Recommendations created in 2008 by Gov. Rick Perry, the the governing boards of the University of Texas System, the Texas A&M University System, the Texas Tech University System and other university systems and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Invitation to Gov. Perry’s Higher Education Summit that was faxed to Texas A&M University System regent Morris Foster, apparently from Sandefer’s office

Minutes from Governor Perry’s Higher Education Summit in 2008

Notes taken by Barry McBee, UT vice chancellor for governmental relations, regarding Perry’s 2008 Higher Education Summit

Media Coverage

Reports from each university system to the governor’s office and other systems on the status and feasibility of implementing Seven Breakthrough Solutions (July 2008)

Minutes from March 10, 2009 meeting in which UT System officials comment of the Seven Breakthrough Solutions and how the System’s method is “superior” to them

2008 Analysis of the Seven Breakthrough Solutions for the University of Houston Board of Regents

Consultants Analyze Higher Ed “Breakthrough Solutions” (The Texas Tribune – May 6, 2011)

Email from Wayne Roberts – senior adviser for higher education in the office of the governor – to the UT Board of Regents regarding the Seven Breakthrough Solutions

Emails from UT System officials expressing skepticism of the Seven Breakthrough Solutions

Texas A&M University System status reports on the progress of plans to implement the Seven Breakthrough Solutions for Higher Education

Status report from July 30, 2008
Status report from Jan. 13, 2010
Status report from April 28, 2010
Status report from May 28, 2010
Status report from June 2010
Status report from Feb. 7, 2011

“Higher Education Reforms” sent to each university system by Gov. Rick Perry (Jan. 2009)

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Student Letter to the UT System Board of Regents

May 14, 2012: Written and signed by Senate President Michael Morton, Graduate Student Assembly President Michael Redding and Student Government President Thor Lund, the letter supports UT Austin President Bill Powers’ vision for the university and states students will continue to “stand with Powers.”

Faculty Council Resolution In Support of President Bill Powers

May 14, 2012: Resolution states that “faculty of the University of Texas at Austin offer their support for William Powers in the performance of his duties as president of the University.”

“An Analysis of Faculty Instructional and Grant-based Productivity at The University of Texas at Austin”

Nov. 12: Authored by Marc Musick, a sociology professor and associate dean in UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts, the report states that University of Texas at Austin instructors generate nearly twice as much revenue through research funding and educational dollars as they cost the state in salary and benefits. The report analyzes data released earlier this year by The University of Texas System related to class sizes and research funding for about 4,000 instructors from graduate assistants to tenured professors.

“Musick’s report hits the wrong note” by Francis D. Fisher (The Daily Texan – November 16, 2011)
“The sound of Musick” by the editorial board (The Daily Texan – November 14, 2011)
“National Higher Education Policy Expert Calls UT Austin Faculty ‘Highly Productive’” by Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education (November 14, 2011)
UT study contradicts notion of ‘dodgers’ and ‘coasters’ among faculty (The Texas Independent – November 14, 2011)
UT Faculty Bring In Twice as Much Revenue as They Cost (The Alcalde – November 14, 2011)
Nuance on Faculty Productivity (Inside Higher Ed – November 14, 2011)
Report says UT profs productive (AP – November 14, 2011)
UT professor authors study examining staff efficiency (The Daily Texan – November 14, 2011)
U. of Texas Says Faculty at Flagship Bring In Twice as Much Money as They Cost (Chronicle of Higher Education – November 13, 2011)
UT Faculty Productivity Gets High Marks in New Report (The Texas Tribune – November 13, 2011)
New UT study finds its professors very productive (Austin American-Statesman – November 13, 2011)
UT Austin Press Release: “Texas Reaps Twice as Much as It Pays for University of Texas at Austin Faculty” (November 12, 2011)

State of the University Address delivered by UT Austin President William Powers

Sept. 14: Powers delivered his sixth annual State of the University Address to students, faculty, alumni and state leaders gathered at the B. Iden Payne Theatre on campus. He acknowledged the need to embrace change and improve the university but stressed that change cannot undermine the constitutional mission to be a university of the first class.

