The Campus CONNECTION Issue 19 September 2015
A&M System Board of Regents approves $33 million budget for A&M-Texarkana
In this issue Employee Corner P.2 Employee EnrichmentP.3 Supervisor Corner P.4
The Texas A&M University Board of Regents on Aug. 12 approved a $33 million budget to fund operations at Texas A&M University-Texarkana for fiscal year 2016. This represents a 10 percent increase from the 2015 fiscal year.
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Assistant Director of Enrollment Processing
The increase over fiscal year 2015 is primarily driven by an increase in legislative appropriations, projected growth in enrollment, and additional grant and contract revenue from external sources. Dr. Emily Cutrer, president of A&M-Texarkana, said the increase in funding for the university will be used to meet the educational needs of the Texarkana region through a number of different initiatives that include:
expanding the university’s nursing program, enhancing student-success initiatives such as tutoring and the first-year experience program, creating an Office of Professional Development to provide continuing education opportunities, developing a community-engagement program and implementing additional experiential-learning opportunities.
At the meeting, members of the A&M System Board of Regents approved a total budget of $4.2 billion to fund operations at its 11 universities, seven state agencies and health sciences center for fiscal year 2016. This marks the first time the A&M System’s budget has passed $4 billion. Revenue from tuition and fees is budgeted to increase 10 percent when compared to fiscal year 2015, but that increase is driven by rising enrollment, a 7 percent increase in non-resident tuition (as set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) and a slight increase (1.93 percent) in fall 2015 tuition and fee rates. The 1.93 percent increase affects only students enrolling for the first time in fall 2015. For students already enrolled, fiscal year 2016 is the second year in the A&M System’s guaranteed tuition and fee plan that freezes a student’s rates for four years. During the past legislative session, Chancellor John Sharp led the A&M System presidents in maximizing formula funding from the state. As a result, the A&M System accounted for almost half of the total statewide increase. Dr. Cutrer expressed appreciation to Rep. Gary VanDeaver, Sen. Kevin Eltife, Chancellor Sharp and colleagues at the A&M System for their efforts on behalf of A&M-Texarkana. “Rep. VanDeaver and Sen. Eltife truly championed the mission of A&M-Texarkana at the Capitol,” Dr. Cutrer said. “We are so very fortunate to have their outstanding leadership and representation.” Dr. Cutrer also thanked local leaders from the chamber of commerce, city and county, students and others who participated in “Bowie County Days” at the State Capitol. “We simply would not have had this much success without their encouragement, support and advocacy,” she said.
Employee Corner Employee of the Month July BIRTHDAYS Tonya Hill Gaynell Green Emily Newsome Ricky Norton Jim Harbin Jeanette Mitchell Marcie Whisenhunt Doug Julien Stephanie Bogle Morgan Moses Barbara Sears
David Allard Linda Scott Elaine Wilmore Darlene Shaver Carol Langston Becky Hejduk HollyAnn Mitchell Jesse Morrow Tracy Pounds Tina Tindal
Wade Stovall
r
Ou Meet
Brenda Riley
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
Maria Roberts
Assistant Professor of Education Leadership
Rebecca Martindale
Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology
Abbie Strunc
Assistant Professor of Education
Sandra Labby
Assistant Professor of Education
Amy Burkman
Assistant Professor of Education Leadership
Heather McKnight Assistant Professor of Nursing
Debe Kincaid Assistant Professor of Mathematical Education
Michael Fuller
Director of Financial Aid & Veteran Services
Dana Scott
Secretary to the College of Business Dean The Campus Connection
Employee Enrichment Regular exercise is a powerful stress reliever—even though it may be the last thing you feel like doing. Aerobic exercise—activity that raises your heart rate and makes you sweat—is a hugely effective way to lift your mood, increase energy, sharpen focus, and relax both the mind and body. Try walking, dancing, swimming, or playing ping pong with your kids—but as you move, instead of continuing to focus on your thoughts, focus on your body and how it feels as you’re exercising. As well as maximizing stress relief, adding this mindfulness element can help your nervous system become “unstuck” if you’ve experienced trauma. For best results, try to get at least 30 minutes of activity that elevates your heart rate and makes you break out into a sweat on most days. If it’s easier to fit into your schedule, break up the activity into two or three shorter segments.
