TCCTA will be actively involved in Community College Day at the Capitol, on Thursday, January 26, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., an event highlighting the important role our colleges play in the success of our students and the State of Texas. If you are planning to attend, we hope you’ll stop by the Legislative Conference Center (Capitol Extension; level E-2) and say hello after the 9:00 a.m. rally on the Capitol steps (link to TACC schedule of activities)! We’ll have materials and talking points you can share with your legislative delegation during your office visits with legislators and their staff.
We hope as many people as possible from your college will attend this event, so please make your plans now — and coordinate travel plans with colleagues who may also be attending. For TCCTA′s room assignment inside the capitol, check the TCCTA website, or email your college′s attendance schedule to Carole Hawkins at, chawkins@tccta.org.
We expect this legislative session will present numerous challenges to community colleges and others who rely on state funding. It is extremely important that legislators understand the needs of our students and our institutions.
Please join us on January 26!
Richard Moore
Executive Director
Printable version of the recommendations for the Texas Commission of Community College Finance – Voted on and approved by the TCCTA Executive Committee May 2022.
Link to Texas Association of Community College’s January 26, 2023 Schedule of Events
Support Student Success Funding at Community Colleges
Texas Legislative Budget Board: Overview of Funding Formulas for Institutions of Higher Education
TCCTA’s Online Guide for Political Participation
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Resolution in Support of Academic Freedom
On March 3, 2022, members of the Texas Community College Teachers Association voted unanimously in favor of a resolution affirming their support of academic freedom and the central role faculty play in determining how issues of race and racial justice are addressed in the classroom. The resolution, adopted at the TCCTA Annual Conference, stated in part that “we believe it is necessary and urgent that the legislature and politicians at the state level respect the culture of academic freedom and refrain from dictating what is or is not appropriate curriculum for the college classroom.”
The resolution further noted that compromising academic freedom poses a threat to accreditation of higher education institutions across the state. “The directive to preserve and protect academic freedom is necessary for institutional accreditation, according to SACSCOC, and TCCTA defends academic freedom as an essential element of effective teaching and learning at the college level.”
In adopting the resolution, TCCTA members affirmed the importance of discussions on race with their students. “We agree that matters such as race in America are an essential part of our students’ narratives, and developing an informed understanding of these topics is an important part of a well-rounded education.”
In keeping with the organization’s longstanding position, the resolution states that “academic freedom, like the rule of law, itself, does not apply only to issues on which we agree; it is a constant that defines our work with one another and with our students.”
Following is the text of the resolution.
Resolution in Support of Academic Freedom
WHEREAS recent comments reported in the news underscore the need in higher education for vigilance in defense of academic freedom;
WHEREAS the issues before us include the freedom to discuss matters of race and racial justice, the most vexing issues in our nation’s history;
WHEREAS the Texas Community College Teachers Association (TCCTA) has, throughout its history, been an ardent defender of academic freedom as a core value;
WHEREAS in SACSCOC’s Principles of Accreditation, under Section 6, Number 4, one of the criteria for accreditation is academic freedom:
“The institution publishes and implements appropriate policies and procedures for preserving and protecting academic freedom.”
WHEREAS the directive to preserve and protect academic freedom is necessary for institutional accreditation, according to SACSCOC, and TCCTA defends academic freedom as an essential element of effective teaching and learning at the college level.
Resolution:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Texas Community College Teachers Association and its membership across the state of Texas have a wide range of opinions on subjects, which is appropriate in an educational environment, as well as a democracy. We agree that matters such as race in America are an essential part of our students’ narratives, and developing an informed understanding of these topics is an important part of a well-rounded education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we believe it is necessary and urgent that the legislature and politicians at the state level respect the culture of academic freedom and refrain from dictating what is or is not appropriate curriculum for the college classroom. Academic freedom, like the rule of law, itself, does not apply only to issues on which we agree; it is a constant that defines our work with one another and with our students.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our organization opposes any policy that would deny faculty and students an environment for open inquiry, unfettered by political pressure. Ι
[Inquiries should be directed to the TCCTA Executive Director, at rmoore@tccta.org.]
Printable version of the March 1, 2022 resolution on page one of the TCCTA April 2022 Messenger.
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RECOMMENDED PARKING:
Texas Capitol Visitors Parking Garage
1201 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin
Entrance off of of East 12th and East 13th Streets
On weekdays, parking is free for the first 2 hours. $1 for each half hour thereafter. Maximum daily charge is $12.
- Click here for a map and more information about parking at the State Capitol.
- Capitol Parking Meter Map
- Capitol Bus Parking Map
