(BULLETIN: AS WE GO TO POST WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT NONE OF THE THREE ON THE TSC MINORITY (ROBERTO ROBLES, DAVID OLIVEIRA AND ROBERTO LOZANO) ATTENDED THE BOARD INTERVIEW WITH THE LATEST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF TSC, DANIEL HOLT, ON FRIDAY. THIS IS THE THIRD CANDIDATE THAT ROBLES HAS MISSED. WILL HE HAVE TO RECUSE HIMSELF FROM THE VOTE FOR TSC PRESIDENT?)
By Juan Montoya
When the majority of the Texas Southmost College board of trustees voted to separate the college district from the UT System, they were pilloried by adherents of TSC-UTB President Juliet G
arcia, threatened with personal and professional destruction by renegade Obla
te Armand Matthew, and subjected to unrelenting pressure by the power structure behind them.
"I remember during the public hearings when we were considering the separation that people would get up and scream ion my face that taxes would triple, and that tuition would go up if we separated," recalls Trey Mendez, who along with Kiko Rendon, Adela Garza and Rene Torres eventually voted for the split.
"We will have a balanced budget, didn't raise property taxes and we're on our way to lower tuition for students in the college district," he said. "Now an added benefit of the separation is that the UT system has been forced to bring down resources to South Texas instead of having local taxpayers subsidize it."
The recent news that the UT System will invest "millions" in South Texas has been met with self-serving statements by Garcia who claims her intervention – or "my fair share of prime time" with the Regents – brought about the sea change from the UT System has to be viewed for what it is, a spin on a losing effort to keep local taxpayers subsidizing the university.
This is from the same woman who was proposing that the district hand over all of its $200 million in assets (including real estate, buildings, bank deposits and any other pawnable resource) to the UT system and that the district be dissolved with her in complete charge of the surviving "partnership."
About the only thing that the district taxpayer would keep would be a $60 million bond debt that would grow to some $120 million with interest to be paid over a 20 year period. Only then would the UT system allow the district to "dissolve."
Now, coupled that with the latest rating by Fitch Ratings that upgraded the outlook for some of the district's bond debt, the ongoing TSC president selection process for a new administrator, and plans to establish a true commu
nity college curriculum as it used to be before UT
came to town, and it's obvious that the dire warnings by Garcia's minions were smoke and mirrors.
As UTB prepares to go out on its own and establish its own campus and facilities, it is also phasing out open admissions by the fall of 2003.
"That's the way it should be for a full-fledged four-year university," said Mendez, a graduate of UT-Austin. "Not everyone wants to go to a university and pay university fees for community college certificates or vocational training."
Those questions are on the minds of many local residents. In queries to the trustees, some residents want to know when local students will have to stop paying university-level fees and tuition rates when they take community college-level courses. They also want to know about parking, certification for vocational courses, and the level of ionstruction that will be available for college students here.
"These are good questions that require answers," said trustee Garza. "The TSC district residents and students need to know the answers to them and we need to provide them to the public as we attain them. Things are in a flux right now as we sort out the various responsibilites of our institutions as the separation process continues. I am working to get them from partnership separation liaison Michael Putegnat and will make them public as soon as I get them."
Meanwhile, as the suddenly generous UT System announces newer and better expenditures for its South Texas facilities, nothing has been mentioned of the $10 million pound giorilla sitting in the UTB-TSC partnership corner.
The $10 million (now perhaps $15 or $20 million with interest) is the amount of rent owed the TSC district by the UTB for rent of its real estate and buildings. It has become the probervial "hot potato" with the UT System pitching it to theTexas Legislature and the legislature tossing it back to the UT System.
Perhaps in Austin the Regents could be made to sit in an Ethics 101 class where paying one's debts is discussed.
By Juan Montoya
When the majority of the Texas Southmost College board of trustees voted to separate the college district from the UT System, they were pilloried by adherents of TSC-UTB President Juliet G
arcia, threatened with personal and professional destruction by renegade Obla
te Armand Matthew, and subjected to unrelenting pressure by the power structure behind them.
"I remember during the public hearings when we were considering the separation that people would get up and scream ion my face that taxes would triple, and that tuition would go up if we separated," recalls Trey Mendez, who along with Kiko Rendon, Adela Garza and Rene Torres eventually voted for the split.
"We will have a balanced budget, didn't raise property taxes and we're on our way to lower tuition for students in the college district," he said. "Now an added benefit of the separation is that the UT system has been forced to bring down resources to South Texas instead of having local taxpayers subsidize it."
The recent news that the UT System will invest "millions" in South Texas has been met with self-serving statements by Garcia who claims her intervention – or "my fair share of prime time" with the Regents – brought about the sea change from the UT System has to be viewed for what it is, a spin on a losing effort to keep local taxpayers subsidizing the university.
