See full interview of Alex Cranberg with Aaron Harbor by clicking here.
Alex Cranberg at CERAWeek Leave a comment
Why UT-Austin Shouldn’t Raise Its Tuition 1 comment
Guest Column: Why UT-Austin Shouldn’t Raise Its Tuition
University of Texas System Regent, Alex Cranberg
The University of Texas System is an extraordinary institution. It educates more than 200,000 students, mostly from Texas, and it conducts an enormous amount of groundbreaking research. The cumulative impact of the education of young people and the research output of the thousands of brilliant faculty is prodigious and valuable. I could not be prouder of the University of Texas diploma on my wall, representing as it does not only knowledge and thinking skills gained but also the symbol of the four joyous and challenging years I spent growing as a person and learning about myself and others. What a gift the founders of Texas gave our state in establishing “a University of the first class.” It is a special privilege for me to serve on my university system‘s board of regents (although the views expressed here are mine personally and not necessarily those of other board members).
Over the 35 years since I graduated, many measures of the quality of UT-Austin have grown dramatically. But tuition has also increased — by more than 80 percent over just the past eight years. I am forever grateful to the university and to the state of Texas for giving me the opportunity to be able to pay my own way through school and graduate almost debt free. Today’s students are not typically so lucky.
It is fashionable to blame higher tuition on legislative tight-fistedness, but the facts simply do not support that charge. Nationally, state support for higher education has roughly kept pace with general inflation over the past 20 years. Some pushing for higher student tuition tend to point out that state support of higher education has dropped substantially as a share of total revenues. That is true, but only because educational costs have increased much faster than inflation and federally funded research budgets have grown substantially, making state support naturally account for a much smaller portion of the entire budget.
At UT-Austin, generous philanthropists and state-granted lands have endowed the university with extraordinary additional pillars of support that other institutions could only dream about. Even intercollegiate athletics, often a loss-maker, provide meaningful support for academic programs. Finally, a little-noticed change in the admissions practice at UT-Austin is shifting many slots previously allocated to Texas residents, who pay $10,000 per year, to nonresidents, who pay $33,000 per year.
During the past 10 years, after inflation, investment income and university funds available for operations (i.e., over and above capital expenditures) have grown by $2,100 per student. State support has dropped by only $1,300 per student, partly due to nonresident students not being subsidized by the state. Roughly two-thirds of state funding cuts are either tied to or offset by increased nonresident tuition. The $3,300-per-year tuition increase families are already paying is simply not justified by reductions in state support — and nor is possibility of further increases.
The public is told by some that holding the line on tuition will imperil much-needed student programs, hold back research or result in a “dumbing down” of the university. The actual data demonstrate that this is a fundamentally misleading position. Instructional revenues are going up, even without tuition increases. State funding cuts are frequently cited by those asking for more money from students — despite the negative consequences of even higher tuition on student access. Yes, there are plenty of students willing to pay the tuition at UT even if it increased further. But is that what the founders of Texas had in mind for their “University of the first class”? The Texas Constitution does not famously promise its citizens a “University of the upper class.”
We can earn financial support from other parts of society than students facing an uncertain job market. We can enhance learning productivity, better reward our faculty and have an even bigger positive influence on the world by harnessing technology even more innovatively than we do now. We do not need to increase tuition.
It is a competitive world. I love the University of Texas too much to see others take the lead. I expect the Texas Legislature, the University of Texas System and our many dedicated, inspired faculty, staff and administrators will continue to work together to find ways actually to cut students’ outlay and increase quality of learning so that UT students may be even more blessed by the UT opportunity than I have been.
Alex Cranberg sits on the University of Texas System Board of Regents.
