Stephen F. Austin State University

Dear faculty and staff,

Upon Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 1055 last week on May 10, the legislation making Stephen F. Austin State University officially part of The University of Texas System has become law.

The steering committee and the core transition team continue to work on ensuring an effective transition to the UT System. Here are some key dates:

May 31
Dr. Steve Westbrook, 10th president of SFA, will retire. We appreciate his leadership during the affiliation evaluation process and his decades of service to the university.

June 1
I will step into the role of interim president until the UT System Board of Regents selects the 11th president. I will not be a candidate for the permanent position.

July 1
Since SFA is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, a governance change requires the prior approval of SACSCOC’s Board of Trustees.

Should SACSCOC approve the change in governance at its June 2023 meeting, the SFA Board of Regents and UT System selected July 1 as the target date for the transfer of management and control of SFA to the UT System Board of Regents. Though the target date is July 1, the actual date may fall between July 1 and July 28, depending on the timing of the approval of the UT System Board of Regents.

Sept. 1
Under the new law, SFA will be “abolished” as an independent university on this date (or an alternative date determined by the UT System Board of Regents) and re-created as Stephen F. Austin State University, a member of The University of Texas System.

As the transition continues, watch for updates on a variety of topics, including benefits and retirement. Information will be posted at sfasu.edu/ut-system.

I am excited about the new opportunities this affiliation holds for the SFA community. Thanks for all that each of you do for SFA!

Axe ’em,

Gina Oglesbee ’11, CPA, CFE
Vice President for Finance and Administration