MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
Monday, April 11, 2005
2:00 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, April 11, 2005, in the Capitol Extension,
Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jon Lindsay Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Bob Deuell
Senator Eddie Lucio
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Kevin Eltife
Senator Jane Nelson
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. without a
quorum present, and the following business was transacted:
Chairman Lindsay explained that the introductions would be made
by the Senators as they became available and asked that the
nominees make a few brief remarks about themselves.
Chairman Lindsay asked the nominees to the Texas Tech University
System Board of Regents to come forward and told the committee
that Senator Troy Fraser apologized for not being able to
introduce Scott Deuser but wanted the committee to know Deuser
was a good guy.
The Chair recognized Senator Robert Duncan to introduce Mark
Griffin and Windy Sitton. Duncan made very complimentary remarks
about both his constituents.
Dan Serna and Larry Anders briefly introduced themselves.
Chairman Lindsay recognized Senator Florence Shapiro who entered
the hearing room to say a few words on behalf of her constituent
Larry Anders. Senator Duncan recognized Mark griffin's wife
Claudia and daughter Lauren. Dr. Bob Stafford, Frank Miller and
Rick Francis followed with self-introductions.
Chairman Lindsay announced that he had no questions for the
panel, then recognized Senator Barrientos. Barrientos said there
are problems in education and asked for their thoughts on
possible solutions. Francis said that as regents, they will work
in partnership moving toward the goals but believed they still
needed to consider full formula funding. Windy Sitton added
that, at Texas Tech, they also need research dollars to become a
Tier One institution.
The Chair recognized Senator Kel Seliger to introduce Dr.
Stafford and Senator Eliot Shapleigh to introduce Rick Francis.
Chairman Lindsay again recognized Barrientos who agreed we need
more top tier institutions and asked for ideas to make it
better. Mark Griffin told the committee that, speaking from a
public school standpoint, he felt that there are three main
goals at the Tech system: commitment to make tuition more
affordable, importance of research dollars and, because of their
location and commitment to rural areas, the ability to take
education to the people if the people cannot come to them.
Griffin also said that deregulation might price the middle class
families out of a college education for their children.
Barrientos commended Griffin on his answer and said he had voted
against deregulation and would vote against it again if
necessary.
Chairman Lindsay excused Francis and Miller from the hearing
then recognized Barrientos. Barrientos continued delving into
tuition deregulation. Stafford remarked that tuition dollars
must come from somewhere and that formula funding is important
because the average annual income of Tech students is around
$60,000 compared to over $100,000 for UT and A & M.
Anders echoed Stafford, then added that he recognized the
dangerous pattern of tuition deregulation but for the short-term
it was the only way to overcome deficits. He told the committee
that they had reluctantly just raised tuition by 4.9% and
stressed that they must look at other means of funding.
The Chair recognized Dan Serna who gave the perspective that
financing is a partnership and in order to compete for the best
and brightest, we need to develop cooperative and collaborative
cross-systems to entice federal and corporate funding.
Chairman Lindsay recognized Barrientos who asked Serna about
minority representation at Tech. Serna said Tech has a minority
percentage of 15-16% and that an aggressive attempt was being
made to mirror the population of the state. Barrientos asked the
panel how the minority figure breaks down, citing a study saying
that Texas Tech has the largest percentage of white students of
any school in Texas. Stafford replied that they were on an
upward trend making small strides in the right direction.
Barrientos asked for their thoughts on the top 10% law. Deuser
said the top 10% rule has been very positive for them. Anders
added that it has been beneficial to Tech but that a more
wholistic approach needs to be taken. Serna came back with the
minority percentage figure of 16.5% or 4600 students. Of those,
3000 are Hispanic. Barrientos asked Serna to research and report
back to the committee office the number of Texan Hispanic.
At 4:41 p.m., Chairman Lindsay announced that a quorum was
present. Roll was called and at 4:42 p.m., the minutes from the
previous meeting were adopted.
Chairman Lindsay recognized Senator Nelson who spoke highly
about Serna and thanked all the nominees for their service.
The Chair recognized Senator Barrientos who questioned the
regents on the salary figures for the Texas Tech football and
basketball coaches and cautioned them to look at these salaries
to see what is important at Tech.
Serna offered information about the ethnic breakdown of the
employee figures at Tech- out of roughly 10,400 FTEs, 24% are
Hispanic, 3.5% are African American and 5% are of other origin.
Barrientos said that in order to have top tier education, we
have to put out the dollars.
Chairman Lindsay asked the panel how many hours they considered
for flat rate tuition which is 15. Lindsay asked what percentage
of out- of- state students are enrolled at Tech. Stafford
answered 11%., noting a tuition arrangement that the university
has with New Mexico counties adjoining Texas.
Lindsay commented to the committee that the top 10% rule affects
different universities in different ways. Deuser echoed the
benefits to Texas Tech in terms of getting higher level
students; Sitton added that the rule also helps attract a more
diverse group of students.
Vice-chairman Deuell moved that a vote be taken on the nominees
to the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. At 4:51
p.m., the committee voted by 7 ayes to 0 nays to recommend them
to the full Senate for confirmation.
Chairman Lindsay informed the committee that Terissa Johnson, a
nominee to the State Board of Barber Examiners had a prior
commitment and could not appear at the hearing. Barrientos
requested Ms. Johnson to appear at the earliest convenience.
Chairman Lindsay recognized Senator Eltife to introduce his
constituent and nominee to the State Board of Barber Examiners,
Mary Lou Daughtrey. Lindsay told the committee that Senator
Janek had sent his best to the next board nominee, James
Dickerson, then proceeded with questions regarding the duties of
the Barber Examiners. Dickerson said the protection of the
public's health and safety as well as compliance with sanitation
laws and license requirements were the main concerns of the
board.
The Chair recognized Barrientos who asked about their thoughts
concerning the merging of the barber and cosmetology boards and
whether they had received any negative comments on the merger
and subsequent placement under the umbrella of the Texas
Departmant of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Dickerson said
that they had not received any negative feedback and that the
TDLR could possibly be able to give the exams in other cities
besides Austin.
Barrientos quizzed Daughtrey on the number of barber licensees
in Texas and she answered 13,000. Daughtrey was then asked for
the number of licenses pulled in the last 20 years to which she
replied that there were approximately 400 violations per year
but could not give actual number of licenses pulled. She said
she would provide that information to the committee. Barrientos
asked Dickerson what the charge is for a barber license.
Dickerson was not quite sure but was provided the correct figure
of $96 by Glenn Parker, Executive Director of the State Board of
Barber Examiners. Dickerson noted that their biggest problem was
with people operating without a license which accounts for about
80-90% of the 400 yearly violations. Daughtrey told the
committee that their budget was $614,676 and Dickerson informed
the committee that their thirteen employees were very deserving
of a pay raise.
There being no quorum present and no further business, at 5:07
p.m., Chairman Lindsay announced that the vote would be taken at
his desk on Tuesday and moved that the Committee stand recessed
subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so
ordered.
_____________________________
Senator Jon Lindsay, Chair
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Jazen Wood, Clerk