Higher education and workforce development issues facing the state and South Texas region will be discussed during a meeting of the Texas Border Infrastructure Coalition (TBIC) at Laredo Community College, Monday, August 16.
The meeting for membership of the TBIC Workforce and Education Committee will be hosted by the college’s Development Office. It will begin at 10 a.m. and then break into three sessions.
The meeting will conclude with a legislative presentation by Senator Judith Zaffirini. The group is also expected to announce their recommendations on strategies for a Forum on Economic Development, Higher Education and Workforce Development.
“Laredo Community College is pleased to host the Texas Border Infrastructure Coalition where recommendations will be developed to send to the Governor and State Legislature,” explained Blas Castañeda, LCC Chief Development Officer. He is a member and past chair of the TBIC Workforce and Education Committee.
Castaneda noted some of those issues:
· discussion and recommendations on over $289 million currently earmarked for Economic Development under the Governor’s office. The goal is to recommend that some of this funding be made available to communities and community colleges in Texas for local economic development initiatives;
· the possibility of amending a law which would give the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board more flexibility in working with community colleges and the local workforce board to contract business training. Currently, the law treats community colleges the same as all other vendors seeking contract training;
· establishing a provision for a state statute to recover lost contact hours funding from college students that repeat a course three or more times; and
· creating a provision in state statute for community colleges to charge a differential tuition for high cost instructional programs. The current Texas Education Code limits community colleges to charge only tuition and fees as authorized in the Education Code.
Leaders from area community colleges, workforce boards and economic development organizations are expected to attend the TBIC meeting.
For more information, contact the LCC Development Office by calling 721-5102. Office hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 7 p.m.
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West End Washington St.
Laredo, TX 78040-4395
956- 721-5140
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