Video: State of the University Address 2011
Powers expresses support for faculty in University Address (The Horn – September 15, 2011)
Powers stresses importance of high four-year graduation rates (The Daily Texan – September 15, 2011)
Powers Defends Soul of University in Annual Address (The Alcalde – September 14, 2011)
UT President Bill Powers: “We Are a House Divided” (The Texas Tribune – September 14, 2011)
Powers defends UT’s mission: educating students ‘to do more than just pull levers’ (The Texas Independent – September 14, 2011)
Powers wants medical school and other kinds of healing (Austin American-Statesman – September 14, 2011)

Analysis of Efficiency and Graduation Rates at The University of Texas at Austin and Other Public Research Universities in the United States

Sept. 1: Report by Marc Musick, sociology professor and associate dean for student affairs for UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts. Report is based on publicly available data on 120 public institutions of higher education and states UT Austin is the second most efficient university in the country of the institutions Musick used for comparison.

UT employs efficiently, needs to work on graduation rates (The Daily Texan – September 2, 2011)
UT Efficient, Report by UT Dean Finds (The Texas Tribune – September 1, 2011)
UT is No. 2 in bang for the bucks, report says (Austin American-Statesman – September 1, 2011)
In-house study finds UT, A&M among nation’s most efficient universities (The Texas Independent – September 1, 2011)
Univ. of Texas: Grad rates among country’s best (Associated Press – September 1, 2011)
UT among best in U.S. for efficiency (KXAN – September 1, 2011)
UT Second-Most Efficient Public University in the Country (The Alcalde – September 1, 2011)

Emails from UT System officials regarding a response to higher education reforms pushed for by Gov. Rick Perry

UT System took pains in crafting responses to Perry’s push for reforms (Austin American-Statesman – August 18, 2011)

“Higher Education’s Faculty Productivity Gap: The Cost to Students, Parents & Taxpayers” by Rick O’Donnell

July 20: Analysis of faculty productivity data from The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University-College Station by former adviser to the UT System Rick O’Donnell. In his analysis, O’Donnell criticizes faculty productivity at the two institutions and divides faculty into five categories: “dodgers,” “coasters,” “sherpas,” “pioneers” and “stars.”

Media Coverage
O’Donnell Report Misuses Data, Higher Ed Coalition Says (The Alcalde – July 20, 2011)
O’Donnell report categorizes UT professors by contribution (The Daily Texan – July 20, 2011)
Ex-UT System adviser slams faculty (Houston Chronicle – July 20, 2011)
Former UT adviser O’Donnell issues report on ‘sherpas,’ ‘dodgers’ and ‘stars’ among faculty (The Texas Independent – July 20, 2011)
Calling Out ‘Coasters’ or Name-Calling? (Inside Higher Ed – July 20, 2011)
Rick O’Donnell Releases Faculty Productivity Analysis (The Texas Tribune – July 20, 2011)

Editorials
“O’Donnell misses the mark again” by Matt Daley (The Daily Texan – July 20, 2011)
Response to Rick O’Donnell’s report on faculty productivity from the Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education
“Why Productivity Data Matter” by Rick O’Donnell (Inside Higher Ed – July 20, 2011)

Letter from Kenneth Jastrow II to UT Board of Regents Chairman Gene Powell

July 8: Letter from the chairman of UT Austin’s Campaign for Texas criticizes Powell for his “lack of support” of President William Powers. Jastrow ends the letter stating “You voted to support President Powers, and you should honor your vote.

Top Philanthropist Questions Regent’s Silence on UT President (The Alcalde – July 26, 2011)
Lead UT fundraiser Jastrow calls on regents chair to support Powers (The Texas Independent – July 26, 2011)
Booster urges top regent to stand up for UT president (Austin American-Statesman- July 25, 2011)

“Maintaining Excellence and Efficiency at The University of Texas at Austin: A response to the seven ‘breakthrough solutions’ and other proposals”

Report released on July 6, 2011 by dean of UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts, Randy Diehl, and the Executive Leadership Team of the College of Liberal Arts. Report states that the College of Liberal Arts does not believe the Seven Breakthrough Solutions for Higher Education are “the right response to the problems now facing higher education or one that recognizes The University of Texas at Austin’s proven levels of efficiency and excellence in educating Texas students.” (Website regarding CoLA’s report)

Updated data from UT System on faculty “productivity”

Released on June 28, the report includes updated data after the System released a report on faculty “productivity” in early May 2011 with unverified data.

