Making college more affordable and accessible to every Texan is one of Chris’s top priorities. Rising tuition costs and reduced financial aid opportunities have closed the door of opportunity to too many Texans. Chris will work to increase the Texas Grant program, which made college financial aid available for an additional 24,000 middle-class Texas families in 2010-2011.
Chris co-authored legislation that opens the door for “emerging research universities,” such as the University of Texas at Arlington, to become a “Top Tier” research university. Chris wrote and passed the law requiring all Texas colleges and universities to have a financial aid specialist trained on the GI Bill and the Hazlewood Act.
In the last five years, tuition rates at Texas colleges and universities have risen over 40% because of the actions of the state legislature. The result has been that the dream of a college education has been priced out of the reach of many deserving, middle class students. Chris will work to open the doors of Texas colleges to all students who have worked hard and proven themselves.
