Highlights from the November 2025 board meeting

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

I am pleased to report on the key outcomes and progress from the Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents meeting held at the Houston campus last Thursday. The overall message is one of strategic growth and strong foundational work across the university system. You are always welcome to listen to a recording of the meeting linked to on the regents’ website.

^{We are expecting the governor to appoint four regents before the end of the calendar year, to replace one vacated seat and three seats whose terms expired in February of this year. So this is the final photo of all current regents together.}

Enrollment and Student Success

The Enrollment Report indicates positive momentum for Texas Woman’s University, despite facing intense market competition.

• Overall Enrollment Growth: TWU achieved an almost 1% overall enrollment increase and a 3% increase in semester credit hours for fall 2025, boosted by a 4% rise in graduate enrollment. The increase in credit hours is key as it directly impacts formula funding from the state.
• Retention Strength: We saw a remarkable 7% increase in the fall-to-fall retention rate for first-time-in-college students, a testament to a focused, multifaceted effort on student retention.
• Dual Credit Challenge: A key area for immediate action is the 17% decline in new dual credit students due to competition. We must re-engage vigorously with our partner school districts to grow this segment.
• Spring Outlook: Spring enrollment projections are strong, with over 6,000 applications received in just 10 days following the Application Fee Waiver Week. Enrollment Management looks forward to sharing the Spring 2026 enrollment numbers in February.
• Food Service Contract: The board approved a three-year extension of the food service contract with Chartwells, recognizing their support for student employment and their commitment to food security initiatives, including upgrades to the Minerva Market in Brackenridge Hall.

University Advancement and Research Grants

Our philanthropic efforts and research grants remain robust, positioning us well for future initiatives.

• Fundraising Progress: University Advancement raised $2.4 million in the first quarter. The TWU Foundation’s endowment is currently valued at $125 million, generating approximately $3.4 million annually, primarily for scholarships.
• Campaign Goal: We have raised $165 million from 18,157 donors, exceeding our $125 million campaign goal by $40 million and counting, with one year remaining.
• Grant Acceptance: Over $4 million in grants were accepted for fiscal year 2026/2027, including funding from the Department of Defense and NASA, which will support critical research.

Academic Innovation and Workforce Readiness

A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to understanding and responding to the requirements of Senate Bill 37, which places new expectations on institutions and their governing boards regarding curriculum oversight. The board’s robust discussion underscored the importance of establishing clear, compliant processes that include their engagement in reviewing the general education curriculum and ensuring alignment with the law.

• Senate Bill 37 and Curriculum Review: This is a priority compliance item requiring a comprehensive review of the entire general education curriculum.
  • The Mandate: The curriculum review portions of the law take effect on January 1, 2026. In part, the law requires institutions to ensure the curriculum is foundational, prepares students for professional and civil life, promotes a broad base of knowledge, and aligns educational goals with student affordability and timely degree completion.
  • TWU’s Action Plan: The board directed the provost and me to begin the process of “following Texas Education Code Section 51.315” to align with the mandate. We will establish a formal process, including faculty review of course descriptions and learning outcomes—already underway—and present our plan for complying with the law to the board in February.[SL1]
  • Course Feedback: As part of this process development, we want to improve mechanisms for gathering feedback from students and others about any concern that the curriculum may not align with its advertised course information.
• Center for Leadership Research and Workforce Development: This new initiative, a collaboration between Academic Affairs and the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership, will integrate research on women’s leadership and workforce development. It will shed more light on essential social and emotional skills needed in the workforce, and the faculty can use the research outcomes to revise the curriculum.
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): Dr. Nancy Chick’s presentation highlighted the impact of using a scientific, evidence-based approach to improve teaching practices and enhance student learning across disciplines.

TWU Dallas Campus: Strategic Growth Initiative

The Dallas campus is implementing its strategic plan focused on academic program expansion and workforce alignment:

• Enrollment Target: A key indicator of the plans success is doubling student enrollment to 3,000 by 2030. Crucially, this growth is designed to be additive, meaning it will not shift students from our Denton campus.
• Program Expansion: We are actively expanding undergraduate programs, including critical areas like business, healthcare administration, and teacher preparation.
• TWU Ventures: The campus is spearheading innovative, non-credit workforce training through TWU Ventures, notably the highly successful Doula Certification Program, which has gained significant attention from insurance providers. Programs in the design phase include a bilingual medical professional certificate, nonprofit board leadership, and behavioral health. In the exploration phase is a FinTech pathway, an Oracle Academy training program, and more.
• Campus Priorities: The plan also prioritizes elevating the campus experience, strengthening community partnerships and philanthropic support, and expanding alumni engagement to sustain this strategic growth.

TWU Houston Campus

As host for the November meeting, TWU Houston provided an opportunity to highlight the campus’s growing leadership in health sciences and community-focused innovation. This was President Williams’s first time hosting the board since officially moving into her role, and the presentations underscored the campus’s leadership in areas of health and workforce needs:

• Maternal Health Telehealth Model: A new research initiative was presented by Dr. Oluchukwu Loveth Obiora, addressing high maternal mortality in Texas by piloting a telehealth-based model for maternal and child health in underserved areas of Southeast Texas (starting with Grimes County), with the goal of scaling the virtual support system statewide.
• Disability and Disaster Preparedness: Dr. Patricia Bowyer presented on the Lone Star LEND program (HRSA-funded), headquartered in Houston, highlighting its training of professionals in disaster preparedness for individuals with disabilities.
• Multispecialty Mobile Clinic: Dr. Sandra Tyson presented on an Interprofessional Education plan to deliver diabetes care to underserved communities, which at the same time, will provide training opportunities for students. Inspired by the 30 years of success with the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center in Dallas, this idea is a year into exploration, but work remains to demonstrate feasibility, efficacy, and a sustainable model.

In summary, the board affirmed the momentum of the past quarter. With strong financial foundations, improved student retention, and clear strategic action on both compliance and high-impact regional initiatives, we continue to gain a robust position for strategic growth. Thank you for your part in making Texas Woman’s a higher education destination par excellence for students and colleagues.

With a pioneering spirit,

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.
Chancellor and President

Page last updated 9:23 AM, December 1, 2025