By Wise                                                H.R. No. 318
         77R7086 MJS-F                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) program
 1-2     celebrates its 30th anniversary of service to the citizens of Texas
 1-3     during the 77th Legislative Session; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, The program was created "to provide the maximum
 1-5     possible utilization of existing educational resources and
 1-6     facilities . . . both public and private," thereby promoting a
 1-7     diversity of educational opportunities and greater accessibility to
 1-8     the campuses of independent colleges and universities; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, The TEG program has achieved remarkable success in
1-10     pursuing its mission, and the 500,000th TEG program grant will be
1-11     made during the 77th Legislative Session; and
1-12           WHEREAS, The program has been of incalculable value to grant
1-13     recipients because of the need-based financial assistance it
1-14     provides to low-income and moderate-income students whose average
1-15     family income is less than $30,000 per year; and
1-16           WHEREAS, The TEG program helps to bridge the tuition gap
1-17     between independent and public institutions and to guarantee that
1-18     every Texas student has the opportunity to attend the college of
1-19     his or her choice regardless of financial background; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Each year the program helps more than 25,000
1-21     students, more than 43 percent of whom are minority students, to
1-22     meet their educational expenses at one of more than 40 independent
1-23     institutions and to undertake studies ranging from doctoral
1-24     programs at major research universities to basic junior college
 2-1     studies; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, The legislation creating the TEG program was drafted
 2-3     for its sponsor, Representative Lynn Nabers, by a member of his
 2-4     staff, Gary Price, and was cosponsored by Representative Grant
 2-5     Jones in the Texas House of Representatives and carried by Senator
 2-6     Jack Hightower in the Texas Senate during the 61st Legislature,
 2-7     when it was not passed; it was subsequently filed by Representative
 2-8     Menton Murray and Senator J. P. Word and Senator Ralph Hall during
 2-9     the 62nd Legislature, when it was passed with the support and
2-10     leadership of Speaker Gus Mutscher and Lieutenant Governor Ben
2-11     Barnes and was signed into law by Governor Preston Smith; and
2-12           WHEREAS, In 1970 a young employee of Abilene Christian
2-13     University, Dr. Robert Hunter, became the executive secretary of
2-14     Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas, Inc., and organized
2-15     the association's member presidents, faculty, staff, students,
2-16     alumni, and trustees to persuade the 62nd Legislature to pass the
2-17     TEG legislation; in 1986, he became a member of the legislature,
2-18     where he still serves his community and state; and
2-19           WHEREAS, In 1981, the Honorable Bruce Gibson, a graduate of
2-20     Texas Christian University, became the first TEG recipient to be
2-21     elected to the Texas House of Representatives; he was joined there
2-22     in 1991 by fellow TEG recipients Representative Curtis Soileau,
2-23     Representative Tom Cate, and Representative Robert Puente, who
2-24     graduated from the South Texas College of Law, Texas Lutheran
2-25     University, and St. Mary's University, respectively; and
2-26           WHEREAS, Eight members of the 77th Legislature, including
2-27     Representative Jose Menendez and Representative Todd Smith, who
 3-1     received degrees from Southern Methodist University; Representative
 3-2     Joe Nixon, Representative Robert Puente, Representative Arthur
 3-3     Reyna, Representative Carlos Uresti, and Representative Miguel
 3-4     Wise, who received degrees from St. Mary's University; and
 3-5     Representative Ignacio Salinas, who graduated from the University
 3-6     of Dallas, received TEG program grants to attend college; and
 3-7           WHEREAS, It is fitting that all the members of the Texas
 3-8     House of Representatives join with their distinguished colleagues
 3-9     who received a TEG in celebrating the great success of this
3-10     outstanding program; now, therefore, be it
3-11           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
3-12     Legislature recognize the 30th anniversary of the Tuition
3-13     Equalization Grant program and commend those former members of the
3-14     Texas Legislature and their staffs who had the foresight to create
3-15     the program and the legislative skill to ensure its success; and,
3-16     be it further
3-17           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-18     prepared for each sponsor of the Tuition Equalization Grant
3-19     legislation and for Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas,
3-20     Inc., for distribution to the colleges and universities
3-21     participating in the program as an expression of high regard by the
3-22     Texas House of Representatives.