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Network provides teacher solutionsTexas educators are connecting - literally - with more studentsTeacher shortages and other program deficiencies may become a thing of the past for the Texas educational system since it has been granted access to the Texas Educational Telecommunications Network (TETN), a new videoconferencing technology system. 
TETN has become the latest supplemental tool in education, connecting 20 Regional Education Service Center networks and school districts with telecommunications capabilities. The network allows students to take dual-credit courses, make up high school courses, take electronic field trips and engage in peer collaboration, said TETN Manager Carol Willis. Willis said that this new technology will become a staple of the future, as more teachers become aware of its capabilities. "I think this technology is going to be more widely used to meet educational requirements and help with the shortage of teachers for certain subjects," said Willis. Willis said Region 13 hired two Spanish teachers who teach seven classes to schools throughout the state with the use of TETN. TETN was used in a statewide event recently to celebrate an Hispanic holiday. More than 72 schools and 16 ESC Regions participated in the event, which included 25 presentations by students. TETN also held an event on Texas history and students were asked to create presentations on the history of their geographical area. More than 3,500 students and 70 schools participated in the program. The network has also helped students graduate on time, by providing access to courses that, before now, were available only at certain times of the year. The network allows students to catch up on coursework and stay current with their peers. "TETN is not intended to replace the teacher in the classroom, but it can be used to supplement the classroom environment," said Willis. The network's capabilities can be expanded with creativity, she noted. Recently, for example, video-conferencing technology connected a Del Valle debate teacher and his students with Russian debate students - a cross-cultural event made possible with technology. Conference this week features prominent lawmakers
The 5th Biennial Pre-session Legislative Conference will be held Tuesday at the University of Texas Pickle Research Campus in North Austin. Six legislators, three former legislators, key agency heads and media pundits will share their insight regarding the 80th session. Of particular interest for professionals who interact with the legislature will be the 10:30 a.m. panel featuring State Sen. Leticia Van De Putte, (pictured, far right) and State Reps. Lois Kolkhorst, (pictured, second from right) Robert Puente (pictured, second from left) and Sylvester Turner (pictured, far left). Their topic will be "Working with the Legislature." Earlier this week, registrations passed the 250 mark on the way to the planned 300. Since there are usually some last minute cancellations or no-shows, there may still be room for people who have not yet registered. The agenda is online and there is a link on the agenda page to the registration site. The conference is jointly sponsored by Strategic Partnerships, Inc., and UT's LBJ School of Public Affairs. It will be held at The Commons at UT's Pickle Research Campus in North Austin. Parking is available adjacent to the building. Texas Tech nears end of search for leader
The Texas Tech University Board of Regents is expected to name the Tech system's next chancellor before the end of the month. Regents are expected to name their finalist at their regular meeting Oct. 27 in Lubbock, which would be almost exactly nine months after the position was vacated by Dr. David Smith. Rumors around Lubbock have narrowed the list of suspected favorites, with former U.S. Rep. Kent Hance's (pictured, right) name mentioned frequently. Another possible candidate frequently mentioned is Karen Tandy (pictured,left), administrator for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Wright Amendment repeal bill headed to presidentA bill that would repeal the Wright Amendment has passed in both houses of Congress and is headed to the desk of President George W. Bush for his signature. The bill represents an agreement among the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Continental and Southwest Airlines and will allow travelers to book one-stop flights from Dallas Love Field to anywhere in the nation. The bill also reduces the number of gates at Love Field from 32 to 20. The Wright Amendment, passed in 1979, prohibited long-haul flights out of Love Field, limiting flights to points in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico. In 1997, an amendment added that flights could also be made to Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi. The ban on flights outside that zone will continue until 2014, although through-ticketing for connecting flights to long-haul destinations can begin immediately after the bill is signed. UTMB president John Stobo stepping down
University of Texas Medical Branch President John Stobo announced this week he would step down next year after running the institution for nearly a decade. The news of his retirement comes at a difficult time for UTMB, which has announced it needs to cut its workforce by 1,000 employees because of a $20 million annual operating deficit. The most recent cuts have sparked protests from those who are worried that UTMB is abandoning its traditional mission of caring for the uninsured, that it will compete with private doctors or that it is abandoning Galveston. Stobo said this week he made the decision to retire about a month ago and timed it to correspond with the legislature's biennial session. He'll depart after the 2007 session and his successor will have time to prepare for the next one, he said. UTMB gets $500,000 grant
