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Compliance Review

Principle

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2.11.2 - Physical Resources

The institution has adequate physical resources to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services.

Judgment of Compliance

Compliance

Narrative

Tarleton State University is the second largest institution of higher education in The Texas A&M University System (System). Current student enrollment includes undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. The enrollment is supported with facilities in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Killeen, Granbury, and Thurber.

Tarleton-Central Texas includes three buildings that are leased. Tarleton leases space for the Central Texas System Center from various lessors. One building is a temporary classroom type building and the other building is leased from Central Texas College. System Board of Regents and the Chancellor of Central Texas College have agreed to lease the main campus building for a period of five years and the library facilities for three years. An Interagency Agreement between Central Texas College and Tarleton provides the stipulations for the lease of the parking lot and additional classroom space as needed. A modular building providing classroom and office space is leased from Nortex Modular for a period of three years. Killeen Independent School District (ISD) provides classroom space to Tarleton through an Interlocal Agreement and cost of custodial expenses while an Interagency Agreement between the two parties provides space for the Alternative Teacher Education Program at no cost. Both agreements are for a one year period.[1], [2] Tarleton participates in a University Center (UC) hosted by McLennan Community College (MCC) in Waco. The two institutions have entered into a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU),[3] in which MCC provides classroom space, advising space, security, computer lab and library resources, and Tarleton provides baccalaureate and master's program courses and faculty to teach those courses. The Ft. Worth Campus includes two leased buildings. Tarleton has formal lease agreements for the two buildings in Ft. Worth, approved by the Texas A&M Board of Regents. The lease agreements are for physical classroom space and security, and Tarleton provides all other resources and infrastructure.[4]

Tarleton enjoys both the benefits and challenges of a rural institution and provides an environment essential to the teaching, learning, research and service functions of the university's mission.

The university routinely updates its Master Plan and Space Utilization Fiscal Year [6] report for THECB in a continuing effort to strive for excellence.[7] [8] In addition to minor construction projects, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) assists institutions in efficient use of construction funds and the orderly development of expansions to accommodate projected student enrollments.[9]Higher education institutions in Texas submit and maintain an inventory of facilities[10]with the THECB for the purposes of assessing campus-wide facilities by type of space, function and program area; calculating program use and space costs; and assessing the effective use and management of the existing space as it relates to student enrollment. A report is generated for the institution consisting of:

• Building size and original construction cost data,[11]
• Room inventory by building,[12]
• Space allocated in each building by classification of instructional programs; and[13]
• Total campus square footage.[14]

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) report of 2010 Space Projection Model[15] reflects a 242,664 deficit of assignable square feet for the university based on growth projections and including "Closing the Gaps" targets. Closing the Gaps by 2015[16] was adopted in October 2000 by the THECB with strong support of the state's educational, business, and political communities. The plan, which is directed at closing educational gaps within Texas as well as between Texas and other states, has four goals: to close the gaps in student participation, student success, excellence, and research. The goal of the plan is to increase Texans' participation rate in the higher education system from 5 to 5.7 percent by the year 2015. In order to reach this goal Texas would need to add 630,000 more students to its system, an increase of 50 percent. This challenge was heightened by the state's changing demographics, indicating that the fastest growing populations had the lowest participation rates.[17]

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Fall 2008 Academic Space Model reports that as of January 1, 2009 Tarleton presently has a surplus of 14,600 square feet. This surplus will increase when the new Nursing Building and new Dairy Center are constructed.[18] The surplus space will provide the necessary resources for Tarleton to continue to increase in student population.

A new Campus Master Plan for Tarleton State University was completed in mid 2009. The new plan addresses the main campus in Stephenville and the agriculture facilities located in Stephenville.[19] The new plan will address the growing facility needs of the university as well as vehicular and pedestrian traffic access. The plan will also address land acquisitions necessary to the main campus growth and take the institution forward to the year 2020.

In addition to a new campus master planning document, the institution has identified of over $200,000,000 in new construction and renovations to existing facilities needs as reported on The Texas A&M University System Capital Plan and THECB Master Plan.[20] The Capital Plan for Tarleton is updated annually and submits a five-year major and minor project listing as well as land acquisition projects under consideration.

The THECB publishes utilization rates for classroom and class laboratories each year based on the fall semester information.[21] The THECB guidelines for classroom utilization are 38.0 hours per week and for 25 hours per week class laboratory utilization. For fall 2008, Tarleton was at 30.53 hours per week for classroom utilization and 21.34 hours per week for class laboratory utilization. These reductions from the previous year report were due to construction of new facilities, but not actually using the facilities until the spring semester. The utilization rate also shows that Tarleton has room with which to support an increase in students and in semester credit hour production.

The Facilities Maintenance Department provides day-to-day response to campus needs through telephone, fax, and a web-based Work Order Request[22] as well as a program of preventive maintenance. A prioritized listing of critical equipment requiring preventive maintenance is used for the major facilities located on the main campus area, the farm facilities and extended campuses. Tarleton-Central Texas has maintenance services provided through a lease agreement[23] with the Central Texas College. Through the combination of preventive maintenance, rehabilitation of existing facilities and replacement of capital equipment, significant improvements have been made to the working and learning environments. Faculty and Staff place requests for facility needs or repairs as well as report problems in their facility through the Web based Work Order Request.[24] The department director and shop supervisors plan, schedule and prioritize requests for services based on emergency, safety to faculty, staff, and students and timing of events. Priority is given to maintaining the quality of ongoing programs and to prevention of the deterioration of the physical assets.

In summary, Tarleton State University Physical Facilities provides for adequate physical resources and future planning to support the mission of the institution.

Supporting Documents