Executive report

President Mikayla Pastrano announced that campaigning for the Student Government Association (SGA) begins the week after spring break on March 24. Candidates will be tabling out on Ragsdale Lawn alongside current SGA members, engaging with students while campaigning for president, vice president and senate positions. She also mentioned that there are two meetings left for the Dining Task Force before presenting a full report to students — feedback about dining can be submitted via Collegiate Link on myHilltop. She also met with the Athletic Council and approved the men’s and women’s soccer, cross-country and volleyball schedules. Pastrano had the pleasure of joining President Montserrat Fuentes and her cabinet at City Hall for St. Edward’s 140th Proclamation last Tuesday.

Judicial report

Chief Justice Tate Burchfield announced 11 appeals: six waived, two reduced, three declined. University parking also hosted another pop-up on March 12, where students inquired about university parking. These pop-ups will continue every three weeks to address student questions about parking, judicial processes and how to get involved.

Guest speaker: President Fuentes University Address

St. Edward’s is celebrating 140 years on the hilltop. Here’s what President Fuentes went over in her annual University Address:

• Named a research university;
• Recognized as a Tree Campus USA 2025;
• Achieved financial stability, balancing budgets effectively;
• Launched the School of Health Sciences in the fall, with great support from community leaders, including the Mayor of Austin and the CEO of Ascension Healthcare.

Undergraduate spotlights:

• Omar Guzman ‘26, Biochemistry, presented research at the Undergraduate Symposium;
• Zoe Mendoza ‘25, International Affairs, received the Lincoln Excellence Award in political science writing for her senior seminar paper; 
• Nicole Williams-Quezada ‘25, Writing and Rhetoric, wrote an article for Hilltop Views recognized by the Solutions Journalism Network.

Graduate school acceptances:

• Charlie Mossberger ‘25, Political Science, attending University of Texas law school; 
• Jessica Gallardo ‘25, Marketing, accepted into a Ph.D. program at University of Texas; 
• Milo Dufresne-McDonald ‘25, Psychology, accepted into the Ph.D. program in higher education at University of Pittsburgh and Ph.D. program in educational leadership, policy human development at North Carolina State University; 
• Alejandra Sandoval Garza ‘25, Psychology, accepted into the school psychology MA program at Trinity University. 

Alumni success:

• Tyler Mount ‘13, Theatre Arts, a broadway producer and three-time Tony Award winner, will be this year’s graduation commencement speaker.

Partnerships:

• YMCA Partnership: transforming the Recreation and Athletic Center’s former pool into a daycare for staff and students;
• ACC Partnership: includes the ACComplish Scholarship, housing support and 2+2 transfer programs. Currently, one in five St. Edward’s students are transfers, and most are from ACC;
• Highlighting the Kozmetsky Center: expanding civic engagement internships and faculty fellowship programs;
• Holy Cross Higher Education Network: by 2028, St. Edward’s will officially be part of the U.S. Province of Holy Cross institutions;
• Bailes de Mi Tierra: hosting a Ballet Folklórico competition on campus with over 1,000 participants on Feb. 14, 2025. 

Higher education landscape and legislative advocacy:

• By 2026, there will be a dramatic decline in high school graduates, directly affecting college enrollments.
• St. Edward’s is advocating for inclusion of transfer students to private universities in state financial aid.
• House Bill 8: Passed last year, restructuring funding for community colleges based on student outcomes. Currently, financial aid applies only if students transfer to public universities, not private. St. Edward’s University’s efforts continue to include private universities, with the Texas legislature voting next week. 

Commitment to inclusion and innovation:

• Upholding Title VI compliance at the federal level. President Fuentes will be in Washington D.C. next week to discuss university policy matters.
• St. Edward’s aims to regain public trust in higher education through transformative learning experiences, leadership development and strong partnerships.
• New academic programs: Board of Trustees approved a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Data Science.
• Technology and AI integration: The university is committed to integrating AI, embracing technology into coursework and offering training to faculty to apply responsible use.

Student and institutional growth:

• 49% First-Generation freshmen;
• 52% Pell Grant recipients;
• 40% of students are from Austin, 83% from Texas, and 8% are International;
• 95% Freshman retention rate;
• 12:1 Student-faculty ratio, prioritizing individualized learning. 

Financial outlook:

• Fundraising growth: 30% increase in the last three years;
• Primary revenue sources are from tuition and endowments.

“St. Edward’s is a place where students have access to the support and resources they need to reach their full potential,” President Fuentes said. ”We celebrate your background, and this is a place where you will be successful.” 

Financials

• A funding request from the Math Club was tabled due to lack of representatives. 
• A funding request from Topper Radio to host Goatfest on April l 11 was amended and approved. 

Gallery comments

Vice President of Affairs, Lisa Kirkpatrick, encouraged students to review the Measles Toolkit on myHilltop.

Vice President Austin Lane reminded everyone that Wednesday, March 26 is CAMP Day for the College Assistance Migrant Program. Lane encouraged students to be on the lookout for fun events across campus. 

The meeting concluded at 7:58 p.m.