NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Ensuing a 13-month process that incorporated the formation of representative input groups, the collection of community and public comment, and the filing of state legislation, Stephen F. Austin State University officially became the 14th member of The University of Texas System.
The formal action of transitioning SFA into the UT System was finalized during the UT Board of Regents meeting in Austin on Aug 24 and made official on Sept. 1.
“This is just the beginning of our journey. We are convinced that this new relationship will make each of us stronger,” UT System Board of Regents Chair Kevin P. Eltife and UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said in a joint open letter to the SFA community distributed Aug. 24.
The first announcement to merge was made in January 2023, when the UT System invested $1 million in SFA’s Purple Promise tuition coverage program.
This need-based financial aid initiative was funded by the system’s Promise Plus endowment to allow more than 1,200 students to attend SFA tuition-free in their first year.
“It’s a historic year for SFA. Today, we celebrate our affiliation with the UT System and in a few weeks will celebrate our university’s 100th anniversary of educating students,” said Gina Oglesbee, SFA interim president.
Additionally, the UT System has committed $22 million to address transition costs, including compensation for SFA faculty and staff, and $80 million to support capital projects, including a new forestry, agriculture and interdisciplinary facility, and investments in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture and the Nelson Rusche College of Business’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship.
More than $4 million will be covered by the UT System; ranging from access to free student mental health services to cybersecurity expertise.
Affiliation process
The process of affiliating began in Aug. 2022, when then-SFA Interim President Dr. Steve Westbrook announced to the campus community that representatives from four Texas university systems had extended interest in affiliating.
It took several months to gather all the information needed. This was headed by an SFA Board of Regents subcommittee that included Karen Gantt, chair; Tom Mason, vice chair; Jennifer Wade Winston, secretary; David Alders, member and former chair; and Westbrook.
Over the course from Aug. 22 to Sept. 23, representative campus groups, including the Deans Council, Chairs Forum, Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government Association and Alumni Association, developed questions pertaining to their constituent groups. The questions were provided to each of the four systems on Sept. 26 with an invitation to respond by Oct. 6.
On Oct. 30, representatives from all SFA groups shared their thoughts on the systems’ answers; and on Nov. 29, the SFA Board of Regents approved an affiliation with the UT System.
Sponsored by eight Texas legislators, including Sen. Robert Nichols and Reps. Travis Clardy and Trent Ashby, Senate Bill 1055 was passed and signed May 10, 2023, by Gov. Greg Abbott, authorizing the transition of SFA into the UT System.
On July 27, 2023, the UT System Regents voted in favor of accepting management and operational control of SFA, effective July 28.
The vote was a requirement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ continued accreditation with SFA. As a condition of continuous accreditation, SACSCOC made it mandatory for the UT System to manage and control SFA no later than July 28.