Related articles
- UT System approves salary incentives (mysanantonio.com)
- Students debt worries increasing – Confused.com (confused.com)
- UC supports University of Texas in admissions case (universityofcalifornia.edu)
- University of North Texas regents could combine medical, academic schools (statesman.com)
- Student subsidies of classmates’ tuition add to anger over rising college costs (usnews.nbcnews.com)
Impact that school choice has on a child Leave a comment
ACE is thrilled to premier this motion graphic video that shows the impact that school choice has on a child, and on our entire community.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush keynotes ACE Scholarships luncheon in Denver Leave a comment
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told an audience of 1,700 Denver business and civic leaders on Tuesday that a failing educational system puts the United States at risk of becoming a nation in decline.
Speaking at the spring luncheon of ACE Scholarships at the Hyatt Convention Center, Bush said the path to fixing the systems is more parental engagement, higher educational standards, better accountability, customized learning, reform of the teaching profession and empowering people with school choice.
“In schooling, the most important thing we ought to be doing is providing choice,” he said.
Regent Alex Cranberg in his commencement address – UTPB Leave a comment
“What a great Mother’s Day gift,” said Regent Alex Cranberg in his commencement address, “a college degree that will transform lives.”
UTPB held Spring Commencement at 9 a.m., Saturday, May 12, 2012. 339 graduates received their diplomas in a ceremony that was outside in the grassy quad area between the Mesa, Science and Tech, Student Activities and Library Buildings.
U.T. System Regent Alex M. Cranberg gave the commencement address. Regent Cranberg was appointed to a six-year term on the University of Texas System Board of Regents by Governor Rick Perry in February 2011. Mr. Cranberg has been active in education philanthropy, governance and policy advocacy.
In his commencement address, Regent Cranberg noted the population of those graduating from UTPB: 82% were transfer students, 62% were first generation college graduates, 70% were students from outside of the Permian Basin, 45% were hispanic and the age range of those graduating was between 20-65 years.
“Persistence and perseverance are the building blocks of earning a degree,” added Regent Cranberg, “Now is the hard part – going out in the world. Now is your moment to dream big…What starts here at UTPB changes the world.”
The Spanish convocation followed in the Multipurpose Room of the Student Union and honors graduates from Spanish speaking families.
Related articles
- $10K degree at UTPB first in Texas (timesoftexas.com)
- Texas makes progress in higher education accessibility (mysanantonio.com)
- The UT System Board of Regents makes tuition increase decisions – Daily Texan (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
The UT System Board of Regents makes tuition increase decisions – Daily Texan Leave a comment
UT System Board of Regents member Alex M. Cranberg and Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Scott C. Kelley applaud during the meeting.
Rebecca Howeth | Daily Texan Staff
By Liz Farmer
In an unprecedented decision, the UT System Board of Regents declined part of the University’s recommendation to increase tuition at a meeting Thursday, but did not do so for any other UT System institution. The regents froze tuition for in-state undergraduates for the next two academic years and raised tuition for all other students.
This concluded the second day of one of the six regular meetings that occur each year and is the latest the regents have set tuition since 2004. The regents approved a 2.1 percent increase for out-of-state undergraduates, instead of the proposed 2.6 percent increase, for the next two academic years. The regents approved a 3.6 percent increase for graduate students that followed President William Powers’ recommendation, but only for one year. In the plan, the University will still receive funds that the proposed 2.6 percent increase for in-state undergraduates would have generated. Regents Chairman Eugene Powell said the gap will be made up with funds from the Available University Fund, the investment income from West Texas oil lands that are managed by the UT System.
The University is the only UT institution that can use the AUF funds in this way, according to UT System Board of Regents press release. The endowment will provide an additional $6.6 million for each of the next two academic years. Powell said the University should not count on the funds for more than two years because they may not be available at that point.
The regents did not follow Powers’ recommendation to increase in-state undergraduate tuition by 2.6 percent each year for the next two academic years, and both out-of-state students and graduate students would have faced a 3.6 percent tuition increase each year for the next two academic years. The email Powers sent out yesterday inaccurately referenced the recommendations Powers proposed for out-of-state undergraduates in December.
Powers said the AUF funds will help to some degree, but it is not a recurring source of revenue like the revenue generated by tuition. He said recurring revenue is necessary to establish and maintain programs that the UT System desires.