UT System Issues Updated Faculty “Productivity” Data (The Texas Tribune – June 28, 2011)

Letter from Southwest Airlines President and CEO, and UT Austin graduate, Gary Kelly to Governor Rick Perry

June 28, 2011: Letter states that there must be a “commitment to research to support innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship” because it is “vital to our state’s competitive position, nationally, and to our nation’s position, globally.” In the letter, Kelly also advises that micromanaging of the UT System by the Board of Regents could “paralyze an organization and render it uncompetitive.”

Settlement between the University of Texas System and former adviser Rick O’Donnell with letter from Board of Regents chairman Gene Powell

June 24, 2011: Under threat of lawsuit from O’Donnell, the UT System agreed to “provide O’Donnell with $70,000 and a letter from Gene Powell, the chairman of the board of regents” if O’Donnell agree not to sue

Proclamation establishing the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency – June 7, 2011

Letter from Richard Box, chairman of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, responding to faculty concerns

May 24: Letter is in response to an open letter from five Texas A&M University professors sent on May 18 to the Texas A&M community

Box’s remarks for the May 26 A&M System Board of Regents meeting

Faculty Productivity and Costs at The University of Texas at Austin: A Preliminary Analysis

May 2011: Study done by Richard Vedder, director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. which states 20 percent of University of Texas at Austin professors instruct most of the school’s students

Faculty productivity report panned, praised (Austin American-Statesman – May 23, 2011)
Further analyses forthcoming on UT, A&M faculty productivity (The Texas Independent – May 23, 2011)
Study says few professors do most of teaching at UT (San Antonio Express-News – May 23, 2011)
20 percent of UT professors instruct most students (AP – May 23, 2011)
At UT, Small Group of Profs Teach Most of the Students (KUT – May 23, 2011)
Analysis finds small number of UT faculty teach most students (Austin American-Statesman – May 23, 2011)

Open letter from Texas A&M University faculty to the TAMU Board of Regents – supported by more than 800 faculty members

May 18: Letter from five Texas A&M faculty members to Richard Box, chairman of the TAMU Board of Regents, calling for greater transparency from the Board

Texas A&M Faculty Want Transparency From Regents (The Texas Tribune – May 19, 2011)

Emails regarding Regent Alex Cranberg’s open record request for the materials for each course taught in the 2009-10 academic year at the UT System’s nine academic campuses

Following show of support for Cigarroa, UT Regent Cranberg asks for more info on faculty (The Texas Independent – May 18, 2011)
UT System Regent’s Request Stirs Controversy (The Texas Tribune – May 18, 2011)
Regents demand, delve into data (Houston Chronicle – May 17, 2011)
UT regents seek more detail about faculty workloads (Austin American-Statesman – May 17, 2011)

UT Graduates’ Letter to the UT System Board of Regents

May 11: Letter from 18 UT alumni stating that they “find recent actions and comments made by members of The University of Texas Board of Regents with respect to the future of our University disconcerting” and that they strongly believe in the virtues of research at major universities and the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship with respect to teaching at such institutions.”

Letter of resignation by Texas A&M University System Chancellor Mike McKinney

May 10: Letter states McKinney will step down from his current post effective July 1, 2011.

A&M Chancellor Mike McKinney Stepping Down (The Texas Tribune – May 10, 2011)

Emails from Jeff Sandefer about McKinney and reforms at A&M

Was McKinney’s Departure From A&M System Voluntary? (The Texas Tribune – May 11, 2011)

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus Announce Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency – May 6, 2011

Letter from UT Development Board to Board of Regents

May 2: Letter calls on Regents to clear up the concerns being raised and to reject the separation of teaching and research

UT donors urge regents to resolve ‘confusion and concern’ over academics vs. research (Austin American-Statesman – May 6, 2011)

Data from UT System on faculty “productivity”

Governor’s Office pushed UT to compile data on individual faculty in early 2009 (The Texas Independent – May 6, 2011)
UT System disseminates financial info about faculty (The Daily Texan – May 6, 2011)
UT System Releases Data on Faculty “Productivity” (The Texas Tribune – May 5, 2011)
UT System releases data on faculty salaries, teaching load (Austin American-Statesman – May 5, 2011)

Open letter from 22 Distinguished A&M alumni to the Texas A&M University Community

May 3: Letter opposes the Seven Breakthrough Solutions proposed by the TPPF and encouraged by Gov. Rick Perry

A&M Alumni Organize Against Higher Ed Proposals (The Texas Tribune – May 4, 2011)
Aggieland takes shot at Perry (Houston Chronicle – May 3, 2011)
Leading A&M alums urge resistance to Perry reforms (AP – May 3, 2011)

