The East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Board of Trustees convened on November 15, 2024, to discuss various agenda items, including academic advancements, financial updates, and institutional policies. The meeting commenced with the confirmation of a quorum and proceeded without public comments.

The board approved the minutes from the previous meeting held on September 13, 2024. Following this, Trustee Ayers provided a report from the Academic Research and Student Success Committee, highlighting three action items and three information items discussed during their earlier meeting.

One significant action was the approval of tenure for Dr. Dina Evans, the incoming dean of the College of Nursing, who brings over 20 years of experience in nursing leadership. The committee also approved a new Bachelor of Science in Digital Development degree program, a collaboration between the departments of digital media and computing. This program aims to equip students with essential programming and design skills, making it the first of its kind in Tennessee. It is expected to attract new students and align with workforce needs, with plans to present it to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) for approval in spring 2025.

Additionally, the board approved a new institutional accreditation policy, allowing ETSU to select any accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in compliance with Tennessee law.

Trustee Ayers also shared positive results from the 2023-2024 quality assurance funding process, where ETSU achieved a score of 96 out of 100, placing it second among locally governed institutions for the second consecutive year. This score is crucial as it impacts funding and will be the last year under the current five-year quality cycle.

Trustee DeCarlo then reported on the Finance and Administration Committee's review of the Tuition Transparency Act report, which details how tuition revenues are utilized. The committee approved budget revisions for October 2024, reflecting an increase in expenditure budgets due to carry-forward funds from the previous year. They also discussed the quarterly report of contracts over $250,000 and updates from the Strategic Resource Alignment Advisory Committee.

Trustee Stegall Jones provided insights from the Audit Committee, noting the addition of two fraud, waste, and abuse concerns to the audit plan. He reported that the annual president's audit revealed no significant violations or deficiencies. The committee also reviewed the status of ongoing recommendations, with most progressing well.

The meeting concluded with the approval of the consent agenda, which included routine items discussed in the committee meetings. Overall, the board's discussions reflected a commitment to enhancing academic offerings, maintaining financial transparency, and ensuring institutional integrity.