“Every penny of it is needed and would be put towards student success,” Powers said. “I am disappointed that our very thoughtful proposal was not adopted. It was very carefully worked out in consultation with students.”
Powell commended programs aligned with UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa’s Framework for Excellence Action Plan that debuted Aug. 25, 2011, which aims to increase productivity and efficiency. However, he said the tuition rates that were approved will provide a bridge between implementing the programs and the cost savings that the programs will eventually produce.
“This has not been an easy process, but we want to continue our responsibility to have the finest institutions in America,” Powell said.
Powell said setting tuition rates is a delicate balancing act and a tremendous number of compromises were weighed and balanced in order to maintain tier-one research status and control affordability.
Printed on Friday, May 4, 2012 as: Regents decline tuition proposal
Related articles
- Regents freeze in-state tuition, fees for two years at UT (statesman.com)
- Partial tuition freeze a relief to some UT students, parents (kens5.com)
- Regents freeze in-state tuition, fees at UT for two years (timesoftexas.com)
- As UT, A&M Regents Meet the Week, Governor Eyes Tuition (timesoftexas.com)
- Texas regents reject tuition increase for Austin (click2houston.com)
- $10K degree at UTPB first in Texas (timesoftexas.com)
There is a deepening crisis in the United States. Leave a comment
Half of African-American and Hispanic children drop out of high school. Of those who graduate, many read at a middle school level, and few are ready for college. Our poor, inner-city children are not receiving the education they need to become successful contributors to society.
Without a diploma these children are as likely to go to prison, as they are to go to college. The promise of the American Dream – “a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement,” according to James Truslow Adams – is just that for these children: a dream.
We can fix this crisis. But first, we must truly understand the extent of the problem.
See more from ACE Scholarships: http://www.acescholarships.org/the-facts
We need to encourage and reward performance Leave a comment
“We need to encourage and reward performance,” regent Alex Cranberg said.
As noted in the Texas Tribune article regarding Tenured UT System faculty members and their evaluations.
ACE- Here’s to a great 2012! Leave a comment
2011 was an incredible year for ACE punctuated by an incredible spring luncheon with keynote speaker Michelle Rhee. The tremendous outpouring of support from that event, and the generosity of our donors throughout the year, allowed us to supported 1,200 low-income children for the 2011-12 school year.
What’s more, last year’s success will enabled ACE to add 300 new scholarship recipients for the 2012-13 school year, increasing our scholarship program to 1,500 low-income children.
To put this in perspective, in 2008 ACE supported 727 students; to almost double our scholarship program during one of the most challenging economic climates in recent memory is an incredible achievement.
Thank you for all you have done to make this possible!
Just a month into the year, 2012 has already started off with some exciting developments
ACE was honored to partner with close to twenty other Colorado organizations to launch ColoradoSchoolGrades.com an online tool that allows parents to better understand how their public school is performing by assigning each school with an easy-to-understand letter-grade based on state data. This site gives parents valuable information to make an informed choice about their child’s education.
Also last month, we sponsored an exciting event as part of National School Choice Week during which tens of thousands of people attended more than 400 events across the nation to shine a spotlight on the need for better educational options for children.
ACE was the Title Sponsor of an event in Castle Rock that brought more than 1,200 people together to hear about the benefits of school choice and take away valuable ideas about how they can get involved in this critical cause.
2012 will indeed be an exciting year as we continue to showcase the impact that school choice can have on the lives of kids… kids like Julio, Lindsay and Nehemias.
Thank you for your continued interest and investment in ACE and Colorado’s children. It’s an investment with untold rewards.Here’s to a great 2012!
Related informaton
- Celebrating School Choice Week (cajunconservatism.wordpress.com)
- FPS: School Choice History 2003 – 2012 (franklinmatters.org)
- The Ills of “Patron Saint” Education: Why We Need School Choice (thecollegeconservative.com)
- SchoolBook: Schools Are Not Making Information About Choice a Priority (nytimes.com)
- Nation’s Largest-Ever Celebration of Education Reform Begins Next Week: National School Choice Week 2012 (prweb.com)
Dr. Fuller Keynotes ACE Community Leadership Luncheon Leave a comment
ACE Scholarships was honored to host Dr. Howard Fuller for a Community Leadership Luncheon in downtown Denver, with two hundred community leaders. Fuller, a Distinguished Professor of Education at Marquette University, and chair and co-founder of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), is a passionate and dedicated national advocate for our country’s poorest children.
Asked why, after all these years, he continues to do this work Dr. Fuller called upon history for his answer:
“We must save as many children as we can”, Fuller said. “It’s like what Harriet Tubman faced in the 1850’s. She fought to end slavery, and ran the Underground Railroad to smuggle slaves out. She understood that she needed to save as many as she could until slavery was ended.”
Dr. Fuller understands that systemic change of our nation’s public educational systems takes time, and so while that important work is ongoing, we must save as many lives as we can now.
Talk about perspective! Can there be a higher calling today?
Dr. Fuller heard this call early in his life and has dedicated his entire professional career to the service of children, working tirelessly to provide every child with access to a great school.
In the early 1990’s, Dr. Fuller served as the superintendent of the Milwaukee Public School District, and spearheaded the first publicly-funded school voucher program in the nation.
Joining Dr. Fuller at the podium was Charles Johnson, a member of the ACE Board of Directors and Assistant Athletic Director for CU-Boulder; Polly Baca, a founding board member for ACE Scholarships and a former Colorado State Senator; and James Coleman, ACE Director of Programs and Community Outreach.
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb was in attendance, along with members of the esteemed luncheon Host Committee:
- Polly Baca, Former State Senator
- Albus Brooks, Denver City Council
- David Card, Escuela de Guadalupe
- Sister Alicia Cuaron, Centro San Juan Diego
- Peter Droege, The Daniels Fund
- Ryan Frazier, Aurora City Council
- Fernando Sergio Ferrufino, KBNO Radio
- Zee Ferrufino, KBNO Radio
- Vernard Gant, Association of Christian Schools International
- Nita Gonzales, Escuela Tlatelolco
- Charles Johnson, University of Colorado
- Van Lucero, Boy Scouts of America
- Adriana Muro, KDEN Telemundo Colorado
- Mike Perez, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver
- Bishop Phillip Porter, Bishop Porter Ministries
- Jose Sanchez, Metro State College
- Michael Sapp, Office of Mayor Michael B. Hancock
- Laura Sonderoup, Heinrich Marketing
- Landri Taylor, Urban League of Metro Denver
Alex Cranberg speak at Philanthropy Roundtable Oct 28th, Phoenician, Scottsdale, AZ Leave a comment
See Alex Cranberg speak at the Friday, October 28 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions
What Sparked the School Choice Resurgence of 2011?
Surprise! 2011 has been a monumental year for education reform. This year alone, 36 states have either passed or are considering comprehensive legislation on school vouchers, tax credits, and other education reform measures. Of these, 12 states and the District of Columbia have implemented reforms to expand or create school choice programs. What accounts for this sheer volume of school-funding reform activity? And what role did philanthropy play? While some have said the reforms were a byproduct of the 2010 elections, others have pointed to the dramatic shift in strategy away from white papers and editorials and towards public awareness-building and sophisticated political advocacy. At this session, speakers from three states that exemplify the resurgence—Colorado, Arizona, and Indiana—will explain how they turned things around. What are the lessons for donors who want to advance school choice reforms in their states? Where did reforms fail, and what can we learn from these failures? As the school choice movement moves forward, how can it maintain momentum and guard its victories as it evolves and matures?
