Board of Regents July 2025 Meeting Minutes
Ashlee Ferguson
Monday, September 22, 2025 8:58 AM
General Events
Hillsboro, TX
On July 15, 2025, the Hill College Board of Regents met for the monthly regular session meeting.
The minutes from the June meeting were approved. Vice President of Administrative Services Melissa Boyle presented the financial report; the motion was approved. Boyle also presented the proposed operating budget for the 2025–2026 fiscal year for the board’s consideration.
Hill College President Dr. Thomas Mills presented his report, including an update on the proposed soccer facility. He also reported that enrollment is underway for the fall semester.
Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Ashlee Ferguson apprised the board of a recent grant signing from the Department of Labor with Dallas College.
Director of Learning Innovation Theresa Arias discussed the library’s various collaborations and connections initiative.
Vice President of Student Learning & Success Irene Accomando announced that the recent police academy class had a 100% TCOLE exam pass rate.
Athletic Director & Dean of Students Randy Graves presented the athletics report. He notified the board that student athlete Koby Douch placed 11th in the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. He also announced that the all-academic team nominees have been submitted. Graves also reminded the board that volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer will start in August.
Executive Director of Information Technology & Learning Innovation Kevin Rocha presented an update on esports. Thirteen student-athletes are returning for the 2025–2026 academic year, along with the college’s first class of recruits. The program is looking to expand opportunities for additional gaming titles for students to compete in.
Vice President Boyle presented the board with the results from the recent employee focus group recommendations. Both the response rate and the overall score of approval have increased. Boyle listed the top three and bottom three characteristics that employees listed.
Vice President Accomando presented several considerations for approval. The first being approval of the 2025–2026 Academic Catalog, followed by two considerations for the police academy at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office—adding the Johnson County location as an offering for municipalities that want to offer police academy training for cadets that do not want college credit, but rather job training credit. The fee adjustment associated with the non-college credit program would provide the option of job training credit at a lower cost.
All three motions were approved.
Vice President of The Student Experience Lizza Ross presented two considerations of approval, one for the 2025–2026 Student Handbook and one for the 2025–2026 Residence Life Handbook. Both motions were approved.
The board then broke for executive session to discuss the president and comptroller’s contracts, the results of the board evaluation, and the president’s evaluation under Texas Government Code Section 551.074.
After returning from executive session, Board Member Jennifer Nowlin made a motion to extend the president’s contract for an additional year, with the same raise percentage as faculty and staff and an additional hundred dollars toward his retirement. The motion was approved.
Board Member Bill Galiga made a motion to not renew the comptroller’s contract. The motion was approved.
Tamy Rogers, Executive Director of Human Resources, presented personnel considerations. The motion was approved.
Members present: Karen Brackin, Kent Eubank, Bill Galiga, Jolene Lehmann, Dwight Lloyd, Tony Marley, Jennifer Nowlin, Bill Siddons III, Rick Sullins, and David Teel
Members absent: Guy James (ex officio), Allan Lane, and Kevin Ray
The Hill College Board of Regents meets the third Tuesday of every month.