Texas governor visits SFA to propose higher education reforms - thepinelog.com

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott visited Stephen F. Austin State University to announce a proposal requiring public universities to offer accelerated 90-credit-hour degree programs in high-demand fields, letting students graduate a full year sooner than a traditional four-year track.

Abbott held the press conference inside the Dr. Bill and Barbara Gandy Makerspace in the Cole STEM Building on the SFA campus. He was joined by Rep. Joanne Shofner, R-Nacogdoches, SFASU President Neal Weaver, and student advocate Jaydan Martinez. The event included a Q&A session after the initial announcement.

The proposal targets affordability and flexibility for Texas students. All higher education institutions in the state would be required to create three-year, 90-hour degree options in fields where job demand is high. For students already stretching financial aid or working jobs to cover tuition, shaving a year off the clock could make a real difference. Texas Tech students and families in Lubbock would fall under the same requirements if the proposal becomes law, since Tech is a public university operating under state oversight.

Abbott framed the 90-hour requirement as something public universities will be required to offer, not just encouraged to consider, which signals the proposal carries some teeth if it clears the Legislature.