Kari Babski-Reeves

The meeting covered several key discussions and actions. The Committee approved the Consent Agenda, which included the grant of tenure upon initial appointment. An action item approved the elevation of the School of Nursing at UT Chattanooga to a standalone College of Nursing, following discussion on enrollment growth and workforce needs. The UT System Student Success Indicators Report was presented, focusing on enrollment records, high retention rates, and declining time-to-degree, prompting requests for more granular data disaggregation by trustees. Strategic enrollment plans were presented for UT Chattanooga, UT Southern, and UT Health Science Center, emphasizing alignment between growth, student success capacity, and regional workforce demands. Finally, results from the 2025 COACHE Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey were presented, with an emphasis on translating findings into measurable actions and communicating outcomes to faculty.

The meeting addressed several critical financial and administrative matters. The Financial Report provided an overview of Fiscal Year 2025, noting a 5% increase in total revenues versus an 8.3% increase in total expenses, prompting committee concerns about sustained expense growth relative to revenue, particularly concerning staffing levels, and a request for future reporting on headcount growth alignment. The Committee also reviewed the balance sheet strength and directed that campus-level financial summaries be incorporated into future reports. A comprehensive update was provided on the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, DASH, detailing post-launch challenges in technology gaps, system misconfigurations, and business process alignment, with expectations for resolution of most deficiencies by year-end. The Committee approved a recommendation for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating Budget Appropriations Request supporting an expanded Precision Agriculture initiative at the UT Institute of Agriculture. Three capital project items were approved: the acquisition of property at UT Health Science Center to consolidate property, a proposed lease for UT Knoxville operations, and a budget increase for the broiler facility project at the UT Institute of Agriculture. Additionally, updates were presented on capital policy improvements showing reduced project timelines and cost savings, and a new debt financing option allowing up to 3% of unrestricted E&G revenue for academic facility debt service. Finally, the Committee approved an Affiliation Agreement with Starr Regional Medical Center to establish a new family medicine rural track residency program.

The primary focus of the Board meeting was the discussion of the proposed UT System strategic plan, which is designed to position the University for sustained impact through 2030 under the 'Be One UT Strategic Plan.' The plan identifies four strategic priorities and four strategic enablers. Trustees expressed support for the framework but emphasized the need for a concise set of high-impact, outcome-driven Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). President Boyd highlighted record-setting performance for Fall 2025 in areas such as enrollment (64,866 students), research expenditures ($524.1 million), and fundraising ($492.8 million). He also detailed significant legislative investments secured during the 2025 session, totaling over $240 million for capital projects like the UT Knoxville Chemistry Building and UT Martin College of Business Building, along with new recurring operational funds. Committee reports covered safety and security updates, campus strategic enrollment plans, the status of the Oracle Cloud ERP system implementation, and the recommendation for the FY 2026-27 Operating Budget Appropriations Request for Specialized Units. The Board unanimously approved the budget request and other items on the Consent Agenda, including tenure grants and facility projects.

The committee meeting addressed several critical topics related to public safety and compliance across the University of Tennessee System campuses. Key discussions involved recent swatting incidents at UT Chattanooga and UT Knoxville, detailing the law enforcement response and subsequent security protocol reviews. The committee also discussed a hazing incident at UT Chattanooga, including the temporary pause of Greek life activities, reinforced zero-tolerance policies, and mandatory training implementation. Furthermore, comprehensive training and prevention efforts concerning active shooter preparedness (utilizing the "Run, Hide, Fight" protocol) and hazing prevention were reviewed across UT Martin, UT Health Science Center, and UT Southern. The agenda also covered informational items in the Consent Agenda, such as the 2025 Audit Plan Update and Institutional Compliance Update, before moving into a non-public executive session to review confidential matters.

The agenda for the 2026 Winter Meeting of the Board of Trustees includes several key components: Campus Updates from the Chancellors of UT Health Science Center, UT Martin, UT Southern, UT Chattanooga, and UT Knoxville. The President's Update features an Action item regarding the approval of the UT System Strategic Plan (2025-2030). There is also an Action item concerning the UT Chattanooga Strategic Plan -- Momentum (2025-2030). Committee Reports cover the Audit and Compliance Committee, the Education, Research, and Service Committee (including action on a Revised Student Code of Conduct at UTM), and the Finance and Administration Committee (including action items on the Revised FY 2025-26 Operating Budget, FY 2026-27 State Budget Amendment Request, and FY 2026-27 Tuition & Fees Proposal for UTHSC). Finally, a Consent Agenda includes approval of the Minutes of the Prior Meeting and other items.