage of qualified
1-20 workers in technical fields, the State of Texas has limited
1-21 resources with which to fully fund the postsecondary technical
1-22 education and training that will be required to maintain the
1-23 state's economic competitiveness and ability to respond quickly to
1-24 rapid changes in the global marketplace; and
2-1 WHEREAS, Given these limited resources, it is imperative that
2-2 the state establish funding priorities for various technical
2-3 education programs on the basis of the state's need for highly
2-4 trained graduates to enter the workforce, the relative economic
2-5 contributions of various technologies, and the student demand for
2-6 technical education programs; and
2-7 WHEREAS, To maximize the state's return on its investment,
2-8 high-cost technical education programs ideally should be offered at
2-9 a limited number of sites that can accommodate and are accessible
2-10 to the largest number of students from all parts of the state, and
2-11 the offerings of technical courses statewide should be coordinated
2-12 in such a manner as to create an effective statewide delivery
2-13 system that will be of optimal benefit to the state; and
2-14 WHEREAS, To achieve such a system requires a thorough
2-15 assessment of the current state of technical education offered by
2-16 postsecondary institutions as well as an analysis of projected
2-17 needs and planning to meet those needs; now, therefore, be it
2-18 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-19 hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
2-20 of representatives to create a joint interim committee to study the
2-21 state of postsecondary technical education in Texas; and, be it
2-22 further
2-23 RESOLVED, That the committee be composed of five members of
2-24 the house of representatives appointed by the speaker, five members
2-25 of the senate appointed by the lieutenant governor, and five
2-26 citizen members appointed by the governor, which members shall be
2-27 knowledgeable in the field of technical education or representative
3-1 of business and industry in the state; and, be it further
3-2 RESOLVED, That the committee's charge include, but not be
3-3 limited to, a determination of the following:
3-4 (1) the efficiency and effectiveness of current
3-5 technical education programs in producing qualified graduates for
3-6 the workforce;
3-7 (2) the appropriateness of the current delivery system
3-8 in meeting local and statewide needs of business and industry for
3-9 technical education graduates;
3-10 (3) the value of various categories of programs to the
3-11 economic vitality of the state;
3-12 (4) the extent of unnecessary duplication in program
3-13 offerings, the elimination of which would improve the efficiency
3-14 and effectiveness of technical education in the state;
3-15 (5) a clear distinction in the role and mission of the
3-16 Texas State Technical College System and of the local community
3-17 colleges;
3-18 (6) the adequacy of funding for technical education,
3-19 including a determination of any funding inequities that may exist
3-20 among the various providers of postsecondary technical education;
3-21 (7) the appropriateness of integrating academic and
3-22 technical education as recommended by national studies; and
3-23 (8) the degree to which technical programs are being
3-24 used as a form of continuing education and whether such continuing
3-25 education activities should be funded at the same rates as programs
3-26 dedicated to producing graduates for the workforce; and, be it
3-27 further
4-1 RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operation be
4-2 governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim
4-3 committees as the 74th Legislature may adopt and that such rules
4-4 and policies supersede the provisions of this resolution to the
4-5 extent of any conflict; and, be it further
4-6 RESOLVED, That the committee submit its report, including
4-7 findings and recommendations, to the Texas Legislature not later
4-8 than August 31, 1996.