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston this week received a $500,000 grant for neurological stem cell research from the Cullen Foundation. The grant money will allow the purchase of an advanced microscope, as well as support a post-doctoral fellow who assists in the studies to optimize stem cell therapy under Dr. Ping Wu, a faculty member in UTMB's Marine Biomedical Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology. Wu is researching stem cell technology in animal models to develop new therapeutic approaches for neurological trauma and illness, like brain and spinal cord injuries, Lou Gehrig's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Laredo official to lead national Hispanic group
Laredo City Manager Larry Dovalina has officially been elected president of the Board of Directors for the International Hispanic Network, which promotes the advancement and professional development of Latino government officials. Dovalina took over duties from Frances Gonzalez, immediate past president and an Assistant City Manager in San Antonio, during the International City/County Management Association meeting hosted in mid-September by the same city. Debit cards introduced for child supportThe Texas Attorney General's office this week unveiled a Texas Debit Card that will allow San Antonio parents to receive child support with plastic. Attorney General Greg Abbott said the card was more convenient than using cash or checks and parents do not need a bank account to access their child support. UTHSC to use NIH grant to create new research center
The University of Texas Health Science Center has been selected for a $36 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health. The NIH funds will be invested in a Center for Clinical and Translational Science, which will be one of the first of its kind in the nation and the only one of its kind in Texas. The Health Science Center and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center partnered in planning the grant and will collaborate on research and educational activities supported by the new center. The Health Science Center also will work on collaborative projects with Memorial Hermann Healthcare System and The University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville Regional Campus. UT-Houston President Dr. James T. Willerson says the grant award recognized the university's efforts to recruit and retain outstanding scientists and physicians and to construct facilities necessary to support excellence in research. TYC to head up youth service eventThe Texas Youth Commission will lead Texas participation in a world-wide event next April aimed at getting young people in its programs involved in volunteering. TYC, designated for the second year in a row to spearhead the effort in Texas, hopes to mobilize more than 2,400 young Texans to take part in the 19th annual National and Global Youth Service Day, scheduled for April 20, 2007. More than 100 countries participate by staging simultaneous service events. Tammy Vega, TYC's administrator of community relations, said the experience last year "changed attitudes" of participants, many of whom "for the first time realized a sense of pride and positive self-esteems." Last year, TYC created a coalition of 67 partners, including county juvenile probation departments, youth aid groups, and private organizations. On the scheduled day, 2,300 volunteers completed 168 separate projects, which in turn reached an estimated half million citizens. Nearly 14,000 volunteer hours were contributed by youth participants, all of whom are juvenile offenders on probation or parole, or youth staying in transitional living programs or correctional facilities. UH officials still hope for northwest campus
After being urged by state leaders to reconsider, University of Houston officials said they would rethink a decision to abandon plans for a new campus in the northwest suburbs of Houston. But they cautioned that they were not interested in spending $39 million turning an office complex into a college campus if it means they must abide by restrictions imposed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board last week. While the Coordinating Board imposed the restrictions to keep UH from drawing too many students away from Prairie View A&M University, UH officials believe the rules imposed make the northwest campus unfeasible for them. "It's very much on the front burner," Donald Foss, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at UH, said of the campus that would offer upper-division and graduate courses as soon as January. Proponents of the new campus point out that population projections are for a 15 percent growth of the area's 1.4 million residents over the next five years. But objections from Prairie View A&M and Sam Houston State University prompted the Coordinating Board to restrict UH from offering 14 popular courses at the new campus through 2012. Midland defers convention center proposalMidland city officials are looking at three possible sites for a proposed convention center, but are waiting for more information before deciding whether to pursue a bond issuance to fund the project. Last August, experts told the City Council that a convention center with 55,000 square feet of leasable space could generate about $8.75 million annually in direct spending from out-of-town visitors by its fifth year of operation. Teachers of the Year spotlight excellence
