If you look at why our graduation rates are low, it's because our high school students are inadequately prepared for college. But, I don't want to focus the blame on the K-12 school system.

Students need to take more college preparatory courses in high school, and schools need to begin forcing their students to have a more rigorous senior year, instead of having a 'blow-off' year.

Texas institutions need to work on their four- and six-year graduation rates, and we know that is something we need to work on. But, we also know it's not the only thing.

New programs, like Texas Grant, which gives aid to students who are in need and have completed college preparatory work in high school, are being designed to help alleviate financial burdens of college students.

Immigration really disrupted the social fabric back in Germany when the younger people left. We only know about this because someone saved these letters back in the 1800s and without them we have no clue as to what happened and what people had to deal with back then.

Our approach is that we want students to show a return on investment when they walk across the graduation stage.