President Noland outlines FAFSA effects, enrollment outlook, budget and paused ERP go‑live

President Brian Noland provided a broad institutional update for trustees covering student access and success metrics, the university budget, legislative outcomes, intercollegiate athletics, and reflections on the academic year.

Noland emphasized the operational impact of FAFSA processing issues this cycle. He said financial‑aid award letters that usually arrive in January were not provided until May, complicating freshmen recruitment; he reported targeted outreach (calls, texts, handwritten notes) and projected a freshman class of about 2,100 this fall with overall enrollment projected to rise roughly 150 students to about 14,000 — the first time above that threshold since pre‑COVID.

On financial operations, Noland described ETSU as a $470 million enterprise with about 2,600 faculty and staff, noted that state appropriations have been a consistent support but that capital funding from the state was limited this session, and referenced a composite financial index improvement noted in materials presented by Christy Graham. He reiterated that funds from the tuition and fee increase will be directed to faculty and staff salaries and to address FLSA thresholds.

Noland said the university paused the Voyager (Oracle) enterprise resource planning go‑live to perform a comprehensive readiness assessment rather than rushing deployment. He said the pause provides an opportunity to correct deficiencies and that a go‑live date will be provided when the institution is confident of readiness. He also reminded employees that a one‑time transition bonus tied to moving pay periods remains funded and will be distributed after go‑live.

Regarding athletics and broader sector changes, Noland summarized pending litigation and settlements affecting NCAA name, image and likeness rules and related revenue distribution; he estimated a $2.9 million reduction in pass‑through revenue to ETSU over the coming decade (about $290,000 annually) if certain settlements proceed, and warned the shifting model could raise program costs for roster/scholarship conversions.

Noland closed with institutional performance notes: SACS reaffirmation with no findings, high pass rates at Gatton College of Pharmacy and the College of Nursing, record housing occupancy, and ongoing work to implement a new academic structure and reset base budgets to align with the new structure.