Chairman Branch conducted a Higher Education Committee hearing on Transferability pathways from community colleges to 4 year institutions. Expert witnesses discussed national trends and where Texas fits into the picture and students from Texas Woman's University and UT-Austin provided insightful testimony by discussing their own experiences with transferring.

Rep. Branch met with a group of 4th grade students from the Episcopal School of Dallas on February 16, 2012. The students toured the capitol, and after pausing to meet with Rep. Branch to learn more about Texas history, continued on to a tour of the Bob Bullock State History Museum.

Rep. Branch was honored by the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission with a "Horizon Award" for his work during the 82nd legislature. Leaders of the group commended Branch on his diligent work in Higher Education and Branch commented on how important religious and civic organizations are in preparing young Texans to live ethical, productive lives.

Rep. Branch spoke at the main commencement ceremonies at the University of Texas at Tyler on December 17, 2011.  Thousands of friends and families were on hand to cheer on graduates of the Colleges of Business, Technology, Education, Psychology, Engineering and Computer Science.

Rep. Branch visited the campus of UT Health Science Center at Tyler on December 16, 2011.  Accompanied by Dr. Kirk Calhoun, President of UTHSC-Tyler, Branch met with faculty and GME students completing training in several fields and toured some of the facilities on site.

December 18, 2011

Press Release

The University of Texas at Tyler will hold fall 2011 commencement ceremonies Dec. 16 and 17, President Rodney H. Mabry announced.

The commencement schedule is:

College of Nursing and Health Sciences – 3 p.m. Dec. 16

College of Arts and Sciences – 6 p.m. Dec. 16

College of Business and Technology – 10 a.m. Dec. 17; and

Colleges of Education and Psychology and Engineering and

Computer Science – 1 p.m. Dec. 17

Commencement speakers and the ceremonies during which they will speak are:

Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas), House Higher Education Committee chair – Colleges of Business and Technology, Education and Psychology and Engineering and Computer Science

Co-Chair Branch and Co-Chair Zaffirini resumed hearings focusing on governance in Higher Education on November 18, 2011.  The committee invited all public university presidents to submit testimony to the committee, in addition to hearing from the leadership of the four independent universities in the Texas higher education system.

Chairman Dan Branch spoke to Texas regents and board of trustee members about the challenges facing public higher education in Texas.  Chairman Branch was joined by his Senate counterpart, Senator Judith Zaffirini, in answering questions from the audience about governance models, transparency, and other issues that affect running an efficient and effective public higher education system.

The Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Ed Governance, Excellence & Transparency met in Austin today to discuss the quality of governing boards in Texas.  The committee heard testimony from current and former regents from the following systems: University of Texas, Texas A&M, University of Houston, University of North Texas, and Texas Tech.

Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas) served as the lunchtime keynote speaker at the 2011 Texas Municipal Bond Conference at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas.