Bills Pass In House, Senate For Round Rock SWT Campus

By Michael Taylor

Round Rock Leader, May 15, 2003

Efforts to bring a branch of Southwest Texas State University to Round Rock received a boost from the Legislature this week when both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed bills making it possible to fund construction of the facility using tuition revenue bonds.

Williamson County representation at the capital--Sen. Steve Ogden, Rep. Mike Krusee and Rep. Dan Gattis--played instrumental roles in authoring Senate Bill 1297 and House Bill 2522 and getting the bills through their respective chambers in a session marked by dire economic straits and tight schedules. 

The bills differ in detail and will have to be reconciled before one makes it to the governor's desk, but the passage of the bills mark an important step, according to Ogden.

"By and large, at this stage in the process I think we can get something passed," Ogden said.  "It's like we're in the seventh inning and we're ahead by a run but the game is not over. . . When the session is over and the governor signs the bills, then we can celebrate."

Southwest Texas State University and Austin Community College have operated a multi-institutional teaching center in Williamson County out of portable buildings and area high school classrooms since 1998.  As the lead institution behind the Round Rock Higher Education Center, SWT has made funding the facility--estimated to cost a total of $35 million--its top legislative priority.  Additionally, efforts by city officials and community leaders have culminated in recent years to bring a well-developed and partially-funded facility to legislators seeking to make every dollar count.

The local contribution--up to 100 acres of land from an area landowner, water and wastewater utilities provided by the city as well as Chamber of Commerce and Williamson County pledges of practical support--is valued at $8.5 million.

The HEC can currently handle a maximum of 1,700 students (nearly 1,500 are currently enrolled) and the proposed 117,000 square-foot permanent facility will accommodate up to 5,000 students and leave room for future expansion should numbers warrant it.  The bills grant the Texas State University System the ability to issue bonds based on revenue streams that include student tuition at all system institutions.  Another piece of legislation in the house appropriates $2 million per year over the next two years to pay the principal and interest on the bonds.

Local businessman Mike Swayze, chairman of the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce Higher Education Center Committee, said the developments last week are a high point in the long struggle to expand local educational opportunities.

"I've been working on this for 10 years now and this is a process that has all started to come together in the last three to four years," Swayze said.  "This probably places the Round Rock HEC in the best position it's ever been in as far as being able to get what we need, which is a facility on the ground."