It’s been a roller coaster for higher education this week. We had a major win, but unfortunately the fight against bad bills persists. For most of this legislative session, the House Higher Education Committee’s focus has been on addressing workforce shortages, expanding research funding, and improving access to higher education. However, now that we’re at the tail-end of the session, the committee is starting to shift gears. Here’s our roundup of bills moving through the committee: all the good, the ugly, and the uglier.
The Good: PSLF Eligibility for Adjunct Faculty
Our first Educator’s Bill of Rights legislation to pass the House is a higher ed bill! House Bill 3326, authored by Rep. Alma Allen, will recalculate adjunct faculty work hours to ensure that adjuncts working a certain number of hours qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. This would align with regulations put in place by the Biden Administration, though, of course, there is great uncertainty surrounding student debt and PSLF under the Trump Administration.
Under HB 3326, employers will credit their adjunct and contingent faculty at least 3.35 hours of work for each credit hour taught. In addition, the regulations have defined full-time employment as 30 or more hours per week at one or multiple jobs. This means that teaching a total of nine credit hours per semester at any number of institutions equates to PSLF eligibility.
This change is crucial for faculty members who are integral to our institutions, but too often face the challenge of not meeting PSLF employment criteria on paper due to arbitrary hour calculations. Much like K-12 educators, the work follows adjunct faculty outside of the classroom, whether it be grading, communicating with students outside of class or office hours, or prepping for the next instruction day. However, these hours are not considered during work hour calculations. HB 3326 will ensure adjunct faculty members are eligible for PSLF!
The Ugly: Denying Immigrant Students In-State Tuition
Another anti-immigration bill had a committee hearing this week. HB 232, an equivalent bill to Senate Bill 1798 (the bill to repeal the Texas DREAM Act) that was heard in the Senate Education K-16 Committee last week. HB 232, while not as limiting as SB 1798, would impose restrictions on Dreamers’ ability to qualify for in-state tuition. The existing process for undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition requires them to sign an affidavit stating they will apply for permanent residency “as soon as they are eligible.” HB 232 would change this to either require students who have not yet applied for permanent residency to submit an application, or require students below the age of 17 to apply for residency when they turn 18. However, these provisions do not account for legal gray areas that exist in our complex immigration system. Undocumented students may be lawfully present in the US, but not yet eligible to apply for a green card due to marital status, family status, and more. If a DACA student – one who benefits from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy – applies for residency, but is not yet eligible to do so, this will trigger their deportation. Further, an application fee can cost upwards of $4,000, and 18-year-old college students would be expected to pay this, just for the possibility of qualifying for in-state tuition.
Several of our members testified against HB 232 to advocate for their vulnerable student populations. Dr. David Albert, president of Austin Community College AFT, quoted scripture to highlight the hypocrisy of the bill, especially notable amid the debate over displaying the Ten Commandments in K-12 classrooms happening in another hearing room at the same time.
“The students that you have heard from today have come to us as strangers, but are now our neighbors, who we are also commanded to love. They have grown up in this country, gone to schools here, played sports here, and now they want to go to college here. They even want to pay taxes here! If you pass this bill, you take away their opportunity to live the American Dream.”
Simon Fass, president of Texas AAUP-AFT at the University of Texas-Dallas, and UTD public policy graduate student Alexander de Jesus visited office to discuss higher education priorities and their fierce opposition to Senate Bill 37. Here, they’re pictured with a staff member from Rep. Mihaela Plesa’s office and with Rep. Aicha Davis.
The Uglier: the ‘Death Star’ Bill for Higher Education
It’s hard to get any worse than repealing the Texas DREAM Act as we know it. But as we’ve witnessed this session, legislators love to keep us on our toes. SB 37, what we refer to as the “Death Star Bill” for higher education, is scheduled for a hearing this coming Tuesday, May 6.
The engrossed version from the Senate is entirely unimplementable, with provisions granting governor-appointed bureaucrats control over curriculum, hiring, grievance procedures, and more. Texas universities are globally ranked because of the way our college system is structured. We are a leader in innovation and knowledge because faculty members have the freedom to teach and research. SB 37 will completely overhaul higher education and put our institutions — from community colleges to medical schools — under a permanent state takeover.
We need to tell members of the committee to vote NO on SB 37 in committee. Let them know we don’t want government-controlled colleges! Use our simple e-action to email members of the House Higher Education Committee.
We also encourage you to submit public comments before the hearing this Tuesday online through the House portal. Submit your comments here, and refer to our how-to guide if it’s your first time.