Related articles
- Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett rolls out school reform package (pennlive.com)
- California Students Could Succeed Again With School Choice (thegabriellahoffman.com)
- Much Needed Education Reform (xoutsocialism.wordpress.com)
- Grover Whitehurst Discusses Education Reform (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
- A question for all opponents of school choice for the poor (trutherator.wordpress.com)
- Meeting the Challenge for American Indian Educational Reform (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
- Why Every City Needs a School Choice Program (socyberty.com)
- Pa. House Education Committee to hold two days of hearings on education reform (pennlive.com)
Alex Cranberg to Speak at the Texas Tribune Festival This Saturday Leave a comment
Public & Higher Education
Alex Cranberg is the chairman of Aspect Holdings, a Denver-based private energy investment and exploration company, and founded the Alliance for Choice in Education, which provides scholarships for private and parochial schooling for children from low-income families. In February, Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to the University of Texas System Board of Regents. Read the rest of this entry »
Alex Cranberg, Accompanied Gov. Perry to a Function with Supporters in Aspen Colorado. Leave a comment
Alex Cranberg, accompanied Gov. Perry to a function with supporters in Aspen Colorado.
Alex M. Cranberg, Austin, Texas, Was Appointed by Governor Rick Perry Leave a comment
Alex M. Cranberg, Austin, Texas, was appointed to a six-year term on The University of Texas System Board of Regents by Governor Rick Perry in February 2011.
Regent Cranberg serves as a member of the Audit, Compliance, and Management Review Committee; Facilities Planning and Construction Committee; Finance and Planning Committee; and Technology Transfer and Research Committee.
Related articles
- Alex Cranberg and the UT Regents (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg Interviewed – Seen in New York Times (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg quoted in Texas Budget Source (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Thoughts on Chancellor Cigarroa’s Message to UT Regents – Alex Cranberg (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg As Seen in Daily Texan (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Cranberg Quoted in American Independent – Credentials Vs. Achievements (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg in San Antonio Express News: Brokered Deal with MyEdu (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- A desire to find common ground (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg Interviewed in CoBizMag – Alliance for Choice in Education (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
Alex Cranberg quoted in Texas Budget Source 2 comments
Cigarroa receives wide support for reforms
Curt W. Olson
COlson@TexasBudgetSource.com
The debate that raged over the cost, productivity, and efficiency of higher education in Texas calmed swiftly Thursday with the announcement of a higher education excellence and reform agenda branded the “Texas Plan.”
“It’s visionary. Some might consider it radical,” said University of Texas System Regent Alex Cranberg, who served on the Task Force on University Excellence and Productivity.
And yes, some even see it as a model for higher education systems across the nation to emulate.
Dr. John Mendelsohn, now past president of the UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, called it “a blueprint for the nation, not just Texas, after hearing the presentation from UT System Chancellor Dr. Francisco Cigarroa.
The Task Force on Blended and Online Learning proposed a $50 million investment for the Institute for Transformational Learning, which would utilize technology for more strategic instruction. It was embraced in Cigarroa’s Framework for Excellence Action Plan.
This was part of more than $240 million in expenses regents approved Thursdsay directed to implement the plan.
Cigarroa’s plan generated unanimous support from all sides of the debate over the future over higher education that has raged for six months — sometimes quite fiercely.
More than one regent described the situation as stressful at times.
“Texas finds itself at the epicenter of the national debate on the future of higher education,” Cigarroa said. “I also firmly believe no university system is better poised than the University of Texas System to lead the debate and offer solutions to benefit our students, faculty and staff.”
The debate over higher education fiscal accountability and affordability has generated vigorous debate.
One side featured the higher education establishment, confronting record college debt for students, higher tuition and, and the need for greater accountability and transparency for outcomes. Higher education leaders have multiple allies in the Texas Legislature.
Jeff Sandefer and Rick O’Donnell, who challenged higher education leaders to reform higher education’s model with some new ideas, led the challenge to higher education.
Sandefer wrote a paper for the Austin-based Texas Public Policy Foundation titled “Seven Breakthrough Solutions.” Sandefer is a board member for the Foundation. O’Donnell has been a senior research fellow at the Foundation.
Sandefer, O’Donnell and the small-government, market think tank had allies who agreed that students were being forgotten and the primary mission of universities and colleges is to teach students.
