Southwest Baptist University’s Board of Trustees held their semiannual meeting on
October 22, 2024, on SBU’s campus.
The Trustees made several key decisions during the afternoon business sessions, including:
- Approved two new master’s degrees – Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Master of Science in Management
- Approved 12 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to guide the 2023-2028 strategic plan
- Accepted the audited financial statements from fiscal year 2024 as prepared by the university’s auditor, Forvis
Some of the KPIs developed under the four main emphases of Belong, Discover, Serve, and Excel include:
- Enhance SBU's Christ-centered culture to attract and retain students, faculty, and staff of diverse backgrounds and interests
- Equip students with a vision and skills for servant leadership in the home, church, and world
- Promote student discovery through market-informed, relevant academic programs
Trustees also heard a report from Dr. Rick Melson, SBU’s president, and shared committee reports related to all areas of university operations. Included in Dr. Melson’s report was the news that total enrollment at SBU is up for the first time since 2012.
“I continue to be grateful for our Board of Trustees and their willingness to serve SBU,” Dr. Melson said. “These are exciting times for our university with increased enrollment and student engagement. Despite the challenges facing us and Christian higher education overall, we are succeeding thanks to the hard work of our people and God’s grace for SBU.”
Board chairman Fred Broome commended Dr. Melson and the administration for their hard work.
“Great days are ahead for Southwest Baptist University under the leadership of Dr. Melson and his team,” Broome said. “Our board is committed to navigating difficult decisions while celebrating the momentum that we are seeing across the university.”