Ellis, West, Coleman file TSU reorganization bill

(Austin)// -- Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) filed SB 2039 and Representative Garnet Coleman filed HB 4130, legislation to allow the Governor to abolish the governing board of a university after a finding of a financial or administrative exigency by the legislative audit committee.

Senator Ellis, Senator West and Representative Coleman issued the following joint-statement:
"This piece of legislation is important because it will ensure that Texas Southern University maintains its independence and vitality.  We are confident that this bill will move TSU forward in becoming an important part of Texas' higher education system.  We have been working closely with the Governor, Lt. Governor, the Legislative Black Caucus and others in crafting legislation that will solve some of the problems that have occurred at TSU.

"We all agree our first priority is to protect the students' degrees and the degrees of all those students to come. We have worked closely with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to ensure that the bill does not put TSU's accreditation status at risk."

The legislation would allow for the reconstitution of the governing board with a new 5-member board which will be authorized to appoint an interim president or chancellor to serve during the duration of the reconstituted board.  The interim board will be authorized to develop a financial oversight and accountability plan and consult with accreditation agencies to make sure that the university maintains accreditation.  In addition, the legislation would require the interim governing board to report to the Governor, legislative audit committee and a legislative oversight committee on the progress of the administration improvement plan.

The following are members of the Legislative Black Caucus:
Representative Senfronia Thompson, Chair
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Royce West
Representative Alma Allen
Representative Garnet Coleman
Representative Yvonne Davis
Representative Joe Deshotel
Representative Dawnna Dukes
Representative Harold Dutton, Jr.
Representative Helen Giddings
Representative Terri Hodge
Representative Barbara Mallory Caraway
Representative Borris Miles
Representative Ruth Jones McClendon
Representative Sylvester Turner
Representative Marc Veasey

TSU Student Leaders on Gov. Perry’s Call for Conservatorship

HOUSTON—Student leaders at Texas Southern University (TSU) will be making an official statement in response to Governor Perry’s call for conservatorship at the university, sending the message that the student body is mobilized and ready to fight against any action to put the university under a conservator. This we believe will preserve and protect TSU’s independence and academic accreditation.

The Student Government Association, along with other campus organizations, will host a news conference in an effort to send a clear statement to Governor Perry that conservatorship should not be an option to correct the financial problems plaguing TSU. Placing a conservator will be an unprecedented step in America’s educational history. No public institution of higher learning has ever been placed under conservatorship.

This situation is drawing national attention and organizations from as far as Washington, D.C., are stepping in to provide assistance to avoid conservatorship from happening.
The details of the news conference are as follows:

When:             Thursday, April 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.

Where:            Steps of Granville Sawyer Auditorium
(Granville Sawyer Auditorium is located adjacent to the Robert J. Terry Library at 3100 Cleburne Street, parking is available in Lot C)

TSU Community Meeting Tonight

Citizens for Higher Education: ACTION ALERT!

Who: Citizens for Higher Education & former Texas Southern University President James Douglas

What: Community Meeting to discuss the future of Texas Southern University

When: 7:00pm - Monday, April 16, 2007

Where: Good Hope Baptist Church

             3015 North MacGregor Way

             Houston, Texas   77004

Governor Rick Perry has recommended that Texas Southern University be placed under conservatorship.

Citizens for Higher Education wants you to join us so that we may together meet and discuss the future of Texas Southern University.

Contact Mr. James Douglas at (713) 385-7471 if you have any questions or are in need of any assistance.

Rep. Coleman: TSU Should Not Be Placed Under Conservatorship

(Austin)-- State Representative Garnet F. Coleman (D-Houston) expressed extreme disappointment concerning Governor Perry's decision to place Texas Southern University under conservatorship.

"I'm very disappointed Governor Perry has decided to put TSU into conservatorship, a decision that goes against the recommendation made by the TSU Blue Ribbon Panel he appointed," Rep. Coleman said. "It's especially disappointing considering that the current financial problems are problems caused by regents and other individuals Governor Perry appointed himself."

Rep. Coleman agrees that increased accountability and oversight is needed at TSU, but disagrees on the method the Governor has chosen to take. There are currently five vacancies on the nine-member Board of Regents for Texas Southern University.

"If Governor Perry filled the five vacancies on the Board of Regents for TSU, he would effectively be appointing a new Board that could provide the necessary oversight for the school," Rep. Coleman said. "We should also follow the advice of the Blue Ribbon Panel, who recommended reinstating the accountability rider, 'Rider 5,' for Texas Southern University. I authored the original accountability rider, and it should be put back in place to ensure the financial problems created by Priscilla Slade and Quentin Wiggins are never repeated."

Representative Coleman, Senator Rodney Ellis, and thirteen other State Representatives delivered a signed letter to Governor Perry, Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst, and Speaker Tom Craddick against the conservatorship of Texas Southern University. The letter, which is attached with the signatures, read as follows:


We, the undersigned members, are against conservatorship of Texas Southern University (TSU). We believe there are financial problems to be addressed and solved at TSU, and we are committed to solving those problems. We believe there must be strong oversight from you, but a conservator for TSU will be divisive and will create community strife.

In order to prevent such division, we believe there are other methods to manage the necessary improvements for TSU that will ensure we maintain the strong, independent nature of Texas Southern University. The Governor has five open appointments of the nine member Board of Regents for Texas Southern University, which is effectively a new Board for TSU.

The current fiscal situation at Texas Southern University is very different from the situation in 1997, which involved financial aid. Since 1997, Texas Southern University had maintained a strong financial history. It was not until questions were raised about the decisions made by the former President and Chief Financial Officer at TSU that any financial issues became evident. One resigned on March 16, 2006, and the other was fired on June 17, 2006. They are currently being dealt with by the criminal justice system.

We are eager to work with you on a solution to correct the problems caused by identifiable individuals. However, we cannot overemphasize the extent to which conservatorship of Texas Southern University will be divisive and will create community strife.

We are available to meet and discuss this matter with you at any time. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Rep. Garnet Coleman at his office (512-463-0524)[.]

House Passes Bill to Restore Chip Coverage for 102,000 Children

(Austin)--State Representative Garnet F. Coleman (D-Houston) issued the following statement after House Bill 109 -- the bill that restored 102,000 children for the Children's Health Insurance Program -- passed overwhelmingly in the Texas House:

"I like progress, because I'm a progressive, and HB 109 is progress. We took an excellent first step today by restoring CHIP coverage to 102,000 Texas children.

I'm proud of the work done by Rep. Turner, Speaker Craddick, Chairman Davis, Chairman Rose, and others on this bill -- and I trust that they will fight for this bill to stay in its form as it goes through the Senate.

The next step will be for Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst and the Texas Senate to maintain CHIP restoration as it passed out of the House. Governor Dewhurst has said this is the 'session of the children.' Now we get to see if he means it."