An El Paso second grade teacher and a Fort Worth high school English teacher have been named Texas Teachers of the Year by the Texas Education Agency's Educator Excellence Division. A judging panel chaired by State Board of Education member Terri Leo selected Dana Boyd (pictured, right), of the Ysleta Independent School District in El Paso, for the elementary-level honor. Boyd, a six year teaching veteran, is the first African-American ever selected as Teacher of the Year, an award created in 1969. Known for creating a family atmosphere in her classroom at Dolphin Terrace elementary, Boyd initiated an attendance contest in her classroom, giving donated bikes to students with the best records. For the high school teaching award, the panel selected Nika Maples (pictured, left) of Fossil Ridge High School in the Keller Independent School District. Maples, who suffered a massive stroke when she was 20, fought hard to rehabilitate physically and become a teacher. She has used that experience to model fortitude to her students. In addition, the TEA announced four other finalists; Susan Gowens, a second grade teacher at Flour Bluff Primary School in Corpus Christi; Maureen Haggerty, a special education teacher at South Knoll Elementary School in College Station; Victoria Fletcher, a math teacher at Hubbard High School in Hubbard; and Mark LaCroix, a social studies teacher at Midland Freshman High School in Midland. Boyd and Maples will each receive a $5,000 cash award and a technology package valued at $15,000. A wide range of Texas education associations and businesses financially contribute to the awards. Heavy equipment for oil boom takes its tollRural East Texas counties are struggling with road damage caused by heavy equipment used to produce gas that is being hauled across country lanes not constructed for such abuse. The dirt roads now traveled by gas production machinery aren't surfaced with rock or oil and sand, and are wearing down and rutting, according to some county officials. Some counties, such as Nacogdoches and Rusk, actively pursue oil and gas companies to repair road damage caused by their trucks. Other counties, such as Panola, do not. Rusk County, with 1,600 producing wells, requires companies that plan to use trucks weighing more than 20,000 pounds to apply for a permit. With that information, the county seeks reparations after its roads are damaged. UT names new VP for technology
University of Texas officials announced last week that Brian E. Roberts, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, has been named vice-president for information technology. Roberts, who has been interim dean and chief operating officer for information technology since June 1, was selected following a national search. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Trinity College and a doctoral degree in economics from Washington University. Starting in 2003, Roberts chaired the eUniversity Steering committee, while serving on the university's IT Coordinating council. TAMU gets new assistant dean for financeJulie B. Allen has been appointed as assistant dean for finance and administration for Texas A&M University's College of Science. Allen, who graduated from TAMU in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, has served as the college's business officer for the past year. She previously served as manager of Texas A&M transportation services. In her new position, she will be responsible for financial and administrative operations of the college, including preparation of budget requests and annual operating budgets. She brings to her new position extensive corporate experience, including as a business analyst for Dun and Bradstreet in Houston. Former Houston chancellor moves to SA
Alamo Community College District trustees last week chose former Houston Community College Chancellor Bruce Leslie to lead San Antonio's 50,000-student community college system, replacing Terence Kelly, who suffered a stroke last year and resigned in January. Leslie, 60, served as chancellor of the Houston Community College System for six years and resigned in June. His challenges at ACCD will be similar to those at HCCS, which has about 38,000 credit students, six colleges and a $200 million budget. ACC nursing program growingFaced with a chronic nursing shortage, Seton and St. David's Hospitals last month renewed a four-year, $847,000 contract with Austin Community College to allow an increase in its annual nursing enrollment by 20 percent by 2010. By adding three full-time faculty members and a full-time administrative assistant, the hospitals hope to benefit from the growing number of graduates, many of whom seek jobs at the facilities. While there are an estimated 5,100 registered nurses in Travis County, Seton alone expects to need another 3,500 new nurses in the next 15 years. In Texas, 72 schools have registered nursing programs, according to the Texas Nurses Association. Hospital officials said ACC's two-year program provides a solid employment base for Seton and St. David's. And Randy Stone, vice president of human resources at St. David's, said the retention rate for ACC-trained nurses is high because they tend to stay in the community. About 80 of the 600 nurses St. David's hired last year attended ACC, Stone said. Fed budget includes UTPB nuclear reactor funding
