Greetings,

Inside Higher Ed indicates college admissions are up for the 2021-22 school year, even though previous reports indicated student loan applications were lagging.

Congress is working to pass funding to prevent the impending government shutdown and consider increasing the current debt ceiling. The Senate has taken up the $1.7 trillion reconciliation bill that Democrats are hopeful will pass before Christmas.

In Texas, many are worried that not enough has been done to prevent a grid failure should we have another deep freeze.

We will be following legislation at the state and federal levels that pertains to higher education and its impact on UTA. As you receive updates, please let us know if there are any topics you would like to hear more about from Government Relations.

Thank you for your dedication to UTA and Go Mavs!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

— UTA Government Relations

Economic forecasts continue to look strong for Texas, the United States, and the world, but there is some uncertainty heading into the end of the year.

Last week, U.S. jobless claims reached a 52-year low. The U.S. economy is showing broad signs of health, as consumer spending is up, businesses are increasing investment, and supply-chain problems begin to fade. Stock market indexes have broken numerous records over the last year.

Here in Texas, higher oil prices have driven a resurgence in fracking, particularly in the Permian Basin, which has roared back to life and is expected to set crude oil output records in December. However, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, indicated that the central bank could begin scaling back economic stimulus policies, such as bond purchases, over the next year.

Simultaneously, the rise of a new COVID-19 variant, called the Omicron variant, has caused some uncertainty in the stock market.

In the near term, it is expected that the Texas recovery continues, and state revenue collections remain strong, despite some headwinds.

The Office of the Governor is always looking for people to apply to various boards, including higher education. If you need assistance in applying, please contact Jeff Jeter at jeter@uta.edu. See a full list of available positions.

The University needs the support of its faculty, staff, and alumni to ensure we continue to receive resources to serve our students, conduct research, and expand our programs. For more information on how you can support the University and its legislative goals, contact:

• Jeff Jeter, vice president of Government Relations, at jeter@uta.edu
• Martin Lujan, director of Government Relations, at martin.lujan@uta.edu
• Bogan Pollock, director of Public Policy, at bogan@uta.edu
• Trevor Simmons, senior budget analyst, at trevor.simmons@uta.edu
• Beth Robinson, administrative assistant, at beth.robinson@uta.edu

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