Cigarroa explained the nine elements to his plan, including:
• Undergraduate student access and success
• Faculty/ administrators/staff excellence
• Research
• Productivity and efficiency
• Strategic information and infrastructure and investments
• Enhance philanthropic success
• Ph.D. programs
• The Health of Texas
• Expand educational and health opportunities in South Texas
Cigarroa challenged each institution in the UT System to increase the number of degrees conferred and to reduce the financial impact on students and families while doing it.
“One size doesn’t fit all,” Cigarroa repeated several times during his presentation to the board of regents Thursday morning.
He noted that in the past month UT-Austin President Bill Powers has established a task force to draft ideas. He said what works for UT-Austin may not work at other campuses, but each president is called on to do this.
The overriding goal is to reduce the time to a student earning their degree while reducing costs.
This is where information technology could prove pivotal for the UT System. The Institute of Transformational Learning will play a key role in improving guidance counseling options for students and generating other data useful to help a student and their parents.
The Institute will also generate information useful for measuring productivity with an interactive database — or dashboard — with information to help make decisions, Cigarroa said.
The UT System will conduct a search for a director for this new area.
The plan not only had the full support of the board of regents, but it also was supported by Dr. Tim Allen, leader of the faculty, and Melinda Hill Perrin, a member of the operating committee of the Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education.
Perrin said no one supports the status quo.
She encouraged regents to give UT System leaders the freedom, flexibility and time to execute this plan.
“Wouldn’t it be a wonderful outcome, if plan—the Texas plan—could push the UT system to become the No. 1 system in the country?” Perrin asked. “Let’s work together to make that happen.”
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, and chairwoman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, praised the plan as aggressive and challenging, but quite feasible.
Cigarroa’s reforms also have support of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
“We especially appreciate the focus on improving four-year graduation rates. Improvements in academic advising and the expansion of online learning should help more students complete their degrees sooner, reduce student debt burdens, and increase the number of students able to attend UT System institutions.
“Chancellor Cigarroa’s action plan is the first step of many that will be needed for Texas public universities to achieve the important goals of greater transparency and accountability, improved use of resources, more world-class research and high-quality graduates, and reduced cost of higher education to students and taxpayers. Today’s positive presentation is the beginning of the reform process, not the end – but it is a very good start.”
Gov. Rick Perry also likes the Cigarroa plan, and the governor’s office released the following statement.
“The plan unveiled today reflects important steps toward both increasing productivity and improving academic quality in The University of Texas System, and I applaud Chancellor Cigarroa and everyone involved for their hard work in this effort. Moving forward, we need to continue focusing on efficient, innovative strategies to help make high-quality college degrees more affordable and attainable for all Texans. That’s a vital part of maintaining a world-class workforce, and continuing to attract employers and high-quality jobs to our state.”
Texas Budget Source is affiliated with the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Read More http://www.texasbudgetsource.com/2011/08/cigarroa-receives-wide-support-for-reforms/
Related articles
- Is the UT System Preparing for a New Medical School? – Higher Education | The Texas Tribune (gruntdoc.com)
- Thoughts on Chancellor Cigarroa’s Message to UT Regents – Alex Cranberg (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Powers and Cigarroa Unavailable for Comment. Zaffirini Denied Anything Unseemly. (timesoftexas.com)
- Alex Cranberg Interviewed – Seen in New York Times (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- UT Controversy – Both Sides Say They Care About Higher Ed (timesoftexas.com)
- The Texas Tribune: A Lightning Rod on U.T. Board, Regent Is Not Deterred (nytimes.com)
- Former UT adviser O’Donnell Says Zaffirini Mounted a Campaign to Demonize the Regents (timesoftexas.com)
- Alex Cranberg As Seen in Daily Texan (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Controversy Deflected Attention From Important Work (timesoftexas.com)
- Higher ed reformers target the elusive ‘lazy professor’ (chron.com)
Alex Cranberg in San Antonio Express News: Brokered Deal with MyEdu 2 comments
UT board approves changes. Plan aims to boost productivity, academics.