The University of Texas-Permian Basin will be receiving $1 million to support construction of a next-generation nuclear reactor to facilitate high-temperature studies that could lead to the development of new materials, advanced industrial processes and more efficient methods of energy production. The project, scheduled for completion in 2012, is a partnership between UTPB, the cities of Midland and Odessa, Andrews County and General Atomics. UTPB President David Watts credited the Texas congressional delegation with ensuring the funding. Dallas looks south for bilingual teachers
The Dallas Independent School District has signed an agreement with the government of Mexico allowing the school district to hire 40 bilingual teachers from Mexico. The arrangement allows teachers to come on three-year work visas beginning next year. DISD's Michael Hinojosa says the deal with Mexico's education secretary was needed to fill the district's constant shortage of bilingual teachers. More than 60 percent of the district's 160,000 students are Hispanic, and more than 30 percent are learning English. Hinojosa says Dallas is the first school district in Texas to make such an agreement with Mexico, although some states have done so. Hospital council chief to retire after 30 yearsJohn Gavras, president and CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council for the last 30 years, announced he plans to retire at the end of next year. A five-member search committee of current and former board chairmen has been formed to look for a replacement. The council represents 72 hospitals in North Texas. GLO offers grants for homes on eroded shoreline
The Texas General Land Office this week reported receiving 19 applications for grants from the owners of shoreline homes that require removal because beach erosion effectively has moved them into open beach areas. The applications involve six shoreline homes in Galveston County and 13 in Brazoria County, said a Land Office spokeswoman. In June, General Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced availability of $1.3 million in grant money to help owners move structures that ended up on the sea side of the dune line because of erosion caused by heavy coastal storms in recent years. The state declared a two-year moratorium on any legal action to force property owners to remove structures that ended up on public beaches because of erosion. While the Land Office had identified 200 homes that now were in the path of public beaches, officials approved a two-year wait-and-see period to allow for possible changes in the vegetation line that would affect the status of the properties. In June, Patterson said the state wants to avoid costly and time-consuming lawsuits against homeowners and try to help them pay for the cost of removing structures from public beach areas. Big Bend National Park gets new superintendentWilliam "Bill" Wellman, a 36-year veteran of the National Park Service, has been named superintendent of Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. Wellman, who will assume his new duties effective Nov. 12, replaces former Superintendent John H. King, who retired earlier this year. A native of North Carolina and graduate of North Carolina State University, Wellman is currently serving as the superintendent at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and National Recreation Area. TDHCA names two new directorsThe Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs this week named two new directors: Kelly Crawford as Director of Portfolio Management and Compliance and Robbye Meyer as Director of Multifamily Finance. Crawford has eight years of state government service with project management, monitoring, and auditing experience in housing and welfare reform programs. During her three-and-half years as an internal auditor at TDHCA, she also gained experience in performance measurement, data accuracy, and program efficiency. She has worked closely with agency management in developing and implementing an Enterprise Risk Management Program. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Crawford is a Certified Internal Auditor. Meyer, who has more than 22 years of experience and extensive knowledge in finance, housing and real estate, has been with the Department since May 2001. For the past year an a half, she has been managing the Multifamily Programs and division staff. Previously, she served as administrator for the Private Activity Bond and non-competitive Housing Tax Credit programs for the Department. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas State University. Sen. West to be Governor-for-a-day
Dallas State Sen. Royce West will be sworn in as Governor for a Day on Saturday, Nov. 18, in conjunction with his election last April as President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. The tradition of Governor for a Day celebrations date back to the 1940s. West's celebration will start with a Saturday morning parade on Congress Avenue in front of the State Capitol, and will feature Dallas area high schools and bands from Texas' colleges and universities. West, who has served in the Texas Senate for 13 years, was chosen as Chairman of the Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee by Lt. Governor David Dewhurst. In addition, West remains Vice-Chair of the Senate Education Committee, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Education Reform and Public School Finance, the Senate Jurisprudence Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. UHV steps up to the plateThe University of Houston-Victoria has been approved for membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, opening the way for