Memo from UT System regents’ chairman Gene Powell suggesting System schools boost their enrollment and cut tuition

Media Coverage

Letter from Jeff Sandefer to his supporters

May 2: Letter states Sandefer’s views on research and the discussions that are taking place

Jeff Sandefer Opens Up on Higher Ed Debate (The Texas Tribune – May 2, 2011)

Emails between Jeff Sandefer and Regent Alex Cranberg

Message from UT-Austin President William Powers to faculty, staff, students, alumni and parents

Unanimous Resolution Signed by Texas Exes President

April 21: Resolution from the Board of the Ex-Students’ Association of The University of Texas at Austin on behalf of the Texas Exes expressing “complete confidence in the leadership of President Bill Powers toward creating and upholding ‘a University of the First Class,’ as mandated by the Constitution of the State of Texas”

Letter from Rick O’Donnell to Regent Wallace Hall regarding discussions in the media about his philosophies

April 18: Letter written the day before O’Donnell was fired by the Board of Regents. Letter states O’Donnell’s position on certain issues and accuses university and UT System officials of suppressing public data.

Official statement from Rick O’Donnell upon being fired by the Board of Regents
Joint statement from the UT System and UT-Austin regarding allegations O’Donnell made of suppressing data
Rick O’Donnell “No Longer Employed by the UT System” (The Texas Tribune – April 19, 2011)
Regents’ special assistant is ousted (San Antonio Express-News – April 19, 2011)
UT System official ousted after criticizing bosses (Austin American-Statesman – April 19, 2011)
Controversial adviser off the UT System payroll (AP – April 19, 2011)
UT’s controversial special adviser is out of a job (Houston Chronicle – April 20, 2011)
Adviser leaves UT System after outcry (The Daily Texan – April 20, 2011)
Controversial Adviser to U. of Texas Regents Says He’s Been Fired (Chronicle of Higher Education – April 20, 2011)

Resolution from the Retired Faculty-Staff Association of UT Austin

April 13: Resolution “endorses the laudable efforts of [the] Ex-Students’ Association, the Chancellor’s Council, President Powers and the many other supporters of the University to protect and promote the integration of teaching and research at our University.”

Emails regarding the hiring of Rick O’Donnell – Obtained through open records request

Emails detail how O’Donnell’s hiring was not properly approved

Rick O’Donnell: The Emails (The Texas Tribune – April 14, 2011)
Controversial position filled before approval (The Daily Texan – April 14, 2011)
Emails trace hiring of UT adviser (Houston Chronicle – April 12, 2011)

Public information requests from Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) to the UT System

April 12: Letters ask for all information related to the Seven Breakthrough Solutions proposed by TPPF and Jeff Sandefer

Sen. Zaffirini seeking all information on contentious higher ed proposals (The Texas Independent – April 27, 2011)

Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa’s Speech at the Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee meeting – April 8, 2011

Letter from Rick O’Donnell to Regent Wallace Hall

March 24: Letter explains O’Donnell’s stance on research and his background

UT System Adviser O’Donnell Explains Research Stance (The Texas Tribune – April 5, 2011)

Letter from Board of Regents to UT-Austin alumni

March 25: Letter sent to UT-Austin alumni in response to Leshin letter. The letter states that the Regents consider research “extremely valuable” and are committed to being open and transparent.

Research “Extremely Valuable,” UT Regents Tell Alumni (The Texas Tribune – March 25, 2011)
UT regents pledge support for academic research (The Austin American-Statesman – March 25, 2011)

Letter from Texas Exes president Richard Leshin to UT-Austin alumni

March 24: Letter calls on alumni to express their concerns to the UT System Board of Regents and tell them they are not in favor of some reforms being discussed

Letter from Red McCombs to Regents’ chairman Gene Powell

March 17: Letter calls for “cooler heads to prevail in the recent turmoil surrounding actions at the UT System”

Letter from UT-Austin Alumnus Gordan Appleman to UT Community

March 14: Letter expresses Appleman’s belief that the institutions in the UT System are “at risk of serious, long-term, perhaps irreversible degradation in academic stature” due to reforms he believes are on the verge of being implemented by new chairman Gene Powell at the encouragement of Rick Perry and the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based conservative think tank.

Prominent UT Alum Warns of “Degradation” at University (The Texas Tribune – March 16, 2011)