University announces shared‑services project across four colleges to boost student supports and completion

Board members reported that the university has launched a shared‑services project spanning four colleges intended to consolidate and scale student supports such as counseling, mental‑health, and financial services. An unidentified trustee or officer reported that the initiative is part of an "operational excellence" effort and said the university expects the consolidation to boost student completion rates while enabling more efficient use of resources through pooled staffing and cross‑training.

The speaker credited Mitzi Montoya and her team with more than six months of study and collaboration with faculty leadership and deans. The transcript records the anticipated benefits and the department-level planning, but it does not provide implementation dates, budget figures, or metrics that would verify the projected completion-rate increases.

Trustees thanked the team and said more detailed presentations and reports will be scheduled for a future meeting; no formal vote or budget appropriation for the project appears in the public record of this session.