SFA affiliation vote expected Tuesday

The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. in Room 310 of the Austin Building, 1936 North St. The meeting will be livestreamed at tinyurl.com/2e2u6675 and is open to the public.

The subcommittee on affiliation will deliver a report and recommendation on whether the university should affiliate with any of the four systems — University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State and Texas Tech — that have delivered proposals.

A nine-page report posted online offers a general description of the steps taken over the fall semester as the issue was considered.

A summary document, created for Regents and obtained by The Daily Sentinel, shows stark differences between the proposals.

The document that indicates the University of Texas System would provide $124 million in resources over the next four years, more than the three other systems combined.

The values reported, by system, are:

University of Texas: $124,332,900

Texas A&M: $33,720,092

Texas State: $7,419,036

Texas Tech: $357,000

The listed values are “above and beyond the value of enhanced bond ratings, investment management, purchasing power, construction, management, system efficiencies and economies of scale that would accompany affiliation with any of the systems over the next four years,” document preparers added.

The University of Texas is offering transitional support of $5.5 million over four years that can be used for salaries.

Texas A&M would provide $3.5 million in transition support over two years. Those funds can be used to pay salaries and retire debt among other certain expenses. A&M has also proposed a building valued at $31 million that would be shared by its state agencies and SFA.

Ongoing collaborations, similarities in culture and course offerings could give an edge to A&M, experts in university administration have said. Those provide substantial benefits that can’t be financially quantified, they said.

Texas A&M also currently manages SFA’s investments, and the two joined forces to offer classes at the RELLIS Campus in Bryan.

Following the affiliation subcommittee presentation, Regents will go into closed session to consider a personnel item. Any action will take place after the board returns to open session, and could involve any officer or employee, “including but not limited to the president,” the agenda said.