Texas Tech invites SFA to join university system

https://www.fox34.com/2022/10/26/texas-t...ty-system/

The Board of Regents of Stephen F. Austin State University, along with various university groups and institutions, sent a comprehensive set of questions for Texas Tech to answer regarding affiliation. Tech has since provided a response.

The list of questions fielded by Texas Tech varied from resource allocation to curriculum autonomy, staff salaries and benefits, and the preservation of SFA’s unique identity after integration.

One question posited by the Dean’s Council asked the reason(s) why Texas Tech was interested in SFA, and how Tech saw SFA adding value to the system.

Texas Tech is not the only university system that has propositioned Stephen F. Austin with affiliation. SFA has also received offers from the university systems of Texas A&M, the University of Texas, and Texas State. All of which fielded questions from SFA regarding the merits of affiliation.

Texas Tech-Nacogdoches versus TAMU-Tarleton could turn into an absolute bloodletting

IF all these systems have a STRONG interest in SFA-- then it could theoretically raise the bar for proposals from the various groups. SFA could come out of this with a better agreement than expected. AGREE? Disagree?

There was a thread last week on this subject. Yes, SFA has requested information from the UT, A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas State systems.

Something interesting here: If SFA accepts Tech's offer, it would be the first affiliate outside of West Texas (if you consider Wichita Falls part of West Texas). The Texas Tech system is currently made up of Texas Tech, Angelo State, Midwestern State (Wichita Falls), TTU Health Sciences Center (Lubbock), and TTU Health Sciences Center-El Paso.

(10-27-2022 05:21 PM)johnintx Wrote:  There was a thread last week on this subject. Yes, SFA has requested information from the UT, A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas State systems.

Something interesting here: If SFA accepts Tech's offer, it would be the first affiliate outside of West Texas (if you consider Wichita Falls part of West Texas). The Texas Tech system is currently made up of Texas Tech, Angelo State, Midwestern State (Wichita Falls), TTU Health Sciences Center (Lubbock), and TTU Health Sciences Center-El Paso.

I missed that.

I think having an East Texas presence is part of the draw for TTU

(10-27-2022 05:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 05:21 PM)johnintx Wrote:  There was a thread last week on this subject. Yes, SFA has requested information from the UT, A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas State systems.

Something interesting here: If SFA accepts Tech's offer, it would be the first affiliate outside of West Texas (if you consider Wichita Falls part of West Texas). The Texas Tech system is currently made up of Texas Tech, Angelo State, Midwestern State (Wichita Falls), TTU Health Sciences Center (Lubbock), and TTU Health Sciences Center-El Paso.

I missed that.

I think having an East Texas presence is part of the draw for TTU

Yep. It makes them more of a statewide school. It puts them on a closer footing with both the UT and A&M systems, both of whom have statewide footprints.

(10-27-2022 05:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 05:21 PM)johnintx Wrote:  There was a thread last week on this subject. Yes, SFA has requested information from the UT, A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas State systems.

Something interesting here: If SFA accepts Tech's offer, it would be the first affiliate outside of West Texas (if you consider Wichita Falls part of West Texas). The Texas Tech system is currently made up of Texas Tech, Angelo State, Midwestern State (Wichita Falls), TTU Health Sciences Center (Lubbock), and TTU Health Sciences Center-El Paso.

I missed that.

I think having an East Texas presence is part of the draw for TTU

I wonder if this might be appealing to SFA as well, to be well away from the flagship school of the system

(10-27-2022 06:24 PM)Huan Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 05:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 05:21 PM)johnintx Wrote:  There was a thread last week on this subject. Yes, SFA has requested information from the UT, A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas State systems.

Something interesting here: If SFA accepts Tech's offer, it would be the first affiliate outside of West Texas (if you consider Wichita Falls part of West Texas). The Texas Tech system is currently made up of Texas Tech, Angelo State, Midwestern State (Wichita Falls), TTU Health Sciences Center (Lubbock), and TTU Health Sciences Center-El Paso.

I missed that.

