Let me start by thanking each of you for your service on this new commission and for your commitment to the great State of Texas. Education is the most important thing we do as a state. By improving our higher education system and opening the door of opportunity for more and more Texans, you will help make this state a better and stronger place. With an increasingly global economy, advances in telecommunications, and the incredible progress in high-technology, more and more jobs will require a college education. That education gap could mean a Texas with fewer jobs, less innovation and a host of social challenges in an increasingly competitive world.
Higher education has a dramatic impact on the future prosperity of our citizens and our state.
For those of you who regularly speak to school groups, the following statistic will immediately get the attention of any red-blooded high school student. By continuing their education beyond high school and earning a college degree they will earn an extra one million dollars over their lifetimes. But in addition to personal wealth, college also means greater personal freedom. It means you have more choices about your career, your family, your future and your whole life. And to help make sure our higher education institutions are preparing our workforce for the jobs of the future.