During a special meeting of The University of Texas System’s Board of Regents today, Regents elected to assume management and operational control of Stephen F. Austin State University effective July 28. This action will pave the way for the university to officially affiliate as a member of the UT System Sept. 1.
Kevin Eltife, UT System Board of Regents chair, and James B. Milliken, UT System chancellor, expressed thanks during the meeting to SFA’s board and the Lumberjack community for their role in and support of this union.
“It’s with immense gratitude I thank Chairman Eltife and Chancellor Milliken, as well as state legislators Sen. Robert Nichols and Rep. Travis Clardy, for their continued support of this affiliation,” said SFA interim President Gina Oglesbee. “Today marked another step toward our university joining a best-in-class system.”
Today’s vote confirmed that the UT System would assume management and control responsibilities of SFA, including but not limited to its operations, real property and other assets.
The vote was also a requirement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ continued accreditation of SFA. The accrediting body recently approved SFA’s request for a change in governance from the SFA Board of Regents to the UT System Board of Regents. As a condition of continuous accreditation, SACSCOC required that the UT System assume management and control of SFA no later than July 28.
For information on the full affiliation process, visit sfasu.edu/system.
