MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
Monday, March 24, 2003
3:00 p.m. or upon adjournment
Capitol Extension, Room E1.016
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Nominations
was held on Monday, March 24, 2003, in the Capitol Extension,
Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jon Lindsay Senator Chris Harris
Senator Bob Deuell
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator John Carona
Senator Juan Hinojosa
Senator Mike Jackson
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
The Chair called on the nominees from the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board: Neal Adams, Jerry Farrington, Lorraine
Perryman, Curtis Ransom and Windy Sitton.
The Chair introduced Senator Nelson, who introduced Neil Adams
with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, she also
introduced Kenneth Ingram with the Texas Woman's University
Board of Regents.
The Chair recognized Senator Shapiro, who introduced Curtis
Ransom, Jerry Farrington, Lorraine Perryman and Windy Sitton
with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. She also
introduced Harry Crumpacker II with the Texas Woman's University
Board of Regents.
The Chair introduced Senator Wentworth, who introduced Raul
Gonzalez with the University of Houston System Board of Regents
and Allen William Dreeben with the Texas State University System
Board of Regents.
Jerry Farrington, with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board, gave his opening statements.
The Chair introduced Senator Averitt, who introduced Barbara
Rusling with the Texas State Technical College System Board of
Regents.
The nominees with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
gave their opening remarks.
The Chair introduced Senator Armbrister, who introduced Don
Elliott with the Texas State Technical College System.
The Chair introduced Senator Williams, who introduced Kent Adams
with the Texas State University Board of Regents.
The Chair introduced Senator Whitmire, who introduced Victoria
Hodge Lightman with the Texas Commission on the Arts.
The Chair introduced Senator Lucio, who introduced Loren
McKibbens with the Texas Commission of the Arts, and C. De la
Garza with the Texas State Technical College System Board of
Regents.
The Chair introduced Senator Estes, who introduced Midwestern
State University Board of Regents nominees Patricia Ann Haywood
and Don Ross Malone. He also introduced W.C. Abernathy with the
Texas Commission of the Arts.
The Chair introduced Senator Ellis, who introduced University of
Texas Board of Regent, Hubbard Scott Caven and Mike Cemo with
the University of Houston System Board of Regents.
Senator Lindsay introduced Senator Duncan, who introduced Windy
Sitton with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and
Pollyanna Stephens with the Texas State University Board of
Regents.
At 4:10p.m., a quorum was present.
At 4:10 p.m., without objection, the motioned carried to adopt
the minutes from the previous meeting.
With introductions complete, the Chair questioned the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding budget and
scholarships issues and Senator Hinojosa suggested that a study
needs to be done on the number of seats in Texas medical schools
required to meet the needs of the state. Senator Barrientos
questioned scholarships, tuition deregulation, and the ethnic
breakdown of employees.
The Chair introduced Senator Bivins, who introduced Lorraine
Perryman with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
There being no other questions, the nominees were confirmed with
a vote of 5 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Deuell asked to be shown
voting aye.
Chairman Lindsay introduced Senator Carona, who introduced
Robert A. Estrada with the University of Texas System Board of
Regents. Chairman Lindsay introduced James Huffines.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents nominees gave
their opening remarks.
Senator Hinojosa questioned the University's tuition rates and
voiced his concern that the middle class could be priced out if
deregulation was permitted. The nominees responded that there
were a number of programs for the middle class regarding
flexible tuition. Senator Barrientos asked if each supported
deregulation; Estrada and Caven said yes and Huffines supported
"tuition flexibility." Senator Barrientos questioned the top
ten percent rule and graduate programs. Senator Barrientos also
discussed putting a student on the Board of Regents. Senator
Lindsay questioned the research work of the university and ways
of improving it.
There being no other questions the nominees were confirmed with
a vote of 6 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Carona and Jackson asked
to be shown voting aye.
The Chair called the Midwestern State University Board of
Regents nominees, Patricia Haywood and Don Malone. Senator
Hinojosa questioned population.
The Chair announced that the consideration of the nominees would
be left pending awaiting the arrival of a quorum.
The Chair introduced the nominees with the Texas State Technical
College System, C. De la Garza, Don Elliott, Michael Northcutt,
Jerilyn Pfeifer, and Barbara Rusling. They gave their opening
remarks. Senator Hinojosa gave accolades.
The Chair announced that the consideration of the nominees would
be left pending awaiting the arrival of a quorum.
The Chair introduced the Texas State University System Board of
Regents nominees, Kent Adams, Alan Dreeben and Pollyanna
Stephens. Senator Hinojosa questioned the main location of
their campus. There being no other questions, the Chair
announced that the consideration of the nominees would be left
pending awaiting the arrival of a quorum.
The Chair introduced the University of Houston System Board of
Regents: Michael Cemo, Raul Gonzalez and Leroy Hermes. They
gave their opening remarks. Senator Lindsay questioned their
ability to become a Tier One school.
There being no other questions, the Chair announced that the
consideration of the nominees would be left pending awaiting the
arrival of a quorum.
There being a quorum present, the Chair asked that the nominees
from Midwestern State University Board of Regents, The Texas
State Technical College System Board of Regents, the Texas State
University Board of Regents and the University of Houston Board
of Regents be sent to the full Senate. With a vote of 6 ayes and
0 nays, the nominees were confirmed. Senators Carona and
Jackson asked to be shown voting aye.
The Chair introduced Texas Woman's University Board of Regents
nominees, Kenneth Ingram, Tegwin Pulley and Harry Crumpacker II.
Senator Deuell questioned the future of nursing school
expansion. There being no other questions, the Chair requested
that the nominees be sent to the full Senate. The nominees were
confirmed with 6 ayes and 0 nays. Senators Barrientos and
Carona asked to be shown voting aye.
The Chair introduced the nominees with the Texas Commission on
the Arts, W.C. Abernathy, Alphonse Dotson, Victoria Lightman,
Loren McKibbens, Maria Ramirez, and Mildred Witte. They each
gave their opening remarks.
There being no questions the nominees were passed to the full
Senate with a vote of 6 ayes and 0 nays with Senator Barrientos,
and Senator Carona asked to be shown voting aye.
The Chair read a witness card registering neutral for the
nominees to the Texas State Technical College System Board of
Regents.
The Chair asked that the nominees with the Texas School Safety
Center Board of Directors and the School Land Board be passed to
the full Senate; there being no objections the nominees were
passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Carona asked to be shown
voting aye.
There being no other business at 6:15p.m., Chairman Lindsay
announced the committee would stand in recess subject to the
call of the chair. There being no objections, the committee
recessed.
_______________________________
Senator Jon Lindsay, Chairman
_______________________________
Tanya Tillman, Committee Clerk