AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education convened Tuesday morning to consider some of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s interim legislative charges.
Tuesday’s agenda includes interim charges related to monitoring new funding for public junior colleges, the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in higher education and access to core curriculum courses.
Core curriculum accessibility is one of Patrick’s additional interim charges released on Sept. 10 and focuses on reviewing — and if needed, reforming — students’ access to core courses. It also includes looking into issues that could reduce access to in-person classes.
The other agenda items stem from Patrick’s original interim charges released on April 11. Among those, monitoring new community college funding includes reporting on if student outcomes and workforce training are being focused on in the rulemaking process. The technology and AI charge looks at challenges, uses and the ethics of using emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in higher education.