Lone Star Report: Will Lutz's Blog

Farewell

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:30:00 GMT

I decided to end this chapter of my journalism career much like it began -- as a conservative critic of higher education. That is why the previous post was on that topic.

This page will archive the past work of the Lone Star Foundation. You have found the blog. Also available is a free archive of most past issues of the weekly Lone Star Report newsletter -- available on this page in the "LSR Archive" tab. We also archived the last LSR issue on a separate page.

We put a lot of time and effort into producing this content, and we hope it's useful to researchers and other interested parties. The archive is being made available as a public service by the Hartman Foundation, but comments are disabled.

I do not intend to make any more policy or political posts to this space, other than perhaps informing the readership if LSR re-launches or its staff continue in other media outlets. There's not much more I can add in the way of thank yous and farewells that I haven't already said in my last column in our subscription newsletter (which I encourage you to read).

Those wishing to keep up with my writings, media appearances, and thoughts can subscribe to my twitter feed @willlutz. I also occasionally post at www.dallasblog.com.

Thank you for your readership and support of The Lone Star Report. Goodbye.

Tags: Lutz,farewell,goodbye,Lone Star Report

Opinion: Tuition deregulation adopted via broken process

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:58:00 GMT

At today's hearing of the Joint Select Committee on Higher Education Governance, Transparency, and Efficiency, Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) repeated her assertion that Texas higher education is "neither broken nor corrupt."

That's her opinion, and she certainly has a right to it. Most higher education reformers would not claim the whole system is "corrupt." But in recent times, the tuition increases of 2003 provided the financial oxygen, allowing university administrators to emphasize research over teaching and keep costs high and faculty teaching loads low.

Having covered the Legislature in 2003, the process used to adopt tuition deregulation was clearly broken and perhaps worse. It did not pass because legislators wanted it; it passed because the Speaker of the House at the time abused his power on that issue.

For those practicing selective amnesia, here's a quick refresher course.

Tags: Craddick,Zaffirini,UT,Nixon,Mercer,tuition,deregulation,Perry,Hinojosa,Hilderbran,Turner,TRM-PAC

Lutz blasts school finance lawsuit on WFAA

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:52:00 GMT

LSR Managing Editor William Lutz appeared on WFAA's Inside Texas Politics Sunday. He blasted the recent school finance lawsuit as a waste of public funds. Click below to see Lutz's commentary (which begins at 8:20 into the program). Inside Texas Politics airs every Sunday at 9 am on Channel 8 in North Texas.

Tags: Lutz,WFAA,school,finance,lawsuit

Opinion: How come shared governance always excludes conservatives

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:42:00 GMT

At last week’s hearing of the Select Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence, and Transparency, one of the committee’s co-chairs, Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) continuously said that all the committee was seeking was an open, collaborative process.

I’ve heard this refrain before ... I maintain the real purpose of this committee is to scuttle conservative reforms to higher education proposed by Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. This committee is about preserving the sacred cows in higher education – such as nonstop tuition increases and the ability of faculty members at flagship universities to get away with teaching a mere two courses a semester. And the committee was stacked for that purpose.

That’s why I’ve nicknamed this committee the Select Committee to Preserve Cost Explosion and Left-Wing Bias in Higher Education. When all is said and done, that’s what this committee is designed to do, and every Texas conservative ought to be concerned.

Tags: higher education,UT,Zaffirini,collaborative,process,results,university,universities,Senate,Dewhurst,Straus,committee,UT

School districts announce intent to launch school finance lawsuit

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:11:00 GMT

Your tax dollars at work. More than 100 school districts have announced intention to sue the state, challenging the equity of the school finance system. The aim of such lawsuits -- as usual -- is to prompt the Legislature to put more money into the school system by raising the prospect of a school shutdown.

The main basis for the lawsuit is likely the "target revenue" system added to school finance in 2006.

Tags: school finance,target revenue,Equity Center,lawsuit,education,schools

Political update -- Sept. 22

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:04:00 GMT

Lots of political news happening in the past few days. Here’s a run-down:

Tags: Legler,Isaac,Murphy,Capriglione,Dewhurst,Truitt,Shapiro,Ogden,Schwertner,Farney,Fleece,Ternan,Senate,Van de Putte

Opinion: Beware of Berdahl and other higher education bureaucrats

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:15:00 GMT

Tomorrow, the Select Committee to Promote Cost Explosion and Liberalism in Higher Education will have its first meeting. Basically, the committee will hear from a bunch of leaders of trade associations in higher education who will talk about the need to involve faculty in decision-making, probably clouded in a bunch of lofty rhetoric complete with veiled attacks on Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In other words, the committee will defend the status quo and discourage regents from rocking the boat.

Already, the defenders of the cost explosion in higher education are pointing to a letter from Robert Berdahl, at the time president of the Association of American Universities, to then-A&M Chancellor Mike McKinney as a “smoking gun” that conservative higher education reform would damage state universities ...

I was a student at the University of Texas when Berdahl was president there. He was an activist liberal then who regularly attacked Texas values, and he hasn’t changed much since. His 1997 departure to an institution that better reflects his values – the University of California – Berkeley – was welcomed by Texas conservatives.

Tags: Berdahl,universities,UT,A&M,McKinney,hearing,Texas Independence Day

Ogden tells radio station he will not seek re-election

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:05:00 GMT

Sen. Steve Ogden (R-College Station) told radio station WTAW that he will not run for re-election to the Texas Senate, and this time, he means it. The Eagle (Bryan-College Station) wrote a full story on this topic.

Tags: Ogden,Retirement,Senate

Shapiro announces retirement

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:22:00 GMT

Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) announced that she will not seek re-election to the Texas Senate in 2012. Her announcement ends a distinguished, decades-long career in elective office. As a Senator, Shapiro passed the bill requiring parental notification prior to abortion and numerous education bills. As a former teacher, she had credibility on education issues but – unlike most in education – she also kept careful watch over the purse strings. She also was active in transportation policy, and chaired the Senate State Affairs Committee (which had jurisdiction over transportation when she was in charge of it) and the Senate Education Committee. Rep. Ken Paxton (R-McKinney) and Scott O'Grady have announced for the Senate seat.

"My parents came to the United States in search of the American dream, and I lived it,” said Shapiro.

Tags: Shapiro,Senate,Paxton,O'Grady,Retirement

Political update – Sept. 16

lutz@lonestarreport.org — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:12:00 GMT

Lots of campaign and political news this week in Texas Politics. Here’s what we’ve received:

Tags: campaign,Weber,Dale,Anderson,Rodney Anderson,Harris,Harper-Brown,Schofield,Woolley