the first college athletic program in the area since 1970. Plans are underway for baseball and softball teams to take to the field in spring 2008. Pending approval, they will compete as members of the Red River Athletic Conference, which includes Houston Baptist University, Huston-Tillotson University and Texas Wesleyan University. This will mark the first time since The Victoria College ceased its athletic participation in 1970 that Victoria has had intercollegiate sports offerings. Hemingson named Cap Metro VPAustin's Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro) has appointed Todd Hemingson as the new Vice President of Strategic Planning and Development. Hemingson's responsibilities include planning, route scheduling and analysis and designing and constructing facilities. Hemingson has 14 years of transportation industry experience, which include working for the Texas Department of Transportation, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and C-TRAN in Vancouver, Washington. |
School safety requires good planning, resources
By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc. If it can happen in an Amish school in a town called Paradise, it can happen anywhere. The shocking news that a mentally-disturbed gunman took the lives of young girls in Pennsylvania this week, on the heels of two other U.S. school shootings, left us all with that uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability again. But government leaders can't be paralyzed - even for a moment - by grief, fear or denial. And in Texas, Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley wasted no time before reminding school administrators that they must be vigilant and prepared for copycat incidents. She urged school officials to review their procedures for identifying campus visitors, noting that since "the most recent incidents involved perpetrators entering campuses with weapons, you may wish to consider additional steps to ensure that weapons and unauthorized individuals are not entering your campuses." Since 1999, the Texas School Safety Center has been offering assistance to schools creating policies to ensure the safety of their students, through training and a series of publications on best practices across the country. The Center's website is http://www.txssc.txstate.edu/txssc.htm. The Center has been especially active since last March, when a new state law took effect requiring schools to develop an Emergency Operations Plan and conduct a safety audit at least every three years. This week, program director Curtis Clay says "now is a good time" for schools to review their emergency plans with school personnel. Clay said the center has noticed an uptick in the number of schools purchasing surveillance equipment to increase security at school facilities - and even buses - to augment patrolling by teachers and guards. The Nacogdoches school district recently purchased cameras for its buses to increase security. To assist school districts, Clay said the Texas School Safety Center was researching grants and other funding that might be available to schools who desire to purchase surveillance cameras and metal detectors but lack the funding. He said the Center hopes to soon post its findings on its website. But he also said there are many common sense approaches school officials can take to increase safety - things like requiring all visitors to sign in and wear badges and limiting the points of entry to a school. He also recommended "using plain language" and not codes in emergency situations, which can be confusing for substitute teachers, volunteers and students. All over Texas, news reports this week indicated a heightened sense of awareness of danger. At one East Texas school, a custodian confronted an unknown visitor and later reported the incident to police. An over-reaction? Not in the times we live in. We need to utilize every resource - from sophisticated equipment to good leadership - to create safe environments for public school children. Huston-Tillotson's Earvin honored
Larry L. Earvin, president and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, has been named to the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, representing education. He was inducted Sept. 29 in a ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia. Earvin is in his 35th year in higher education and was appointed president of H-T in 2000. He holds a bachelor's degree from Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University), a master's from George State University and a doctorate from Emory University. Prior to joining H-T, Earvin held a variety of positions at Clark Atlanta University, including dean of undergraduate studies, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and assistant and then associate director of the Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy. New Caney school trustees choose site for new high schoolNew Caney Independent School District officials have chosen 70 acres along FM 1314 as the site of their second high school. Trustees agreed to a purchase price of almost $1.2 million for the property to build the high school, expected to be needed in three years. The district has not yet passed a bond issue for the project. A new facilities committee, expected to be appointed at the board's October meeting, will assess all of the district's buildings, along with projected growth figures. The committee then will recommend which projects should be included in a bond referendum, expected to be called in May 2007. Denton police chief departs
