One-time Merit Pay in August 2023

Dear Texas Woman’s Colleagues,

I hope your summer has been energizing and fulfilling so far! I started June in South Texas where we entered into a new agreement with Laredo College, our latest strategy to reach across the state and more intentionally serve Texas as a whole. Please join me in thanking Dr. Jorge Figueroa, vice provost for curriculum and strategic initiatives, for his leadership of these transfer strategies in partnership with Dr. Javier Flores and his leadership of a broader enrollment strategy. Today, I am in Helsinki at the International Women’s Forum Cornerstone Conference where I will engage in a global conversation about women’s leadership.

I am also writing today to share some good financial news. On your August 1 pay stub, you will see “Merit Pay” for $2,000. A base salary increase is still coming in early 2024, but let me briefly explain this one-time payment.

Over this past year, we have had some salary savings from what we budgeted, primarily due to unfilled positions. My administration and I want to pass those savings on to you in recognition of this stellar year of institutional achievements—AACSB accreditation, SACSCOC site visit, ACE/Fidelity Investments 2023 Institutional Transformation Award, the founding of the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences, and much more. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without all of us working together. The visibility of these achievements offer will amplify our enrollment strategies, our primary revenue source for budgeted salaries.

While I am happy to spread around the one-time savings this year in recognition of outstanding work, my hope is that we will redouble our efforts to fill open positions with talented, mission-centric colleagues. Let us lighten the load in advancing our mission of “transformational learning, discovery, and service in an inclusive environment that ... inspires excellence and a pioneering spirit.”

I wish you all the best over this coming long weekend as we celebrate Juneteenth.

With pioneer pride,

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

Page last updated 5:00 PM, February 27, 2024