By Melissa Ludwig
mludwig@express-news.net
The University of Texas Board of Regents approved an action plan Thursday to raise quality and productivity at its 15 institutions in an era of declining revenues, fortifying the effort with $243 million in strategic investments.
After months of public squabbling over how best to reform academia, regents unanimously backed the framework created by Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and said they would give him latitude to work.
“Chancellor, I think the ball is yours,” said Gene Powell, chairman of the board of regents and a San Antonio businessman.
The plan pleased higher education boosters and critics alike, including Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative Austin think tank that’s served as a brain trust for those seeking radical changes in the state’s higher education.
“The plan unveiled today reflects important steps toward both increasing productivity and improving academic quality in the University of Texas System, and I applaud Chancellor Cigarroa and everyone involved for their hard work in this effort,” Perry said in a statement.
Cigarroa said the plan is meant to set goals, not dictate how they are achieved. A deadline looms for defining and achieving each benchmark.
“One size does not fit all,” Cigarroa said. “The innovation, the creativity of how to address these issues … is dependent on the creative leadership of our presidents and faculty.”
Accountability steps
To help monitor the plan’s success, the system set aside $10 million to build a user-friendly “dashboard” that university presidents and citizens alike can use to access real-time productivity and success metrics at the system, university, departmental and even individual faculty level.
The dashboard will include salaries, number of credit hours taught and student evaluation scores of individual professors, data that kicked up controversy when they were first released to the public.
But unlike the previously released database, which presented a snapshot in time, the dashboard will include historical data to show trends over the years.
“You will be able to see the full contributions of (faculty), our greatest assets,” Cigarroa said.
It also could help provosts decide where to allocate resources and department heads make decisions about staffing, Powell said.
Faculty productivity has been one of the hottest topics of debate, with critics claiming many professors spend too much time on frivolous research and not enough time teaching.
The plan calls for strengthening post-tenure review, conducting outside audits of academic departments, and tweaking the pay structure to better reward performance. The plan also expands teaching excellence awards and allocates more money to recruit top-notch faculty.
Tim Allen, chairman of the UT System Faculty Advisory Council, said faculty “embrace the spirit of the recommendations.”
“UT can benefit from clear, unambiguous guidelines regarding, research, teaching and service,” Allen said. “Some despair that we are not capable of accurately measuring (those duties). It is not beyond our capacity.”
To increase student success, the plan calls for increased degree production, higher four-year graduation rates and tuition policies that reward students for graduating within that time frame. Speeding time to degree for Ph.D. students is a priority as well.
The plan also demands more careful enrollment management, which could mean higher entrance standards at regional universities, and asks universities to find ways to reduce student debt and issue financial disclosure statements to increase transparency.
Money for online
Recognizing that technology could revolutionize education, regents dedicated $50 million to create an Institute for Transformational Learning, which will dole out competitive grants to develop high-quality online and blended courses, and to use technology to improve learning outcomes in large, gateway courses.
The idea sprang from a task force on online and blended learning chaired by Regent Wallace Hall, who said UT must compete in the online sphere or risk being left behind.
UT’s online brand must be “synonymous with excellence,” Hall said.
Ideas from two task forces on online learning and productivity and efficiency were blended into Cigarroa’s framework.
Regent Alex Cranberg, who sat on the productivity task force, helped broker a $10 million deal with an Austin-based company called MyEdu to provide custom, private-label services for UT that include electronic advising, degree planning and cost calculators.
Some of the data collected by MyEdu, including grades issued for each class, will likely be incorporated into the dashboard.
In terms of research, the framework encourages institutions to collaborate more freely and for the system’s four emerging research universities, including UTSA, to formulate business plans for reaching Tier One status.
Because philanthropy will play a bigger role in a time of declining state revenues, the plan sets aside $9 million to beef up development offices with experienced fundraisers.
The plan also allocates money to improve technology infrastructure and computational power.
Part of the $243 million investment will boost health and science education in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who has openly criticized Chairman Powell for micromanaging and stirring up what she deemed “unnecessary controversy,” said she hoped the plan would unite stakeholders and calm the upheaval of the last six months.