This is from the same woman who was proposing that the district hand over all of its $200 million in assets (including real estate, buildings, bank deposits and any other pawnable resource) to the UT system and that the district be dissolved with her in complete charge of the surviving "partnership."
About the only thing that the district taxpayer would keep would be a $60 million bond debt that would grow to some $120 million with interest to be paid over a 20 year period. Only then would the UT system allow the district to "dissolve."
Now, coupled that with the latest rating by Fitch Ratings that upgraded the outlook for some of the district's bond debt, the ongoing TSC president selection process for a new administrator, and plans to establish a true commu
nity college curriculum as it used to be before UT
came to town, and it's obvious that the dire warnings by Garcia's minions were smoke and mirrors.
As UTB prepares to go out on its own and establish its own campus and facilities, it is also phasing out open admissions by the fall of 2003.
"That's the way it should be for a full-fledged four-year university," said Mendez, a graduate of UT-Austin. "Not everyone wants to go to a university and pay university fees for community college certificates or vocational training."
Those questions are on the minds of many local residents. In queries to the trustees, some residents want to know when local students will have to stop paying university-level fees and tuition rates when they take community college-level courses. They also want to know about parking, certification for vocational courses, and the level of ionstruction that will be available for college students here.
"These are good questions that require answers," said trustee Garza. "The TSC district residents and students need to know the answers to them and we need to provide them to the public as we attain them. Things are in a flux right now as we sort out the various responsibilites of our institutions as the separation process continues. I am working to get them from partnership separation liaison Michael Putegnat and will make them public as soon as I get them."
Meanwhile, as the suddenly generous UT System announces newer and better expenditures for its South Texas facilities, nothing has been mentioned of the $10 million pound giorilla sitting in the UTB-TSC partnership corner.
The $10 million (now perhaps $15 or $20 million with interest) is the amount of rent owed the TSC district by the UTB for rent of its real estate and buildings. It has become the probervial "hot potato" with the UT System pitching it to theTexas Legislature and the legislature tossing it back to the UT System.
Perhaps in Austin the Regents could be made to sit in an Ethics 101 class where paying one's debts is discussed.
12 comments:
It is critically important that someone on the TSC side of the split begin monitoring ongoing developments (for example in Dual Enrollment) on the UTB side of things. Many of the decisions being made unilaterally by UTB are going to have huge implications for the Community College, and it is a really bad idea having the foxes watching the henhouse!
Though TSC is very busy, it should consider auditing partnership separation activities to protect itself. Utb will look after its own interests. TSC should carefully tread water.
I agree with annon that...
It is
really a bad idea having the foxes watching the henhouse!
The three TSC board members in the minority remind us of the once dynamic duo of zayas and cortez....after they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.....they did'nt way to play anymore......grow up and be responsible to the people who elected you......remember you are there to serve the people not yourself............
Keep the emotion out of the seperation of TSC & UTB.Its the buisness of divorce. Get an independent audit to seperate the two colleges . Remember it is a buisness.UTB is in business to make money as any buisness.Hold them accountable for the leased space.After all they do go after unpaid tuition.
With admission requirements for utb in place and with 60 percent of incoming freshmen requiring remedial courses because they cannot read or write at a college level TSC will become a boarding school for the stupid and lazy students who cannot make into a real university. Thank you "fab four" for returning us to the days of Tamale tech.
It very important for TSC to get a President on the ground very quickly. UTB is calling all the shots and there is great angst among the faculty about what is in store for them. The entire College of Applied Technology is being thrown overboard by UTB and the folks there need to know if they will have a job, and if so what are the conditions, teaching load, salary and benefits. That are lots of good folks there that TSC can ill afford to loose.
If the faculty and staff know of the tricks games andand just damm wrong activity being done then speak up now or don't complain.
Put up or shut up. The business of education is to important but if u got proof of wrongfucl conduct put up.
I don't think it is a matter or wrongful conduct. UTB has it's leadership in place and is making decisions that will impact TSC and TSC doesn't have a strong seat at the table.
TSC had not made any decisions about what they will look like going forward because they have no leadership on the ground, just a transition team who appears to be doing nothing but help in the Presidential selection process.
The faculty is in the dark about what is going on and how it will impact the students and them as individuals. This state of limbo is taking it's toll on the faculty.
TSC needs to get in the game and start maping out what it will be, who it will serve and what it will need.
Agree with the above post by Anon. Much like the debt ceiling plan by Obama, the fab four have no plan on how TSC is to move forward once the split transcends.
UTB's leadership, especially Queen Scorpiana (Juliet Garcia) will do anything they can to skuttle the TSC progress. Juliet is a vindictive narcissist and can't stand the public embarrassment she has suffered. She is not finished.
the fab four cannot do anything until the administrative infrastructure is in place. duh
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