Regents press affordability, compensation and budget priorities; pay plan advanced

Regents opened the May session with a system report that noted enrollment growth had leveled off in 2012 after three years of gains. Associate Commissioner Tyler Trevor said resident undergraduate FTE fell by 404 while nonresident undergraduate FTE rose by 286; two‑year campuses accounted for two‑thirds of the ten‑year resident growth.

Regents and OCHE members spent substantial time on compensation, recruitment and retention. Regent Major Robinson summarized the Compensation Focus Group findings and public commenters (faculty and MEA‑MFT representatives) said low salaries have led to failed searches and difficulty recruiting. Associate Commissioner Kevin McRae urged using comparable‑institution data to guide allocation models; Commissioner Clayton Christian emphasized campus budget autonomy within system targets.

The board considered executive budget development and legislative planning, including a present‑law/pay‑plan item (ITEM 155‑107‑R0512) and a Long‑Range Building Program (LRBP) list (ITEM 155‑108‑R0512). Tyler Trevor described affordability taskforce recommendations to increase targeted tuition assistance, coordinate financial‑literacy efforts, and request a support position for tracking and analysis. Trevor told regents student loans had increased by roughly $100 million system‑wide over the prior decade.

Regents debated priorities for legislative submission and the LRBP, with several members urging the board to balance new facility projects against compensation needs and long‑term operational costs. The board voted to ratify the pay plan/present law and to forward the LRBP list and legislative initiatives to the governor’s office.