Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on S/C on Higher Education
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1055 by Zaffirini (Relating to establishing a commission to study and report on the projected need for faculty at public and private institutions of higher education.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill establishes a Commission to conduct a study of the need for faculty at public and private institutions of higher education in this state as projected through the end of the 2026-2027 academic year. The Commission is composed of nine members as follows: a representative appointed by the Commissioner of Higher Education from the Coordinating Board, a general academic teaching institution, a medical and dental unit (health institution), a private or independent institution of higher education, and a public junior college; three persons with expertise concerning higher education appointed one each by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker; and the state demographer. Expenses of the commission are paid in equal amounts from accounts of the senate and house, or as otherwise agreed to by the lieutenant governor and speaker.
The bill provides a number of issues for study, including the number of new faculty members needed to achieve the goals of Closing the Gaps, the number of qualified persons available to serve as faculty members and the demand for those services, the effects of faculty retirements on the number of qualified persons available, the academic disciplines likely to have the greatest need for new faculty, the capacity of public and private institutions of higher education to prepare persons who are qualified to serve as faculty members, methods to increase the capacity to meet the need for new faculty, and any other matter the Commission determines may affect the state's need for new faculty. The Commission is required to prepare a report based on the study and submit the report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker, and Coordinating Board by September 1, 2008.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 783 University of Houston System Administration