HCC Legislative Initiatives

We continue to fulfill our vision by being a leader in providing high-quality innovative education, leading to student success and completion of workforce and academic programs.

Of course, we cannot do this alone. Thus, we are proud to have key stakeholders, industry partners, and community members serve on advisory boards to assist in our efforts.

United States Congress

Among other important federal policy considerations, HCC is working to increase funding for Pell Grants, including Year-Round-Pell) and Reauthorization of both the Higher Education Act and Perkins Act. These initiatives are important to student success.

Texas Legislature

We also work with the Texas Legislature to identify legislative pathways and funding that help us continue to train the workforce of tomorrow.

HCC’s legislative agenda is intended to affect policy changes over a multi-session period. We have strategically identified four legislative recommendations that will help our students both now and in the future. They include:

• Funding financial aid and grants in a manner that ensures student access and program completion leads to more workforce certificates and college degrees. Our objective is to make higher education more affordable and accessible for everyone. This will allow us to keep training the workforce of tomorrow.
• Requiring the use of a common course numbering system at all public institutions. This would secure curriculum compatibility, maximize opportunities for transfers and create easy pathways for student success.
• Expanding opportunities for students to earn associate degrees through dual credit programs while factoring adequate assessment and accountability measures. The result would increase the completion pipeline and contribute to the Texas workforce through a structured state-wide dual credit model.
• As recommended by TACC, funding community colleges in a manner that most efficiently improves student success and program completion.