Highlights from the November 2022 board meeting

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well as we prepare for cold days here in North Texas leading into Thanksgiving week.

The Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents held its latest quarterly meeting last Thursday and Friday at our Houston campus, and I am pleased to share with you some of the highlights of that meeting, some of which featured our commitment to safety and growth.

Regents authorized $2 million for an exterior lighting improvement project for the Denton campus to enhance security. This project follows a 2019 analysis to identify areas where the lighting was deemed deficient.

Also related to safety, we updated regents about a collaboration with the City of Denton. This project proposes transforming the 550-foot section of North Bell Avenue between Chapel Drive and Administration Drive to a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle path. As the university continues to grow eastward, we expect a rapid increase in pedestrian activity across Bell Avenue. This transformation of that section of roadway will provide greater safety to our university community. The Denton City Council voted 5-2 recently to move forward with plans to add this bicycle-pedestrian corridor to the city’s assets.

I am thrilled to report that regents approved $4.5 million for constructing a new preschool facility on the Denton campus. This collaborative project with Bezos Academy will be a game-changer for the university and Denton community as many in our communities struggle with childcare costs – so much so that it is a barrier to many students’ academic success. Our student parents cite finding and paying for child care as the top obstacle to completing school.

Texas Woman’s and Bezos Academy share a mission to develop lifelong learners and leaders by increasing educational access. Bezos Academy would provide year-round programming for children ages 3-5 years old at no cost to the families served. The university’s investment is limited to only providing a rent-free, 10-year facility lease. We are considering a few locations, which will most likely be just north of University Drive near the previous lab school.

As further evidence that our university is growing and in need of additional updating, regents authorized renovations for the MCL, which will get a significant refresh on its first two floors to create new, high-impact spaces for the College of Business; and for the Blagg-Huey Library, which will undergo a reconfiguration project on its second floor to make better use of space for the Pioneer Center for Student Excellence, the Psychology Resource Center, and Library Services. That project will also result in more study space for students.

Regents heard highlights from Academic Affairs on individual faculty projects such as a device for chronic foot pain developed by Dr. Ngozi D. Mbue, assistant professor in the College of Nursing, the remarkable AASCB accreditation journey for the College of Business, and progress on the Quality Enhancement Plan part of the university’s SACSCOC reaffirmation. These reports are some of the more talked about highlights among the regents following the meeting, and they leave me inspired about being a part of the Texas Woman’s family.

Regents approved the posthumous emerita status award to Dr. Phyllis J. Bridges. She was a force at Texas Woman’s, serving as the university’s provost, graduate dean, and interim dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. She appealed to people at all levels and was revered as much for her outstanding academic credentials as she was for her guidance in helping students find careers. Before she passed, she was instrumental in bringing the Sarah Weddington Collection to the university.

Finally, before the meetings even started, I hosted a strategic planning workshop with the regents to make sure they were on board with the direction for our next strategic plan. With their feedback, we will go on a series of listening sessions with the cabinet, deans and vice provosts, TWU Faculty Senate, TWU Staff Council, and other partner bodies in shared governance, and generally with faculty and staff. I promised to give the regents an update in February, and then I plan to ask for their formal approval of the plan at their quarterly meeting in May.

Each quarter, we pack energy and excitement into two days. They fill me with hope for the future and pride in our purpose. I cannot thank you enough for your role in advancing the Texas Woman’s mission. Not every organization enjoys its board meetings, but at Texas Woman’s, they are an inspiration because of your innovation, your commitment to excellence, and your dedication to serving our students, our campus communities, and our mission. Thank you for all you do to make Texas Woman’s great!

With a pioneering spirit,

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

Page last updated 10:43 AM, November 16, 2022