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.