BREAKING NEWS: After a contentious conference committee and much behind-the-scenes, last-minute negotiations, the House on Monday concurred in Senate amendments to HB 1839. The Research Excellence Fund legislation (known within the UH System as the Tier One Bill) now goes to Gov. Perry for signature. Special thanks go to Sen. Rodney Ellis, Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, Sen. Robert Duncan, Rep. Garnet Coleman and Rep. Senfronia Thompson for their support.
| FY2001 | FY2002 | |
| UH | $5,533,185 | $6,651,584 |
| UHCL | 633,661 | 761,740 |
| UHD | 49,445 | 59,439 |
As predicted, this session of the Texas Legislature was particularly tense and contentious. While redistricting was not successfully addressed, it significantly impacted most other issues. Combined with a less robust state economy, higher education faced many challenges.
The Research Excellence Fund bill became the target of much passion and debate. Ultimately, the House concurred with Senate amendments to the bill. As it goes to the Governor for his signature, the bill contains two separate excellence funds: one for HEF schools and one for PUF schools.
Through the new Texas Excellence Fund, the University of Houston main campus will receive $12 million over the next biennium, UH-Clear Lake will receive $1.3 million, and UH-Downtown will receive over $100,000.
Additionally, the legislation contains a four-year sunset provision on the formulas, ensuring legislative review sometime during the next two sessions. HB 1839 also establishes a joint House/Senate interim study to review all issues and possible funding sources relating to research enhancement.
UH System universities also fared very well in the Appropriations Bill. It has been sent to Comptroller Rylander for certification before being forwarded to the Governor. The final tally cannot yet be firmly ascertained because the legislature authorized the Comptroller to reduce certain funds if she is unable to certify the bill as passed.
Following are some UH System highlights:
--UH received authorization for the largest tuition revenue bond project ($51 million) for a new science and engineering building, as well as increased funding for the Texas Learning and Computation Center, the Partnership for Public Schools, and the Small Business Development Center.
--Tuition revenue bonds for UHCL totaled $31 million and their formula funding increased by 15 %.
--UHD's bonds total $18 million. Their total appropriations increased by 7.9%.
--Three bond projects for UHV were approved in the amount of $2,805,000. UHV also will receive additional funding for the Small Business Development Center.
--UHCL, UHD and UHV each received additional funding for institutional enhancement.
The conference committee partially funded a pay raise for non-faculty employees. The raise amounts to 4% or $100, whichever is greater, in the first year. There is a contingency provision for a 3% or $65 raise in the second year of the biennium if funds are available. Universities will be expected to cover the unfunded portion of the raise.
Students across the state will benefit from increased funding for the Texas Grant program. Those grants will now be available for students from families with an income up to $50,000.
Bills to increase base tuition by $2 per hour per year and to increase law and graduate pharmacy to three times their base rate have been sent to the Governor.
The UH System owes a great deal of thanks to the Gulf Coast legislators, most particularly the members of the appropriations conference committee: Sen. Rodney Ellis and Reps. Garnet Coleman and Talmadge Heflin. And to Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff and House Speaker Pete Laney much applause for appointing a record number of members from our delegation to the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees. Along with the conferees, Sens. Jon Lindsay, John Whitmire, and Mike Jackson, and Reps. Jessica Farrar, Craig Eiland, Peggy Hamric, Scott Hochberg, Kyle Janek, and Sylvester Turner were great supporters on these important committees.
We cannot end this report without thanking all of those who have been involved with the legislative process this session. In particular, we would like to note the staff and administrators from the four UH System universities who took the time to prepare analyses of legislation. Your work was crucial to our successes in Austin.
A very special thanks also to CATS (Cougar Advocates for Texas), the Houston Alumni Organization-sponsored advocacy group, for leading the way in organizing support among the students, faculty, staff, and administrators of our four universities. UH System Day in Austin last February 20, coordinated by CATS, proved to be a great success, with a record number of UH System folks visiting the offices of senators and representatives to show their support for the Research Excellence Fund and other bills of interest to the UH System and higher education in general.
Gov. Perry has 20 days after the session ends to veto legislation submitted to him within the last 10 days of the session.
Once he has finally disposed of all legislation, we will prepare a final report.
Guidelines for Contacting Legislators
It's important that legislators hear from faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the UH System. But if you are a member of the faculty or staff (a state employee) wishing to contact your legislator, it's equally important to follow certain guidelines when you write or fax letters. Go to <http://www.uhsa.uh.edu/gov/process/letter_writing.html>. for letter-writing guidelines.
For information on governmental relations policies, go to <http://www.uhsa.uh.edu/gov/policies/lobbying.html>.
To find the names and addresses of U.S. Senators and Congressmen/women, go to <http://www.usfronline.com/congress.htm>
To find the names and addresses of Texas Senators and Representatives, go to <http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members.htm>, or <http://www.house.state.tx.us/house/byzip.htm>.