East Tennessee State University

The Audit Committee meeting focused on several key agenda items. The committee addressed an action item concerning revisions to the Fiscal Year 2026 Audit Plan, which involved approving the addition of three reported fraud, waste, and abuse concerns and the removal of the WETS-FM audit and an advisory engagement related to Central Receiving and Facilities Management. Additionally, the Chief Audit Executive reported on audits and advisory engagements completed between September and October 2025, specifically mentioning the President's Expenditure Audit and advisory work related to the Clery Act and Gatton College of Pharmacy internal scholarships. Follow-up review status was updated, noting that the ProCard review follow-up is postponed until 2026 due to the Oracle conversion. The committee concluded by reviewing its responsibilities and adjourning to an executive session to discuss active audits, enterprise risk management, and university risks.

The meeting commenced with updates highlighting the university's recent Carnegie Foundation's Community Engagement Classification achievement and the success of the community engaged learning initiative, noting an 85% student retention rate for participating students. Exceptional performance was reported for the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy class of 2025, achieving a 97.7% first attempt pass rate on the NAPLEX exam. The Board acknowledged the Governor's proposed budget allocation for critical utility infrastructure, capital maintenance, and upgrades at the Eastman Valley Brook location. Committee reports detailed significant academic actions, including a proposal for a new Bachelor of Business Administration in hospitality and tourism management and the creation of graduate certificates. The annual review for graduate medical education confirmed compliance with all accreditation standards. The Center for Rural Health and Research presented its growth into a nationally recognized hub with substantial external funding. The College of Nursing update noted strong student success outcomes, including a 93% INLEX RN pass rate and 100% employment for graduates. Campus Recreation reported increased participation and utilization projections indicating a potential record-breaking year. The Finance and Administration Committee approved a 0% tuition increase for the College of Medicine for the 2026-2027 academic year, along with housing and meal plan rate adjustments for the same period. The quarterly financial review indicated a strong financial position with assets nearing $1 billion. The Audit Committee approved minutes from a previous meeting and an audit plan revision, noting the second consecutive year without audit findings from the State of Tennessee Controller's Office. An update was also provided on the continued progress and impact of the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts, detailing event hosting statistics, revenue generation, and focus on accessibility and patron experience.

This document presents the updated Campus Master Plan for East Tennessee State University, aligning it with the university's strategic plan, facilities planning, and capital appropriation requests. Key components of the plan include the Main Campus Plan, Mountain Home VA Campus Plan, Academic Space Optimization, Housing Plan, Parking Plan, Acquisition and Disposition, and Capital Improvement and Implementation Plan. The plan serves as a strategic framework to enhance the campus experience, addressing challenges such as housing shortages, space deficits, facility modernization, parking, and mobility, while strengthening community connections.

The Academic, Research, and Student Success Committee meeting covered several information and discussion items. Key topics included academic notifications for the period of August 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, which involved establishing a Master of Science in Environment, Health, and Disaster Science, approving a New Academic Program Proposal for BBA in Hospitality and Tourism Management, establishing two new Graduate Certificates, and inactivating the MA in Sociology program. The committee also reviewed the Annual Institutional Review for Graduate Medical Education for 2024-2025, noting continued accreditation status for the sponsoring institution and individual programs, salary and benefits details for residents/fellows, and updates on accreditation milestones. Further discussion included a Quality Assurance Funding Update, highlighting average scores across metrics, and an update on the Community-Engaged Learning initiative, which involves over 80 courses. Finally, there was a presentation on the Orthotics and Prosthetics program, which is the only one of its kind in Tennessee, and a Student Services Update detailing work on a culture of care, mental health initiatives, and the utilization statistics for Bucky's Pantry.

The Finance and Administration Committee meeting included several action items and informational discussions. Action items involved the recommendation for approval of College of Medicine FY27 Tuition, noting no proposed increase due to federal student loan program impacts, and the approval of Housing and Meal Plans for FY27, detailing proposed rate increases for housing and meal plans based on inflationary projections and market comparisons. Key discussions included the Quarterly Financial Update, highlighting year-to-date revenue and expenditure summaries through the second quarter of FY2025-2026, and a presentation on Comparative Tuition and Mandatory Fees for Tennessee Public Universities. The committee also reviewed the Quarterly Report of Agreements $250,000 or Greater processed between October and December 2025, which included contracts for venue leasing, video boards, and medical simulators.