Denton Police Chief Charles Wiley is departing North Texas to take a job as chief of the Houston Independent School District security force. That means newly-hired City Manager George Campbell will have to begin a search for a new police chief when he begins his job Nov. 1. Wiley, who will oversee 260 sworn officers on 300 campuses, came to Denton in 2002 from South Carolina, where he served as chief of police for the Medical University of South Carolina. A Texas native, he began his career in 1969 in the Galveston Police Department. Fire Training Center plannedNorth Richland Hills will begin construction in November on a $705,000 fire training center that will give firefighters live practice with small-scale incidents. The City Council approved a contract last week for construction of the center, expected to be completed by April. The building will have a brick exterior and a fireproof lining inside. The new facility will increase training for the city's 88 firefighters on the more common, smaller fires, like kitchen and bedroom fires. Medicare delays interrupt Brazoria facility's cash flowAbout one-third of the employees of Brazoria County's tiny Sweeny Community Hospital agreed to a one-week paycheck delay to allow the facility to get through a cash flow crunch caused by a new federal Medicaid payment timetable. Hospital administrators appealed last week to their 139 employees, asking them to delay a paycheck by one week and 40 volunteered, a move that will save the hospital $68,000. Money problems are not unusual at the 20-bed hospital, but it found out only recently it was not legally authorized to borrow money. Also, this year the Federal Budget Reduction Act prompted a suspension in Medicaid payments during the last 10 days of September. Resumed Medicare payments and tax payments that start in November will ensure that employees will get paid in the future, administrators said. Clear Lake education advocate honored
The Clear Lake Education Foundation has selected Dr. Glenn B. Freedman as recipient of the George Carlisle Distinguished Service Award and will present the award at its sixth annual gala this week. The George Carlisle Distinguished Service Award recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the Clear Creek Independent School District. Freedman, vice president of the Clear Creek ISD Board of Trustees, has served on the school board since 2002. He has been a strong voice for nationally recognized academic programs, long-range planning, fiscal accountability and community partnerships. In addition to his service to the Clear Creek district, Freedman is a tenured professor of education and linguistics at the University of Houston Clear Lake. Freedman earned a bachelor's degree in history and journalism from Wake Forest University. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees in education and linguistics at the University of North Carolina. Royse City superintendent resignsRoyse City school officials accepted the resignation of Superintendent Mike Harris, who became the second school leader in a row to depart within two years. Woodlands considers arts complexA feasibility study on a proposed cultural arts center for The Woodlands recently recommended the creation of a community arts center, ballet performance hall and natural science museum. Those were the ideas that a consultant found would be unique, high quality, sustainable and spur economic development. Based on those findings, the Town Center Improvement District Task force will move forward with its recommendations, which could include a 500-seat performing arts venue and an exhibition hall. College Station hires assistant city manager
College Station officials this week hired Kathy Merrill, an assistant city manager in Abilene, for the same position in College Station. Merrill will be College Station's first female assistant city manager. She will oversee fire, police, public communication and parks and recreation programs. Merrill, 51, has a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master's in human relations from Abilene Christian University. She worked as a nurse for about six years before taking a job as a personnel officer at the state Department of Human Services. She has worked for the city of Abilene for about 13 years, the past four as assistant city manager. Hutto approves wastewater siteEnding years of debate, the Hutto City Council chose a site east of town for a new wastewater treatment plant. The council approved a recommendation from the Lower Colorado River Authority to build the plant across from the Brushy Creek neighborhood, a site which will allow expansion to serve more than 100,000 for the next few decades. Splendora ISD narrows superintendent searchThe Splendora Independent School District board this week selected the deputy superintendent of the Pasadena school system as the lone superintendent finalist. Vicki Thomas, the first female superintendent in Splendora, has 26 years of experience in education - as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and district administrator. The new superintendent will fill the vacancy left by Leon Cubillas, who retired from the district in June. Governor Rick Perry has made the following appointments:
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Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) is a research and consulting firm offering business development and public affairs services. |
