Dive Summary:
- In an attempt to hold universities to a higher standard and cope with lower funding statewide, Texas' higher education agency has proposed linking 10 percent of undergraduate funding to specific outcomes rather than funding schools solely on enrollment.
- This is the third time the agency has proposed such a funding model, which would judge universities on criteria such as their six-year graduation rate and the number of students receiving degrees in high-demand fields like science, math, engineering, and technology.
- Part of the blame for the current statewide 56 percent six-year graduation rate is placed on the number of students taking remedial courses, which don't count toward a degree, and detractors of the proposal argue that tying funding to graduation rates may create pressure for professors to pass students who aren't performing up to standard.
From the article:
CORPUS CHRISTI — Too few Texas college students graduate on time and not enough major in high-demand careers, prompting the state's higher education agency to once again propose a controversial merit-based funding system. The proposal calls for the state to link 10 percent of undergraduate funding to specific outcomes rather than fund institutions solely on enrollment.