Highlights from the August 2023 board meeting

Dear Texas Woman’s Community,

Many of us are still flying high over last May’s announcement of the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences. On the second day of the August quarterly meeting of the Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents, we thanked the Doswell Foundation board members in person for their $15 million transformative gift.

As Board Chair Stacie McDavid pointed out, the school will profoundly impact our students and aviation in general. Women remain woefully underrepresented in the pilot ranks (about 5% of commercial pilots are women, according to industry figures).

Dr. Javier Flores offered a robust analysis of our enrollment landscape, and I would like to highlight two notes: Summer 2023 enrollment was up 5% from that of Summer 2022, and current enrollment activity suggests that our first-time-in-college cohort for Fall 2023 will be the largest in history, breaking the record set last year.

Also, during Thursday’s Finance and Audit Committee meeting, regents gave preliminary approval to accept revised budgets for the new health sciences building and the renovation of Brackenridge Hall, which will house our visitor center and serve as a one-stop center for student services. Each project will have a significant role in attracting and retaining students.

The added costs for the new health science center will facilitate future expansion and enhance specific program needs recommended by academic leaders. The increase for Brackenridge Hall will add about 10,000 square feet of space for an atrium and establish a new entrance that creates better visibility for the Denton campus.

I am always delighted to recognize the extraordinary service of our faculty and staff. The regents approved recommendations by Vice President for Finance and Administration Jason Tomlinson and Provost Finley Graves for five staff members and 11 faculty members for emeritus/emerita status.

I felt humbled and proud hearing stories from Student Regent Jianna Covarelli (starting at 19:08:00 in the recording - three minutes) and of two participants in the Texas Leadership Scholar program, Edwin Alvarez and Isabella “Isa” Ignacio (starting at 1:09:00 in the recording — six minutes). If you ever need a pick-me-up, listening to these students’ stories will inspire you to keep pressing forward.

Texas Woman’s is one of 21 public institutions in the state participating in the Texas Leadership Scholar program. Of the 300 students in the program currently, 32 are at Texas Woman’s. The program aims to offer higher education opportunities to high-achieving students with demonstrated financial need and promise as future leaders.

In another presentation, Dr. Ilana Morgan, associate professor of dance, offered a synopsis of a grant-funded outreach project that introduces girls in the Denton County Juvenile Detention Center to dance. The research is ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest the creative process of dance contributes to personal development, enhanced interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and learning to work with others.

While the findings are relatively early in the study, they are encouraging. Dr. Morgan’s work exemplifies how Texas Woman’s faculty so often address societal challenges that will benefit us all.

Everyone was thrilled to hear again from Athletic Director Sandee Mott, who never fails to deliver awe-inspiring news about our student-athletes. They continue to instill Pioneer Pride in us all for the outstanding fetes they achieve on and off the field of play. The accolades this quarter are impressive and far too lengthy to enumerate, so I would encourage you to listen to her presentation (starting at 1:23:00 in the recording — 13 minutes), which includes a heartwarming story of the 2023 Pioneer Volleyball team trip to Brazil. The team played in five exhibition games (three of which they won). They also took time to perform some community service, holding beach volleyball clinics with children in underserved areas of the country.

For every success I highlight, numerous members of this community — many working behind the scenes — have played a pivotal role. These stories of progress, courage, and achievement add to the momentum that keeps us moving to new heights. Thank you all for making Texas Woman’s better.

With a pioneering spirit,

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

Page last updated 10:46 AM, April 15, 2024