How To: Save for College As fast as children grow, so does the cost to educate them which has more than tripled in the past 20 years. Whether you have 18 years to prepare or your son or daughter is packing right now, you’ll have to decide how to foot the bill. If you plan on paying for all or part of your child’s college education, you’ll need to develop a savings plan as early as possible. The most common way to finance an education is with student loans. While most student loans do offer attractive repayment options, many students are dismayed when they are still paying for their education five, 10, or even 20 years after graduation. If this is a situation you and your collegebound child would like to avoid, there is good news: opportunities for funding your child’s education are as diverse as the career paths they afford. Private scholarships There are thousands of private scholarships awarded every year that fall outside of the university’s domain. Private scholarships are not limited to students with perfect grades and packed resumes. Artistic talent, creative writing skills, lineage, interest in a particular field of study or being a member of an underrepresented group can all help you secure a private scholarship. However deadlines can be as early as July, more than a full-year before the student plans to enter college, so scout out and apply for scholarships early. Section 529 plans Section 529 plans are state-sponsored college savings programs. The two major types are Prepaid Tuition Plans, which lock in current tuition rates, and State College Savings Plans, which offer more flexible investing options. Both are useful ways for families to save for their children’s college education. If you are planning to use a 529 plan, dedicate a specific dollar amount per month to add to the account. Funds in a 529 plan are taxed at the student’s tax rate, and can be transferred to another individual if they aren’t needed. College controlled aid Your individual college may be able to offer a short-term installment plan that splits your tuition into equal monthly payments. Many schools also offer their own merit scholarships. Military aid The U.S. Armed Forces offer several programs to provide students with money for school. The most well know is the Montgomery G.I. Bill that provides cash education incentives to encourage students to join and serve a tour of duty. Finally, don’t forget to enlist the student’s help. Money earned from a part-time job, including work/study jobs can cover incidentals, such as books. Keep an open line of communication with your child as they will not be learning about personal finance at college, but from you. Source: Deer Oaks Newsletter The Campus Connection Issue 19 September 2015
Supervisor’s Corner Moving from Manager to Leader Supervisors and managers become most effective in their roles as they fully develop their leadership skills. Early in their careers, there is a tendency for supervisors to be more functional in their management approach. As they gain leadership skills, supervisors often become more strategic and experience greater degrees of success. The difference between functional management and strategic leadership Functional management focuses on shaping today, tries to control the environment, and is tactical in approach. Functional supervisors are often directive in their interactions with employees. Strategic leadership on the other hand focuses on shaping the future, tries to influence the people, and is open to taking risks when appropriate. Strategic leaders are often collaborative in their interactions with employees. How to become a more strategic leader First, develop a vision for your team’s future. Collaborate with your employees on creating the vision so that you are working together towards common goals. Brainstorm and agree on the steps it will take to get there. Also, an important part of maximizing your team’s future success is to focus on employee growth and development. As part of your vision, create a plan for helping each individual employee reach their highest potential. The next step in becoming a strategic leader is to become less directive in your daily interactions with your employees. Use more of a coaching approach which solicits employee input and ideas. When employees are encouraged to provide input into project planning, problem solving, etc., they typically become more engaged and productive. Finally, a supervisor can become more strategic in their approach by looking to leverage their efforts and resources whenever possible. For example, when a leader is working on solving a current business problem, they should think about how a potential solution (purchase of new software, etc.) could also be used for other purposes by the team. In addition, a leader can strategically leverage the deployment of staff to a particular task or project in a way that not only meets the need of the situation but also helps in the growth and development of the employees involved. How do I practice detachment so when I go home at the end of the day I am able to focus on home life, sleep better, and not be overly concerned about employee issues at work? Is this a learned skill or an ability a few lucky supervisors are born with? Detachment is more of an art than a skill. It comes with practice, and you get better over time by practicing letting go, observing your resistance, and making adjustments to improve your ability. Detachment allows you to become a more accomplished worker and contented, happy family member. There is always more to learn about detachment. You will not succeed all the time. No job that entails interacting with the human condition enjoys complete and utter detachment, because a continuum of problems guarantees new acute experiences will test your ability to let go. Imagine an emergency operating room physician who could not detach from work. Stress and its ultimate effects would incapacitate even the most skilled doctor. Working on detaching will help and guide you toward discovering a more happy personal and professional life. The Campus Connection