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The Texas Government Performance SummitThe Texas Performance Summit, to be held Dec. 4-6 at the Hyatt Regency in Houston, will feature as speakers Billy Hamilton, Texas Deputy Comptroller; Charles Bacarisse, Board of Directors, of the Texas Department of Information Resources; and Mary Scott Nabers, CEO, Strategic Partnerships, Inc. For more information, please click here. Huston-Tillotson marking 131 yearsThe grand opening of the historic Old Administration Building on the Huston-Tillotson University campus in Austin will be part of the university's celebration Oct. 26-29, as current and former students, faculty, staff and friends celebrate H-T's 131st anniversary. The Charter Day celebration will begin at 10 a.m. on Oct. 27 and includes the grand opening of the 93-year-old structure which now houses a new business resource center, heritage center, computer lab and offices. The three-story structure is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated with a Texas Historical Marker as a Texas Historical Site. A pre-Charter Day symposium on the African-American family will begin at 10 a.m. on Oct. 26. For more information, click here. Excellence conference seeks presentersExcellence in Government 2007 will be held at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., April 4-5, 2007, and is currently accepting proposals from individuals who would like to make a presentation. If you have any questions on the submission process or your proposal, please contact Julie Truesdell at (202) 266-7176 or jtruesdell@govexec.com by Oct. 23. For registration questions, please contact Melissa Benowitz at (866) 332-5185 or benowitz@letsmeet.net. For information on sponsoring or exhibiting at this year's event contact Erika Donohue at (202) 266-7254 or edonohue@govexec.com. Expo 2006 to highlight HUB opportunitiesThe Historically Underutiltized Businesses advisory board will hold Expo 2006 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston Oct. 11 and 12 to facilitate opportunities for historically-underutilized businesses seeking to do business with the Texas Department of Information Resources. Visit www.hmbc.org to register. Economic growth summit plannedGov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will be among the speakers for an economic development summit, "Harness the Lightning: An Economic Growth Summit for Texas," hosted by the Texas Lyceum Nov. 13-14 at the San Antonio Convention Center. David Spencer, chair of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, is organizing the annual conference, which will focus on what the group calls the "three-legged stool of economic growth" - industrial relocation, business retention and company formation. For more information, and to register, click here. TML gearing up for annual conferenceMore than 4,000 municipal officials, spouses and exhibitors will be on hand for the 2006 Texas Municipal League (TML) Annual Conference slated for Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 25-27 at the Austin Convention Center. This year's theme is "Cities, Citizens: Partners for the Greater Good." Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has been invited to speak at Wednesday's Opening General Session, which will also feature the presentation of Municipal Excellence Awards to 10 Texas cities. The conference will also feature five half-day workshops, which are separately ticketed events, planned on Wednesday before the conference officially opens. Other keynote addresses on Thursday and Friday will be presented by such nationally known speakers as Steve Gilliland, Bryan Dodge, Howard Prince, James Hunt, Dorothy Burton, John Alston, and Trudy Bourgeois. Educational sessions are scheduled to cover a number of timely, city-related topics, like ethics, grassroots advocacy, effective communication, leadership principles, technology resources, and strategic planning. TML is a voluntary association of more than 1,080 Texas cities. To learn more about the League and to register for the conference online, click here. Homeland Security conference registration underwayThe Governor's Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) will sponsor the Texas Homeland Security Conference 2006 Nov. 27 - Dec. 1 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. Early registration (through Oct. 30) is $70, and later is $85. For more information, click here.
Texas Assessment Conference to address testingThe Texas Assessment Conference will be held Dec. 10-13, at the Hilton Hotel in Austin, to share up-to-date information on assessment and accountability issues, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), alternative assessment systems for special education and limited-English-proficient (LEP) students, college/university testing issues, and best practices from districts. Woods to speak at DOE conferenceThe U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture have announced an impressive list of speakers for the upcoming conference, "Advancing Renewable Energy: An American Rural Renaissance," to be held in St. Louis on October 10-12. Included on the list is Texan Pat Wood III--Chairman, North American Advisory Board, Airtricity, Inc. and former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Texas Public Utility Commission. Attendees and press can register online at www.AdvancingRenewableEnergy.gov.
Council on Competitive Government meets soonThe State Council on Competitive Government will meet Oct. 13, 10 a.m. in the Capitol Extension, Room E.026 to discuss various requests for proposals, including for digital imaging services. The agenda also calls for a discussion of the human resources consolidation/outsourcing project. |
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