One of the powers of being Governor is the ability to appoint individuals to key agencies, commissions, and institutions with little say from the legislature. Rick Perry has appointed a lot of people since taking control of the Governor's mansion in 2000. According to Texans for Public Justice (TPJ), he has made it a lucrative practice for his campaign.
According to TPJ's new report, "No Donor Left Behind: Gov. Perry Reaps $6 Million from Regent Appointees", Rick Perry has collected almost $6.1 million from the 155 people whom he has appointed to be non-student regents since becoming governor in late 2000. Over the past decade, 97 regent appointees gave to Perry's campaign-or 63 percent of Perry's regent appointees.
The average Perry-appointed regent overseeing a public university contributed $39,251 to the campaign of the Regent-In-Chief. Regents at the elite University of Texas and A&M University contributed average amounts approaching $100,000. Just the regents whom Perry appointed to UT, A&M and Texas Tech dumped $4.1 million into Perry's campaign coffers. At the other end of the spectrum, Texas Woman's University regents contributed an average of $234 to Perry's campaign.
Complaints about politicized regent appointments surfaced last fall after two Texas Tech appointees told the Austin American-Statesman that Perry campaign intermediaries pressured them to resign their posts after they endorsed Kay Bailey Hutchison's campaign to unseat the governor. Ex-Texas Tech Regents Mark Griffin and Windy Sitton previously had contributed to Perry's campaign, though their donations fell well below the average Texas Tech regent contribution of $88,092.2
Michele "Mica" Mosbacher was the top overall regent donor. This appointee to the University of Houston Board of Regents has contributed $440,400 to Governor Perry's campaigns. Paul Foster, vice chair of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, contributed $370,157. There are 21 regent appointees who contributed more than $100,000 apiece to Perry's campaign.
Looking at the TPJ report, it is terrifying to see Regent Appointees from the University of Texas, A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, and Texas State University all had more than 80% of the regents donate to the Perry campaign between 2001 and February 2010.
The totals from these schools range from ~$250,000 to over $1.5 million.
Perry is using institutions of higher education and the power of appointment to pressure individuals to donate to his campaign.
To see the full report and a complete list of who donated visit the TPJ website.
This year, The Daily Texan asked every candidate in the University of Texas student elections for his or her position on the issue of guns in classrooms.
The NRA has worked hard to make keeping schools free of guns appear to be a partisan issue, but the Texan's fearlessness in asking about the issue in its endorsements demonstrates that student leaders aren't buying it. More tellingly, only two candidates are listed as "in favor" of guns in classrooms.
This time last year, there were two bills in the Texas Legislature that would have allowed students to carry guns in classrooms. Both bills were ultimately caught in the Texas House, after one (SB 1164) passed the Senate, in part because of the time and energy spent by student leaders on the issue.
Although Students for Gun-Free Schools was created as a response to such bills, the organization pursues other strategies for preventing campus violence as well. "Our focuses are access to mental health, and various measures which can keep at-risk students from falling through the cracks," said SGFS's Southwestern University chapter president.
The organization's statewide director, John Woods, had this to say: "There's not a lot of violence on college campuses, and we'd like to keep it that way. But over thirty thousand people are killed every year by guns -- that's more than terrorism worldwide most years. We have a responsibility to make students aware of these issues."
Volunteers with SGFS have also put together resolutions against guns in classrooms and in favor of closing the gun show loophole. They plan to introduce these at some precinct meetings Tuesday, in an attempt to unify the Texas Democratic Party around common sense public safety issues.
"Our biggest obstacle right now is getting the word out about our organization," said Woods. "There are so many troubling things happening in Texas that sometimes keeping our classrooms safe gets pushed to the back of the line. Students know about what we're doing, but parents generally don't."
Campus-wide elections begin Tuesday at 9 AM and end Wednesday at 5 PM. Voting may be done online at utsg.org, or at computers on campus.
(Reporting on the Burnt Orange... - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
With one merciless swipe of the pen, the Cactus Cafe was crossed out from the ledgers of the University of Texas and music forever. Or at least that's what UT President William C. Powers, UT Student Government President Liam O'Rourke, and Texas Union Executive Director Andy Smith wished happened.
I'm Zach Bidner, I'm a UT senior, and I want to tell you about the Cactus Cafe.
