Sara Harris Baker

This policy memo addresses the academic barriers to higher education, particularly the challenges associated with remedial education for underprepared students. It asserts that traditional remediation is largely ineffective and costly. The memo proposes three key recommendations: improving placement methods for college remediation classes, enhancing the quality and delivery of remediation services through innovative pedagogies and technology, and implementing preventative measures to reduce the overall need for remediation by aligning K-12 and postsecondary education. The overarching goal is to improve college success rates, educational attainment, and reduce societal dependencies.

This document, published by Excelencia in Education, details efforts and acceleration plans to enhance Latino student success at Texas border institutions. It outlines strategies to increase student participation and success rates, focusing on improving college readiness, expanding access for non-traditional students, ensuring affordability, and strengthening retention and academic progress. The overarching goal is to close educational attainment gaps for Hispanic students and meet the state's human capital needs by 2015.

Key actions during the meeting included the approval of the project scope and budget, appropriation for construction services, and approval for construction for two capital projects. Specifically, the Joint Library Facility Module 2 Project at The Texas A&M University System RELLIS Campus was approved with a budget of $5,500,000, and the McAllen Multipurpose Academic Building Project at the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center was approved with a budget of $40,000,000, contingent upon approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Furthermore, the Chancellor was authorized to negotiate and execute a ground lease with Blinn College for facility construction on the RELLIS Campus. Authorization was also granted to lease approximately 100 acres and the City of McAllen's interest in a joint academic building. Finally, authorization was granted to grant a conditional roadway easement on the Momentum Campus to the Texas Department of Transportation for improvements related to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the agenda, which included moving the Provost update forward, and the unanimous approval of the November minutes. The Speaker's Report addressed several immediate faculty concerns: coordinating shirt size survey results for new apparel while managing budget constraints, noting the need for a new Parking Subcommittee volunteer, and providing updates regarding a recent TrainTraq assignment and its non-impact on merit pay, as well as potential confusion arising from the updated SAIL grades interface. Major discussion centered on the new system-mandated course audit process, with emphasis placed on ensuring faculty review guides the campus response, despite the audit potentially eroding academic freedom. Committee reports covered updates from Academic Affairs (course approvals, hybrid course impact), Awards, Bylaws, & Elections (finalizing faculty excellence award nominees), Budget Analysis (computer lab utilization), Faculty Affairs (reviewing an Emeritus nomination case and presenting several revised tenure and workload policy documents), and Graduate Council (clarifying membership pool criteria and discussing H1-B visa fees). The Provost reported on upcoming guidance regarding SB 1201 & 0801, the audit timeline, the campus-specific nature of the Simple Syllabus platform, and the opening of dean 360 reviews. Liaison reports included updates on academic freedom letters from AAUP and standardization efforts for graduation regalia cords/stoles under the Expressive Activities Committee, which received FAC executive feedback approval due to short turnarounds. Ex Officio reports included a warning about Duo security scams and updates on AI system testing.

Key discussions included a presentation from Auxiliary Services regarding new printing equipment capabilities, an online ordering system, and successful off-campus partnerships. The Speaker's Report covered the status of the Simple Syllabus implementation, concerns regarding the new Expressive Activities policy, faculty apprehension about pressures related to achieving R1 status potentially sacrificing teaching excellence, and feedback solicitation regarding proposed changes to graduation stoles to maintain Islander spirit while allowing for personal achievements. The Council also discussed the incoming course audit results and Governor Abbott's moratorium on H-1 B Visas and its implications for current employees and future searches. Committee reports detailed updates on course and program changes, review of academic rank descriptors and faculty responsibility policies, and discussion on the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) proposal to eliminate computer labs. Liaison reports addressed compliance delays and faculty support recommendations, particularly for vulnerable non-tenure track faculty. The Ex Officio reports provided clarification on the BYOD exploration, the careful, phased response to audit results, and detailed the impact and interpretation of the H-1 B Visa moratorium, emphasizing current visa holders are believed to be unaffected and cautioning against premature exclusion of applicants. Accessibility compliance efforts for Canvas and university websites were also detailed, urging faculty to seek assistance rather than self-censor. New business included a motion to approve an amendment to the FAC Bylaws regarding appointments when academic units do not express interest.