Tracy Burcham

The meeting featured discussions on the university's new strategic plan, titled Shaping Tomorrow Together, including its launch, implementation, and future tracking via institutional dashboards. The board recognized and honored two individuals for their leadership in the strategic planning process. Additionally, the meeting included a demonstration of the new digital tracking platform that will provide real-time updates on strategic initiatives, institutional objectives, and the alignment of resources with the university's goals.

The workshop provided an overview of the university's financial structure, current budget position, and fiscal outlook for the upcoming year. Discussions focused on the resource allocation process, maintaining institutional affordability compared to state and regional peers, and the impact of legislative actions on the budget. Key topics included enrollment performance, operating budget adjustments, and long-term financial stability strategies.

Key discussions and actions during this meeting included the launch wrap-up and dashboard discussion for the Strategic Plan. The President provided a report, followed by updates on Government Relations and the introduction of new spirit song, "Rise, Highlanders, Rise." Committee reports covered several items: the Academic Excellence and Student Success Committee recommended tenure approvals and promotions with salary increments, and resolutions related to discontinuing and creating academic programs. The Business Affairs and Audit Committee reviewed audit reports, the financial picture, budget building for FY 2027, and approved updates to the discrimination and harassment policy. The Enrollment Management and Brand Equity Committee reported exceeding enrollment goals. The External Engagement Committee discussed advancement and donor relations. The Student Affairs and Athletics Committee highlighted SGA accomplishments and updates from Student Affairs and Athletics, including NCAA awards recognition. The Foundation reported a 3% growth for the quarter ending September 30, 2025. The Executive Committee discussed bylaws updates, with a final vote scheduled for the March 2026 meeting, and approved resolutions for Executive Order 48 compliance and official 2027 Board of Visitors Meeting Dates. The session concluded with a closed session for discussion of personnel matters related to the President's performance plan, followed by certification.

The agenda for the meeting included reports from the Student Government Association and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) student representatives. Key discussion items involved an update on the Student Affairs Division's two-year goals, focusing on student engagement, well-being, and career readiness metrics. The Intercollegiate Athletics report covered academic excellence achievements, such as high GPAs across multiple programs, updates on softball stadium renovations, and competitive results for Men's and Women's Basketball. The athletics section also addressed financial implications from the NCAA House v. and Ray v. NCAA settlements regarding NIL payments and volunteer coaches.

The meeting agenda included the approval of the agenda and minutes from the December 5, 2024 session. Key discussions covered the Academic Affairs Update, Strategic Priorities, and an informational item regarding Faculty Promotions. Action items focused on recommendations for Faculty Tenure. The Faculty Senate provided an update, including timelines for General Education implementation and governance reviews. The committee materials also detailed Radford University's strategic priorities such as developing a strategic curricular portfolio, improving student success metrics (retention and headcount), ensuring experiential learning opportunities, fostering community collaboration, and supporting faculty and staff.