The Cactus Cafe is located in the Texas Union on the UT campus, and it is the only bar on campus. Moreover, the Cactus Cafe is the mecca of musical fulfillment for UT students, UT alumni, and Austinites for generations over. It is the place where nascent musicians are born and the old hands recharge themselves. Texas favorites like Lyle Lovett have cut their teeth on the Cactus stage, and as stars, they get lured back by the special intimacy of the place.
When I walk through the Union after class, I cross the monotone desert of Starbucks, Wendy's, and Taco Bell before I reach the Cactus Cafe, my oasis for authenticity. At the Cactus, singer-songwriter Butch Hancock has performed at such a personal level, that I could have sworn it was just the two of us in the room. I've also sung-a-long with the band Jackopierce and 150 fellow fans at the show.
On Friday, January 29th, the Texas Union Board, including SG President O'Rourke and Union Director Smith, recommended to President Powers that the Cactus Cafe should be shut down to reduce the Union budget. At a town hall meeting the following Tuesday, President Powers was beseeched by hordes of students, alumni, and Austinites to save the Cactus Cafe, some even offering donations to fill the budget gap. He repeatedly removed himself from responsibility by attributing the decision to the Union Board. Make no mistake, the onus is on President Powers. The board is merely advisory, and President Powers has the authority to accept or reject any of its recommendations.
Shortly after the meeting, O'Rourke issued a statement defending the cuts. He wrote that he understands the importance of the Cactus Cafe, but that compared to other options to reduce the Union budget, his priorities lie with maintaining operating hours and continuing to fund the Student Events Center. The Student Events Center is a branch of the Union whose website proudly announces events like movie nights, such as the Time Traveler's Wife, and open helium tank usage for campus groups!
On Saturday February 6th, a large group of concerned citizens, including many students like myself, formed an organization to restore the Cactus Cafe (our website is www.savethecactuscafe.org). Sensing our momentum, O'Rourke is already eating his words. Interviewed by KTBC on Saturday, he explained that his statement was misunderstood: the Cactus will not be closing; instead, students will replace the current, professional management. This is by no means a victory. I'm a student but I sure don't trust my peers to book quality acts.
Our organization has outlined a plan to save the Cactus Cafe while increasing student involvement. A non-profit support organization will be formed to raise funds and provide long-term financial support for the Cactus Cafe. An initiative will provide students with funded internships in the business and technical areas of club operation, working under the wing of the current, knowledgeable club staff. A Student-Artists in Residence program will also fund a number of students to play at the Cactus. Our organization is eager to cooperate with UT leadership, but so far UT leadership has ignored us.
Powers, O'Rourke, and Smith thought they could write this one off the books, but shutting down the Cactus is not like closing the doors of just any campus recital hall-especially without consulting the UT student body or general public before making the decision. The Cactus Cafe is too historic, too intimate, and too genuine a place to let go of.
In posting some of the various endorsements in the ongoing UT Student Government election, I forgot to link to the election website since all voting takes place online. In fact, it will be all night tonight and through tomorrow until 5pm. I remember bringing up that point in SG like 4 years ago in asking why an online voting system would have to close at 5pm one day and restart at 8am the next. That's actually not an insignificant issue as it can push GOTV and organizing into dorms and frats whose community is much stronger in the afterhours, though the dorms are considerably larger.
The most exciting thing for me about the new elections is how campaigns are forced to campaign differently. With excessively low spending limits and the dissolution of tickets with online extended voting hours, evening voting and email pushes can be much more powerful. I actually got a vote reminder from 'executive alliance' likely to come in 2nd place via email which appears to have come from a string of emails from the UT directory.
Phillip Tau and Sarah-Michelle have an interesting website: www.pstelleveryone.com and have posted this rather funny video.
I'm curious to see tomorrow night how things sort out and what trends we can see in the results. I'm almost halfway expecting no great increase in turnout unless the sheer number of candidates running are each activating more smaller social networks which could counter the drop I'd expect from the lack of "ticket hoopla". Then again, maybe all the ticket based hoopla acted as a suppressant to other voters. I'd expect that lacking tickets, more voters might be keen to vote the Texan endorsement which would increase the media's power in that regard. And there is the possibility that large organizational endorsements like UDems could have a more pronounced effect.
A reminder, there won't be runoffs in any of the downticket races, just the presidential (so far as I remember).
Update: How could I forget to post on Zak Kinnaird's campaign of humor. Two videos, the first models after "Morning in America" somewhat.
