Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a powerful official who oversees the state’s Senate, is calling for lawmakers to increase oversight and scrutiny of colleges’ tenure policies and faculty governance groups. In preparation of the state’s next Senate session, Patrick released directives Thursday offering insight into his legislative priorities. He charged the Senate’s higher education committee with reporting on how the state’s public colleges are complying with SB 18, a law giving governing boards the sole power to grant tenure and codifying the post-tenure review process. The lieutenant governor further ordered lawmakers to recommend guidelines to oversee the role of faculty senates in higher education governance — something that has not traditionally been influenced by state lawmakers.
