Texas Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Harrison Keller is urging state lawmakers to consider the needs of community colleges and regional universities as the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those schools can provide additional education and job training for those re-entering the workforce after losing their jobs or adapting to new career challenges because of COVID-19.
"'I've been in discussions with our policymakers about how colleges and universities are really the 'tip of the spear', both for short-term recovery and long-term competitiveness," Dr. Keller recently said during an on-line discussion organized by the Dallas Regional Chamber.
Dr. Keller had anticipated a strong focus on colleges and universities during the current session of the Texas Legislature, but says some of the issues he hoped lawmakers would address have not received the attention they would have because of the pandemic.
"COVID certainly upended some of the traditional notions of what a 'higher ed' session might look like," he said. "I've been arguing throughout the session that a strong focus and strategic investments on higher education is even more important today than it was before the pandemic."
Colleges began facing several challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic as classes moved on-line and some students suffered a loss of income. "Enrollments at many of our institutions...especially at community colleges and many of our regional universities as well...are down," said Dr. Keller.
That's why he's grateful for the direct aid to colleges and students announced this week by the U.S. Department of Education as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. Schools will be able to make emergency financial grants to support students with financial needs.
"It's important to recognize these disruptions due to COVID were the greatest disruption that we've seen to the operation of colleges and universities since the end of the second World War," Dr. Keller said. "It's hard to over-state the impact."