The final vote by the UT Student Government on AR 12, a resolution supporting the abolition of tuition deregulation policy, was the following: 14 in favor, 23 against, 1 abstention, and 5 absenses. Here is a breakdown of the representatives who are running for reelection or higher office.
Those who voted in favor of AR 12:
Melessa Rodriguez, one year at-large running for "reelection" to campus-wide rep.
Eliseo Jacob, graduate rep. running for reelection
Marina del Sol, graduate rep. running for reelection
Those who voted against AR 12 and are running for reelection or higher office:
David Chincanchan, two-year At Large running for "reelection" to a campus-wide representative spot.
Justin Stein, Liberal Arts rep. running for campus-wide rep.
James Woodward, running unopposed for reelection to the LBJ school rep.
Those absent from the vote:
Jake Lewis, running unopposed for reelection to Fine Arts rep.
Avni Modi, running for reelection to Natural Sciences Rep.
And the one who abstained:
Shara Kim Ma, business representative running for election to STUDENT BODY VICE PRESIDENT
Now, my comments. First, I felt that the UT Student Government disgraced itself today. Not that they would have if they didn't pass it no matter what -- but only 14 votes yes? 5 absences and an abstention from one of the most important votes in recent SG memory? I feel confident to say that significantly more than 14/43 of UT students would have supported AR 12, yet that is the support it garnered by UT student government today. I feel that student government has a long ways to go to represent students with some sort of full legitimacy. I felt today that some members were representing the UT bureaucracy more than students. That's not to say that no one had legit reasons to vote no, but I feel that AR 12 should definitely have garnered more than 14 votes.
As for individuals...I am disappointed with the people who voted no, and their ability to represent students is in question...but at least they were able to show up and pick a side. 5 Absences, really? That, especially for Jake Lewis and Avni Modi, is a major show of cowardice. I don't even know what is going on with Lewis -- he doesn't have an opponent to even hide from!
But the absences might not be as bad as the one abstention. Shara Kim Ma, someone who wants to represent all UT students as their Vice President, abstained. What a show of conviction from a true student leader? Right...
But Ma's story is worse than that alone. Liam O’Rourke, the UT Presidential candidate who is shares his ticket with Ma, was one of the initiators of AR 12. His early support gave Tuition Relief Now! people the belief that this had a legitimate chance of passing. Then he backed off, presumably for political reasons. Earlier in the process, Shara Ma helped with the actual writing of the resolution. She was going to be listed as an author, but she backed off even later than O'Rourke backed off. And she then would not even vote for the bill she helped write in the first place... Quite simply, under no circumstances does this ticket deserve the trust of students to be their top leaders.
As far as the overall implications on the elections, I'm not sure how true the threats by some are that everyone who didn't vote for this would lose. First, there are the two lucky ones (Woodward and Lewis) whose support couldn't be found and simultaneously do not have opponents. They will win by default.
Beyond that, the failure of this resolution will, in part, be a test of the ability of third-party groups in student government elections that just recently rid itself of political parties. I have confirmation that the University Democrats plan to make endorsements, and I imagine other groups will, too. Will Chincanchan, Stein, and Modi all lose their election bids? Probably not, but I suspect at least one will lose. And it would not surprise me if all three fail, too. Oh, and my expectations are significantly lower for the O'Rourke/Ma ticket.
The biggest non-appropriations vote of the year is done in Student Government. Now it's elections time. For those following UT student politics (even if that is few of you), this should be fun to watch.
Opening Statement: I am in the Mahoney room for tonight's student government meeting. Among a few other things, AR 12, "In Support of Tuition Relief," is on today's docket. The resolution, most controversially, advocates re-regulation of public university tuition in Texas.
Firstly, I do not think this vote will actually change whether or not re-regulation will pass through the legislature. I think there is, without a doubt, a TON of political support for re-regulation. Some sort of plan for re-regulation will almost definitely pass through the legislature.
What this resolution will do, however, is voice the official support from the UT students for re-regulation. That would allow "Tuition Relief Now!" activists to more quickly pass re-regulation and focus on the other necessary aspects of tuition reform.
Finally, on the upcoming SG elections. Most representatives who are running for reelection or higher office do actually have opposition. For these candidates, there are a couple possibilities if they do not vote with AR 12:
1. The resolution could pass, in which case such representatives against Tuition Relief Now! would not get the group's support, but will also not receive heavy opposition campaigning from the Tuition relief activists. (That is, unless the representative is firmly against tuition re-reg.)
