Texas Tech regents OK coach and leadership contracts, freeze tuition rates

During a regularly called meeting, the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents heard several items from its five component institution and welcomed two new faces to the system’s leadership.

The first of the new faces was Steeley Smith, a graduate student from Texas Tech, who was sworn in as the new student regent. Smith will serve in her new capacity as a liaison between the board and the over 60,000 students in the system until May 2024.

New Texas Tech student regent Steeley Smith talks passions, priorities as leader

The other new face was the newly appointed president of Midwestern State University, Stacia “Stacy” Haynie. She serves as the 13th president at her alma mater.

Board approves chancellor’s, presidents’ and head coach contracts

The board also heard and approved several contracts during the executive session.

The board authorized the chairman of the board to execute a revised employment agreement with Chancellor Tedd Mitchell, citing what they called his exceptional performance.

The board also authorized the chancellor to modify and extend TTU President Lawrence Schovanec’s and TTUHSC El Paso President Richard Lange’s contracts since doing so was “in the best interest of the institutions and due to the exemplary performance and confidence the board of regents has in their leadership.”

Specifics of all three contracts were not made publicly available at the time.

For context, Mitchell has served about five years as chancellor of the system and in fiscal year 2021 had a base salary of $866,977 with a total compensation of $1,108,449, according to state documents.

There is no reported national average of the amount of time a chancellor will stay with a higher education system; however, the average of the system’s four previous chancellors is 5.25 years.

For presidents, according to the Chronicle for Higher Education, the national average for presidents is 5.9 years.

Schovanec has served as president for seven years and had a base salary of $650,000 with total compensation being $783,676, according to 2022 state documents.

Serving as founding president of TTUHSC El Paso, Lange has served for nine years and, according to state documents, received a base salary of $563,023 with total compensation of $1,045,574 in 2022.

The regents also approved TTU Track & Field Head Coach Wes Kittley’s $3.8 million seven-year contract.

Budgets increasing with undergraduate tuition freezes

This year every component institution and the system administration will see an increase in their FY 2024 operational budget but the state also asked all general academic higher education institutions to freeze their tuition rates over the next two years.

The tuition freeze comes from the 88th Texas Legislature General Appropriation Bill Special Prevision III Sec. 58., which states TTU, MSU and Angelo State University must freeze “resident undergraduate academic costs, including tuition, mandatory academic fees, all academic-related general fees, and college course fees at currently approved levels.”

The bill does not ask medical schools such as TTUHSC Lubbock and El Paso to do the same.

The reason for this is due to the state experiencing a large surplus this year and some of this funding going to universities in an effort to make higher education more affordable.

With the system seeing less funding from tuition but an increase in funding from the state, here is a list of the operating budgets and the increase over last year’s budgets:

• TTUS Administration — $33.4 million operating budget, an 8.21% increase
• Texas Tech — $1.25 billion operating budget, a 6.7% increase
• TTUHSC Lubbock — $942 million operating budget, a 9.26% increase
• Angelo State — $145 million operating budget, a 6.2% increase
• TTUHSC El Paso — $444 million operating budget, a 31.74% increase
• Midwestern State — $128 million operating budget, a 3.95% increase

Soaring to new heights at Angelo State University

After receiving $2 million in funding to jump-start ASU’s Commerical Aviation undergraduate degree program, the board gave its initial nod to the university to build the facilities the program needs.

A new facility will be located just north of the San Angelo Regional Airport and will feature an education center and a future hangar.

The academic building will be 14,504 gross square feet and will feature three classrooms, a simulation room, conference rooms, offices and a lobby. A possible expansion addition is also worked into the plans to include an additional classroom and simulation lab.

The construction is expected to cost

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.
• Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
• Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar).

Analysis

1. The issues highlighted in the article are connected to the following SDGs:

– SDG 4: Quality Education

– SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

– SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

– SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. Specific targets under these SDGs based on the article’s content are:

– Target 4.3: Equal access to affordable and quality education.

– Target 8.5: Full and productive employment and decent work.

– Target 10.2: Social, economic, and political inclusion.

– Target 16.6: Effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.

3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:

– Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate in education and training.

– Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings by occupation and demographic groups.

– Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below a certain income threshold.

– Indicator 16.6.1: Government expenditures as a proportion of the budget.

4. Table presenting the findings:

| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |

|——|———|————|

| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.3: Equal access to affordable and quality education | Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate in education and training |

| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.5: Full and productive employment and decent work | Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings by occupation and demographic groups |

| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: Social, economic, and political inclusion | Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below a certain income threshold |

| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.6: Effective, accountable, and transparent institutions | Indicator 16.6.1: Government expenditures as a proportion of the budget |

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: lubbockonline.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.