Compliance Narratives

Judgment of Compliance

Narrative

Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is member of the Texas State University System (TSUS) [1]. The TSUS was founded in 1911 and was the first higher education system established within Texas. Beginning as a means of supporting and managing teacher colleges within the state, the TSUS has evolved into a network of higher education institutions stretching from the Texas-Louisiana border to the Big Bend region of West Texas. The mission of the TSUS is as follows [1]:

• to advance and extend knowledge, learning, and culture, especially within Texas;
• to provide opportunities for individuals to develop intellectually, personally, and professionally;
• to prepare students to contribute to the state’s and nation’s economy, culture, and future;
• to offer undergraduate and graduate instruction leading to professional certificates and undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees;
• to provide public services that enrich the institutions, communities, and the state;
• to foster creative and artistic expression that enhances the cultural richness of the state; and
• to support research and commercial development that result in new technologies and products which benefit the state.

The TSUS currently consists of seven component institutions [2], including Lamar University, Sul Ross State University, Texas State University, Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College-Orange, Lamar State College-Port Arthur, and Sam Houston State University. A current organizational chart for the TSUS is provided [3].

The TSUS is governed by a nine-member Board of Regents [4] appointed by the Governor of Texas [5]. The TSUS administration is headed by a board-appointed chancellor and is based in Austin, Texas. The TSUS Board of Regents holds four quarterly board meetings each year, with special meetings being called as necessary to address time-sensitive items. These meetings are held on the campuses of the system’s 4-year institutions or in Austin, with special meetings usually conducted via conference calls. All Board of Regents meeting are open to the public, and materials and minutes from Board of Regents meetings are publically available through the Board of Regent’s website [6].

As defined by the Texas Education Code, Chapter 61.051 [7] and the TSUS Rules and Regulations [8], the TSUS Board of Regents has legal authority and operating control of SHSU, including governance over the University’s mission, fiscal stability, and institutional policies. As specified in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 96.61 [9], “Sam Houston State University is a coeducational institution of higher education located in the city of Huntsville. It is under the management and control of the Board of Regents, Texas State University System.” The legal authority and operating control over SHSU afforded the TSUS Board of Regents is also specified in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 95.01: “The organization, control, and management of the state university system is vested in the Board of Regents, Texas State University System” [10].

More detailed information regarding the role and authority of the TSUS Board of Regents and its relationship with regard to SHSU’s mission, governance, operations, fiscal stability, and policies can be referenced in the following standards:

• 4.1 – Governing Board Characteristics
• 4.2.a – Mission Review
• 4.2.b – Board/Administrative Distinction
• 4.2.c – CEO Evaluation/Selection
• 4.2.d – Conflict of Interest
• 4.2.e – Board Dismissal
• 4.2.f – External Influence
• 4.2.g – Board Evaluation
• 4.3 – Multi-Level Governance

Supporting Documentation