2. The resolution could fail. In this case, the student tuition relief activists will be angry. Such activists will then campaign hard to ABSOLUTELY ensure that no one who voted against tuition reregulation would be reelected.
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9:21: Officially 14 in favor. Well short of passing the resolution. SG has just disgraced itself just a little bit. I'll write a follow up significantly later or tomorrow...when my computer has more battery.
Joe Jaworski, coming off a strong yet unsuccessful run for the Texas Senate, is coming into the public eye some more with the suit he is carrying for the Texas Faculty Association. From his law firm's public advisory:
Galveston attorney Joe Jaworski will file a lawsuit on behalf of the Texas Faculty Assn. (TFA) and other plaintiffs alleging that University of Texas Board of Regents and other UT officials violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when they held a closed meeting and conference phone calls before they announced the layoffs of 3,800 employees of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
The decision by the Board of Regents came earlier in November in a unanimous vote. UT's public affairs office insisted that without the layoffs, UTMB would have found itself without any money in a matter of weeks.
As the cuts began taking effect, a non-human realization appeared that was also daunting: The clinic's capacity reduced from 550 to 200 beds. That hits home for me, because 10 years ago I was a boy who needed one of those many beds. A student doctor and her mentor passed me off to more expert doctors before I received complete care, but the hospital represented the only emergency room within thirty minutes of the far side of Galveston. Visitors to a beach island can easily be prone to accidents; that hospital is pretty important.
Also, I've always known the UT Medical Branch to be one of the best medical schools in Texas, especially since the institution trained my grandfather, who, at least a small time, owned the largest single-physician practice on this side of the Mississippi. Although a horrible hurricane is the primary cause, I am saddened by the loss of many great employees to a fine institution of my university.
You can see the entire text of the advisory from the Jaworski Law Firm below the fold. The case will be filed tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M.
I just has to post these, with credit to the photographers, because this has been a very sweet victory for the students and all involved. We're glad to have been part of the coordinated pressure to help this along.
KVUE: Graves said the swift action was partly due to a significant amount of feedback from UT alumni and other members of the community who learned of the controversy through media reports.
The University of Texas President, William "Bill" Powers, just released this statement regarding the suspension of the rule regarding political signs in dorms.
The University's rule prohibiting the display of signs in students' residence hall room windows has been the subject of a great deal of discussion for the past few days. I am keenly aware that this prohibition is of intense concern to many members of the student body, as well as the larger community. I believe that the free expression of ideas is crucial to our educational mission, and that our rules should foster civil discourse and debate. I conclude, therefore, that this rule should be carefully reviewed with the participation of all constituencies in The University of Texas at Austin community, including students.
Effective immediately, I am suspending the prohibition on signs in individual students' residence hall room windows and any sanctions related to its enforcement. The rule will be removed today from the Division of Housing and Food Service's rules, and will be replaced with an interim regulation that expressly allows the display of signs and posters in students' residence hall room windows.
Juan Gonzalez, Vice President for Student Affairs, has kept me well informed on this issue. I have asked him to convene a committee composed of all major constituencies to discuss all aspects of the policy on residence hall room signs and make recommendations on any changes that need to be made. The interim rule allowing signage in individual students' residence hall room windows will remain in place until the committee issues its report and I act upon their recommendations.
William Powers, Jr.
President
This is a testament to both the students who passionately organized around their right to free speech and the University of Texas for doing the right thing.
It is clear that this was not the intent of the rule, and while the University had to regretfully adhere to the rules that were on the books, it is great to see that they proceeded with an open mind. After attending a private university, it is shocking to see the students and university work to such an amiable outcome.
Now it is time to focus on something important, beating Oklahoma this weekend.
In an e-mail, the Vice President of legal affairs at the University of Texas has stated the rule that would have prevented students Connor and Blake Kincaid from registering from classes has been suspended.
"My recommendation was that the University suspend the rule regarding no signs in dorm windows and discuss it among a broad campus group, including students, to determine what the policy should be. I am happy to say that this recommendation was accepted."
It appears that Connor and Blake Kincaid will be allowed to register for classes and students will be allowed to have political signs on the interior side of their windows. This should completely resolve the situation between the bipartisan, student led protest and the university.
Update: The Austin American Statesman has Jeff Graves, associate vice president for legal affairs at UT quoted on today's actions.
[He] said that rule was suspended this morning and the university will convene a committee of students and staff to review it. Until then, students are free to display whatever signs they want in their windows, he said.
