Gov. Rick Perry encouraged more institutions of higher education to utilize a competency-based approach to earning a degree, and highlighted the importance of technology to help improve four-year graduation rates and make tuition more affordable. The governor was joined by Co-chair of the Joint Committee on Oversight of Higher Education, Governance, Excellence and Transparency Judith Zaffirini, House Higher Education Committee Chairman Dan Branch and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Chairman Fred Heldenfels IV for the 2012 Texas Higher Education Leadership Conference, which is focusing on continuous innovation and improvement in higher education.