“The controversy was unnecessary and a distraction,” said Zaffirini, who attended the meeting. “I hope the vote means regents will allow chancellors and presidents to do their job.”
Powell said he’s not bothered by the “slings and arrows” pointed at him. In his opinion, the debate churned up some great ideas.
“I would go through it all again,” Powell said.
Related articles
- Alex Cranberg Interviewed – Seen in New York Times (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg and the UT Regents (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Cranberg Quoted in American Independent – Credentials Vs. Achievements (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Controversial UT Regent Hopes to “Push a Reset Button” (timesoftexas.com)
- Thoughts on Chancellor Cigarroa’s Message to UT Regents – Alex Cranberg (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Alex Cranberg Interviewed in CoBizMag – Alliance for Choice in Education (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- The Texas Tribune: A Lightning Rod on U.T. Board, Regent Is Not Deterred (nytimes.com)
- Powers and Cigarroa Unavailable for Comment. Zaffirini Denied Anything Unseemly. (timesoftexas.com)
- A desire to find common ground (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
Alex Cranberg and the UT Regents 1 comment
Alex Cranberg and the UT Regents.
The Board of Regents, the governing body for The University of Texas System, is composed of nine members who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Terms for Regents are scheduled for six years each and staggered so that three members’ terms will usually expire on February 1 of odd-numbered years. In addition, the Governor appoints a Student Regent for a one-year term that expires on May 31.
Throughout the more than 100-year history of the U. T. System, the Board has been composed of dedicated and distinguished Texans who have been strong advocates of excellence in academic programs, scientific inquiry, and responsible public service.
Alex Cranberg As Seen in Daily Texan 2 comments
UT System Board of Regents doles out additional $20 million
Regent Alex M. Cranberg gives his opinion regarding budgeting for additional university structures during a Board of Regents meeting Thursday afternoon.
- Anastasia Garcia | Daily Texan Staff
By Huma Munir
The UT System Board of Regents allocated an additional $20 million to UT from the Permanent University Fund during their meeting Thursday.
This one-time increase will be an addition to the $168 million the University received last year from the endowment, said Chief Financial Officer Kevin Hegarty.
“We haven’t decided how we are going to use it yet,” Hegarty said.
The endowment is made up of lands the University owns and leases to oil companies and other industries for grazing purposes, he said. The money generated is invested by the University of Texas Investment Management Company and split between UT and Texas A&M University.
The money will not be used for recurring needs because it is only a one-time endowment, but the University budget office will decide how to move forward with the money, Hegarty said.
“[The endowment] will provide UT with additional money that does not cover the shortfall but will certainly assist,” said the board’s chairman Gene Powell during the meeting.
He said revenue generated from the lands was more than expected this year, and the Regents have decided to help UT and Texas A&M with extra money that will pay for students services and other needs.
Related articles
- Board of Regents is the Governing Body for The University of Texas System (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- Thoughts on Chancellor Cigarroa’s Message to UT Regents – Alex Cranberg (alexcranberg.wordpress.com)
- David Miles to resign as regents president (thegazette.com)
- The Texas Tribune: A Lightning Rod on U.T. Board, Regent Is Not Deterred (nytimes.com)
A desire to find common ground 1 comment
Alex Cranberg indicated a desire to find common ground regarding the UT debate over higher education. He has begun making inquiries about joining the recently formed Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education, a large group of prominent Texans who have joined together in response to the debate. Cranberg said he wishes to do his part to “inform their efforts and support their aims.”
“The Coalition will do its best work if it is well informed about what sorts of ideas are actually under consideration as opposed to those which are not,” wrote Cranberg, who has also expressed an interest to being a member of the group’s leadership committees. “It’s not a good use of time to fight over things we agree over.”
Alex Cranberg – UT And his Return to Austin Leave a comment
Alex Cranberg talks about his time at the University of Texas and his return to Austin.
Alex Cranberg 
