Faculty Senate - February 2026 Minutes

Call to Order: 3:38 PM

Not Present: Sandy Shawver, Daniel Frazier, Darla Diltz, Rafael Powell, Ann Marie Leimer, Tracie Fulton, Stacey Machado, Candace Fulton

Special Guests: Mr. Chris Stovall, Vice President for Administration and Finance, and Ms. Anna Daugherty, Assistant Vice President, Financial Services

1. MSU FY 27 Budget Presentation
   • Dr. Slavens introduced Chris & Anna. Mr. Stovall indicated that we’re in a healthy financial position, and our current budget is conservative to account for our past challenges. This is a preliminary budget, which will be submitted to the TTU BOR meeting in July. Census day moved due to winter storm, so 20th class day will be Monday, Feb. 17. The retention gains we’ve noticed are due to the hard work of faculty and staff, like TASP, Res Life, SSC. Budget is an incremental model based on FY 26.
   • Ms. Daugherty provided details from Fall 2025 Enrollment. Budget is based on SCH (semester credit hours), and we estimate that conservatively, which landed us with a 2.7% increase from the previous years. We have higher loads than anticipated. We budget Spring at about 90% of Fall, and we’re currently enrolled above that budgeted number, at about a 2.4% increase from last spring. Certainly, we’re going to exceed what we’ve budgeted for spring.
   • While tuition rates are frozen per state regulations, but we have increased some non-academic fees in order to plan for growth and planning the new athletics facilities.
     Tuition and fee revenue is approximately 36% of our budget, and we anticipate about a $1.1 Million growth in tuition and enrollment fees.
   • Dr. Vandehey asked if we’re allowed to hold a slush fund that can be used as needed or in case of emergencies. Mr. Stovall said yes, that is built into our budget.
   • Ms. Daugherty explained that legislative funding constitutes approximately 30% of our budget, and we expect some change there, which will be settled in this legislative session. Mr. Stovall explained that the outcomes-based funding model does disadvantage regional schools, and having TTU as an advocate could help prevent us from being hit by that.
   • Ms. Daugherty indicated that we will have $380K to cover the required fringe benefit increase.
   • Mr. Stovall explained that TTU’s Finance Office has helped to grow our investment income by approximately $300K in the coming year.
   • Total increase of approximately $1.8 Million dollars for FY 27.
   • Mr. Stovall explained that non-customary increases (and decreases), which must be spent in the year they’re allocated for or be sent back. Those include the STEM Center for Excellence ($200K), Athletic fee increase ($460K), and FY26 one-time budget investments ($1.1M). This accounts for some of the costs of tying our Campus Master Plan with our Strategic Plan.
   • Ms. Daugherty explained that the anticipated customary increases for FY 27 include software expenses ($100K), Fringe benefits ($500K), and $670K for other anticipated increases.
   • Total FY27 New Expenditures are approximately $830K increase.
   • Rolling these forward results in net new revenue resources of approximately $970K for FY27. This plan does build in flexibility for FY27 Fall enrollment, which is challenging to calculate at this time because of the state’s “Free App” week, which has skewed the data for anticipating enrollment. Other measures are now being used to narrow those numbers.
   • Dr. Lei asked if the SCH hours include graduate and undergraduate hours.
   • Ms. Daugherty & Mr. Stovall both indicated that both are included, as are dual credit hours. Mr. Stovall clarified that when we’re building the budget, we exclude Dual Credit hours. When we budget we account for those differences in program differences in how we adjust anticipated fees and tuition rates for different student groups.
   • Dr. Slavens indicated that Dr. Lamb and Dr. Brown Marsden will come to our March meeting to discuss recruitment and retention. Dr. Slavens said that asked if there are any questions for Dr. Lamb. None were mentioned.

Housekeeping

• Approval of Agenda – Dr. Lei motioned, and Dr. Fino seconded. Majority approved.
• Approval of Minutes – Dr. Vandehey motioned to approve the minutes from Jan. 22, 2026 with the indicated corrections, and Professor Young seconded. Majority approved.

Current Business/Information Sharing

1. MSU Policy Review - Faculty Policies
   • Dr. Slavens explained that Dr. Brown Marsden is responding to all of the comments provided by faculty, indicating how she will use them in revisions of the policies. Everyone can still access those documents in Teams to see how she is responding.