I think having an East Texas presence is part of the draw for TTU

I wonder if this might be appealing to SFA as well, to be well away from the flagship school of the system

I think that SFA just started a bidding war between A&M/tx/Tech. Good for them, they're about to get PAID by somebody.

SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

So in other words, Texas Tech has to top any offer from Texas or Texas A&M by some amount to draw even, and put some more on top of that to draw ahead?

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

A top reason to join UT is the PUF. A top complaint of anyone other than UT in the UT system is lack of access to the PUF.

(10-28-2022 03:12 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

So in other words, Texas Tech has to top any offer from Texas or Texas A&M by some amount to draw even, and put some more on top of that to draw ahead?

I’m not sure how winning a school to join your University System works but I would guess so. Maybe other perks are involved like a 200% vote on system-wide matters or a larger allocation of new funds.

(10-28-2022 06:41 AM)Huan Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

A top reason to join UT is the PUF. A top complaint of anyone other than UT in the UT system is lack of access to the PUF.

This would be a good reason to join the UT system.

(10-28-2022 08:52 AM)Big Frog II Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 06:41 AM)Huan Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

A top reason to join UT is the PUF. A top complaint of anyone other than UT in the UT system is lack of access to the PUF.

This would be a good reason to join the UT system.

PUF is not a magical money fairy; it's just a source of revenue.

And it has to be split among all users. Any revenue UT promises to SFA from PUF would be coming out of UT-Austin's pocket (the same is true if SFA joins TAMU, because A&M gets 1/3 of PUF revenue).


Why would SFA differentiate between revenues shared from PUF versus from another endowment? Or from the general fund?

(10-28-2022 08:52 AM)Big Frog II Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 06:41 AM)Huan Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

A top reason to join UT is the PUF. A top complaint of anyone other than UT in the UT system is lack of access to the PUF.

This would be a good reason to join the UT system.

Would require amending the state constitution. The only schools automatically PUF eligible are new schools in the UT or A&M systems. Simply being in either system doesn’t do it (UT Pan Am & UT Brownsville never were and several A&M campuses are outside of it as well.)

Duplicate.

I've read through all the proposals and responses thus far.

UT has the best deal with the PUF offer on the table. Not sure what legislative mechanism they inted to give us PUF, but that's what they're offering. PUF is far more lucrative than the HEF funds offered by other institutions.

I think we'll be a good synergistic fit in the UT system, as they have capabilities we don't and we have programs no other school in the system offers. They're also promising staff raises, access to student tuition funding(Texas promise program), and a pretty hands off, let us know where to help & we'll help approach.

Tech would be my second choice. They know how to weild rural political power, and seem to genuinely want SFA. Current Tech System president is even an SFA grad.

A&M mailed it in on their proposals, didn't offer much new outside of a new forestry building and really touted the RELLIS partnership which has produced a dozen students for SFA. Additionally they mentioned that some departments are overstaffed, so that's not a great look.

Really hoping for UT though. The entire reason for the process is we need more funding than independent public university provides, & UT seems ready to provide that funding.

(10-28-2022 06:41 AM)Huan Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

A top reason to join UT is the PUF. A top complaint of anyone other than UT in the UT system is lack of access to the PUF.

Why do you think that A&M System schools lack access to the PUF?

https://www.utimco.org/funds-managed/end...-fund-puf/

(10-28-2022 12:15 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 06:41 AM)Huan Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 01:21 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  SFA's peers are in the Texas State University System. That being said, and assuming equal financial benefit with all university systems, SFA should consider the University of Texas System first then Texas A&M University System second. The Texas State University System and Texas Tech University System a distant 3rd or 4th.

A top reason to join UT is the PUF. A top complaint of anyone other than UT in the UT system is lack of access to the PUF.

Why do you think that A&M System schools lack access to the PUF?

https://www.utimco.org/funds-managed/end...-fund-puf/

It's like 50/50 in the A&M system. A&M has both HEF & PUF schools.

The HEF schools who don't have access are Commerce, Kingsville, International, Corpus, & West Texas, off the top of my head. Believe all the others have PUF.