TSC board candidates pledge to keep tuition down

Candidates for the Texas Southmost College board of trustees found plenty to disagree on at a forum Monday night but were unanimous in pledging to keep down tuition costs at UTB-TSC.

Two positions on the TSC board of trustees, the governing board for the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, are up for election on May 8.

Candidates said tuition has gone high enough and pledged to find ways to keep costs down if elected.

When asked by panelist Brother Charles D. Imbergamo, president of St. Joseph Academy, to identify "the most significant challenge facing education here and outline three specific ways to address the problem," all mentioned tuition.

The candidates running for Place 1 on the board include Jose Angel Herrera Jr., the incumbent and owner of Herr Industrial Metals Co., Inc. of Brownsville; Dr. Jaime Silva, a Brownsville cardiologist, and Adela Garza, a Brownsvillle businesswoman. Herrera was appointed to the post late last year after former trustee Roman "Dino" Esparza resigned.

Place 2 candidates include retired educators Tita Esparza Tamez and Rene Torres. Place 2 incumbent Dolly Zimmerman did not file for re-election.

Garza said tuition at UTB-TSC has gotten so high that many students can't afford to take more than two or three classes. She said as a trustee she would look additional scholarship, grant and assistance funds to make college more affordable for students here.

Herrera listed elimination of TAKS testing as a top priority if elected.

"By doing that, students will be more prepared to go to college," he said. TAKS stands for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. It is a test administered to all public school students in Texas.

Herrera also said he would find creative ways to keep tuition low.

Responding to a later question, Silva pointed out that the TSC board has no jurisdiction over TAKS testing. In his response to Imbergamo's question, he said UTB-TSC needs to do a better job of meeting student needs because "one size does not fit all."

Tamez said tuition levels reflect the difficulty of keeping up with the cost of higher education. She pointed out that tuition would be even higher, were it not for the amount of taxpayer support that goes to fund higher education.

While mentioning tuition, Torres suggested that UTB-TSC pay more attention to its vocational programs, especially nursing programs.