New Business

1. Timeline for Faculty Senate Recommendations for 2026-2027 Executive Committee
   • Dr. Slavens explained that we will need to plan for elections earlier in order to address SB 42 and our new Faculty Operating Policies. So we will need to determine if any senators rolling off this year would like to be considered for election for another term. After this year, senators who roll off will have to remain off for two years.
   • Dr. Vandehey asked if the President is still able to make appointments. Dr. Slavens explained that the President is happy to appoint senators who would like to continue serving, but those appointees will need to be identified earlier to ensure that we end up with an appropriate number of senators.
   • Dr. Slavens indicated that Dr. Haynie has appreciated having five executive officers, and we benefit from representation of multiple colleges on executive committee.
   • Dr. Slavens explained that Dr. Haynie can appoint one senator per college for a one year appointment for up to six consecutive years. The priority would tend to be to allow for some continuity and institutional memory among the executive committee, but others who do not wish to roll off could be appointed.
   • Dr. Slavens explained past procedures for voting for executive committee, which has involved voting among the next year’s senators for the incoming executive committee.
   • We will need to make some changes to account for the adjustments in appointments. Appointments mean that we could have 25-31 senators.
   • Bylaws indicate that voting for executive committee occurs in April, but we have tended to vote in May instead.
   • Dr. Choudhury asked if this would disrupt how the senate works, stating, “Once I understand how things work, I’m rolling off and I can’t serve anymore.” Other senators agree that this is one of the aims of the rule.
   • Dr. Elsharafi asked if a person could be reelected if they have served in someone else’s stead. There is some discussion about how this should work, but no resolution.
   • Dr. Vandehey asked if we can hold our April meeting after the colleges elect their senators. Dr. Slavens indicated that sometimes senators are not even elected by May meetings. Dr. Vandehey suggested that we could ask the Provost to solicit elected senators to be elected by April 15th so that we can make arrangements and the president can make appointments and name the executive committee as needed before the end of term.
   • Dr. Slavens agreed to ask for the Provost’s help in soliciting the names of next year’s senators from Deans.

Unfinished Business

1. Course Evaluations (Resolution Drafted in Spring)
   • Dr. Slavens indicated that MCOSME has received their Course Evaluations from fall. Some senators indicated that they have as well, while others have not. Dr. Vandehey asked if faculty can be notified when those evaluations go out. Dr. Coenen indicated
2. Inquiry about AI Overuse
   • Dr. Slavens introduced comments from Dr. Daniel Frazier asking if faculty senate would be interested in looking at student overuse of AI and means to limit it. Senators tried to understand what this means for faculty senate and whether he is suggesting policy changes or teaching strategies.
   • Senators feel that if he’s suggesting teaching resources, TLRC would be a better avenue for that. But if policy changes are of interest, Faculty Senate might

Committee and Other Reports:

1. Academic Council - Dr. Darla Diltz
   No report.
2. Administrative Council - Dr. Dawn Slavens
   No report.
3. Student Allocations Council - Dr. Michelle Hall
   No report.
4. Athletics Council - Dr. Catherine Gaharan
   No report.
5. Student Affairs & Enrollment Council - Dr. Bev Stiles
   No report.
6. University Celebration of Scholarship - Dr. Darla Diltz
   No report.
7. Emergency Management - Professor Jill Young
   No report.
8. Leadership Advisory Council - Dr. Dawn Slavens
   No report.
9. Staff Senate - Dr. Phillis Bunch
   SS had a lively conversation about possible support from the city for road clearing and maintenance. Dr. Slavens indicated that the administration is making plans to do better.
10. Student Government Association - Parwar Bin Hafiz
    SGA also discussed the weather issues. Students were not notified about canceled classes (during delayed opens especially).
11. Other Committee Reports -
    No reports.

Announcements

1. TASP has new hours, and we’re having a Nacho social tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 13th) from 11 AM to 1 PM.

Meeting adjourned at 4:46 PM. Dr. Fino made a motion to adjourn, and Professor Young seconded. The motion to adjourn passed by a majority.

Submitted,
Hillary Coenen, Faculty Senate Secretary
Dawn Slavens, Faculty Senate Presiding Officer

Meetings & Deadlines
The next Executive Committee meeting with the President is being rescheduled.
Agenda items for the next meeting should be submitted to Dr. Slavens by Noon on Feb. 27th.
The next Executive Committee meeting will be Mar. 3rd at 3:30 PM.
The next Faculty Senate meeting will be Mar. 19th at 3:30 PM.