Jessica DeRoche

The meeting included a budget workshop where the Board of Regents discussed the college's strategic context, taxing districts, and organizational structure. Key topics included the importance of student success coaches, enrollment ratios, faculty compensation and ratios, and the impact of state appropriations on the budget. The administration presented plans to adjust revenue projections conservatively based on historical data and highlighted the need to maintain a contingency fund to address potential state funding volatility.

The meeting included an update on uncontested faculty senate election results and the forwarding of these results to the administration for final appointment. The committee discussed accessibility compliance requirements for course content, noting a deadline extension to 2028. There was a significant discussion regarding a new initiative for the ratio of on-campus, hybrid, and online course offerings, with concerns addressed about potential impacts on faculty and adjunct staffing. The senate president provided an update on pending proposals, including constitutional updates and an adjunct pay raise request, and a committee member reported on recent discussions with the administration regarding the student code of conduct and handbook.

The Faculty Senate meeting covered several key discussion topics, including upcoming updates from the chancellor and provost, the status of security and emergency training video production, and updates from the bit team regarding mental health evaluations for students. The senate also reviewed instructional council updates regarding curriculum changes in the horticulture program, the creation of a bachelor of education and educational prep programs, and a new program allowing paramedics to transition to the registered nurse program. Additionally, the senate discussed constitutional updates, student handbook revisions, and a proposal for an adjunct pay raise, alongside concerns from faculty regarding the short turnaround time for submitting student grades.

The Board meeting covered various procedural and operational updates. Key discussions included the implementation of Senate Bill 37 regarding governing board training, decision-making authority in hiring, and faculty disciplinary processes. The board received reports on the college's new Carnegie Foundation classification as a higher access institution and a review of the Open Education Resources (OER) initiative, which has achieved significant student cost savings and secured numerous grant awards. Additionally, procedures for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) for athletic programs were reviewed.

The meeting provided updates on campus closures due to ice and snow, and reported no finalized updates from the Chancellor and Provost, though instructional counsel shared program updates. Key discussions included planning for safety and security training sessions, specifically the creation of active shooter videos for each campus by the interim chief of police. Another scheduled session will focus on the international student experience, involving advisers and potentially international students. Updates from instructional counsel detailed changes to certificate programs, notably the removal of mandatory end-of-course exams and capstone projects, intended to improve completion numbers. There was also discussion regarding ongoing updates on the Flower Mound campus, assuring attendees that any changes would be implemented over several years. Other agenda items covered the finalization process for constitutional amendments, the ongoing review of the student handbook, and gathering data for the adjunct pay raise proposal, aiming to align adjunct compensation with full-time faculty raises. A new concern was raised regarding the lack of clear policies for faculty and students during weather-related closures, following recent issues. Finally, a request was made to clarify the last day for students to add a course by adding it to the Registrar's important dates list. Concerns were also voiced about the impact of the newly added Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday and Thursday courses, especially those in the second eight-week sessions, as the request for the full Thanksgiving week off was tabled while prioritizing the update of the constitution per Senate Bill 37.