The commission was comprised of community leaders and higher education administrators. Members were appointed by Welcome Wilson, chairman of the UH System Board of Regents and Ron Walker, president of the Board of Trustees of The Victoria College.

In addition to co-chairs Wilson and Walker, the commission membership consists of:

• Thomas Butler, president, The Victoria College
• Tim Hudson, president, UH-Victoria
• Janey Lack, vice president of advertising and marketing, Lacks Stores, Inc.
• Mary Elizabeth Jimenez, licensed court interpreter
• Bland Proctor, attorney, O'Connor-Braman Interests
• Eric Murphy, member, UH-Victoria President's Advisory Board
• Dennis Patillo, president, Stewart Title of the Coastal Bend
• Jan Jacob, educational consultant
• David McLarry, community banking president, Wells Fargo
• Bob Moore, superintendent, Victoria Independent School District
• Bill Blanchard, chief executive officer, De Tar Health Care System
• Michael Hummel, faculty senate president, The Victoria College
• Dan Jaeckle, faculty senate president, UH-Victoria
• Jeff Bauknight, president, Crossroads Mechanical, Inc.
• Jeff Lyons, vice president/general manager, Gap Broadcasting - Victoria

The commission held public sessions in which community members were encouraged to provide information and comments. The commission delivered its findings in October to the Board of Trustees of The Victoria College and the UH System Board of Regents.

Ultimately, the Legislature would have to approve any recommendations that involve the downward expansion of the University of Houston-Victoria.

This interim, the Higher Education Committee held public hearings to solicit input from stakeholders and to debate solutions for challenges facing our higher education students and the institutions that serve them. In doing so, the Committee looked at several issues that will be at the forefront of the next legislative session.

Included, but not limited to, would be:

• Improving communication and cooperation between secondary schools, community colleges, and 4-year institutions…in order to improve transition and transfer.
• Reviewing developmental education policies.
• Looking at strategies to promote the establishment or expansion of programs, facilities, and institutions to further align goals with the State.
• Improving financial aid strategies.
• Improving participation and success in critical fields through incentive funding.
• Examining policies that relate to the marketing and sale of textbooks.
• And, evaluating university admissions policies.

The 80th Legislature created the Texas Tomorrow Fund II, which will be marketed as the Texas Tuition Promise Fund. This fund, which opened in September 2008, gives families the opportunity to lock in tuition and required fees at current prices of public universities and community colleges in Texas, and offers many flexible options to prepay those expenses before a child is ready for college.

To help families with the many options available to finance a college education, Texas Comptroller, Susan Combs, debuted a new Web site: Every Chance, Every Texan. The Web site is a portal to everything parents needs to know about paying for college, including the Texas Tuition Promise Fund, Texas' state-sponsored college savings plans and other sources of funding such as scholarships and student loans.

Visit Every Chance, Every Texan at www.EveryChanceEveryTexan.org or go directly to the Texas Tuition Promise Fund Web site at www.TexasTuitionPromiseFund.com for detailed information about the new prepaid tuition program.

In November 2007, Governor Rick Perry appointed a diverse group of 29 private sector, education and state agency leaders to create the Governor's Competitiveness Council. Governor Perry charged the council with recommending ways to enhance the state's economic footing in emerging industries throughout Texas. Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams was designated as chair of the council.

The council's recommendations were released in August 2008, and are outlined in two reports: the Council's Report to the Governor and the Texas 2008 State Energy Plan. By following the recommendations in these reports, it is believed that Texas will be better equipped to excel within the six most rapidly growing industries in the world: Aerospace and Defense; Advanced Technologies and Manufacturing; Biotechnology and Life Sciences; Energy; Information and Computer Technology; and Petroleum Refining and Chemical Products.

Currently, many over-the-air stations are broadcasting in both analog and digital TV formats. After February 17, 2009, full-power TV stations will only broadcast in digital. The DTV transition will affect those who watch free over-the-air television (through a rooftop antenna or "rabbit ears"). If you watch over-the-air programs on an analog TV, you must take action before February 17, 2009. Converter boxes have an average one-time cost of $40-$70 and can be purchased at any of these national retailers currently participating in the program:

• Best Buy
• Circuit City
• Kmart
• RadioShack
• Sears
• Target
• Wal-Mart