Texas Tech University Leading By Example
Anyone who thought that Kent Hance was not the right pick to lead Texas Tech University as its Chancellor can go ahead and quietly sneak out the back of the room. Fresh on the job, Mr. Hance has led a movement within his university that has rightfully gained Texas Tech headlines all across the state. While other Universities’ board of regents continue to raise their tuition rates, throwing their hands up in the air in the process as though they are the victims, Texas Tech’s regents have adopted a rate freeze on the university’s tuition.
Bravo, Texas Tech. Bravo.
I will concede to the Democrats that tuition deregulation has had a detrimental effect on the cost of a college degree in Texas. Most notable in my eyes, a lot of our brightest students are looking at the rising cost plus the top ten percent rule that is keeping them out of their first choice and they are saying, “Screw it, I’m going out of state.” And you know what? They’re not coming back either.
To be fair to Republicans, I don’t think they envisioned a problem this big in nature, but it is here. Thankfully, though, one university is doing something about it. But Texas Tech did not stop with a freeze on their tuition rate, they froze their student fees and room and board costs as well. And in crafting this plan to hold down the cost of a college education, Texas Tech has also taken the first step toward something that Republicans did envision when they wrote tuition deregulation…price competition.
As Chancellor Hance put it, “You can’t overprice students, or they will vote with their feet.”
Hopefully current and prospective students will vote with their feet, by walking through Texas Tech’s doors and enrolling for class. Here’s to hoping that our students do, and that other universities within our state follow Texas Tech’s lead.