Integration Updates
November 2025:
Functional Integration Team (FIT) launched, members include Sadie Basllesteros, Cara Bennett, Kathleen Blanton, Corina Castillo-Johnson, Virginia Galloway, Laurie James, Kris Kwolek, Terii Lopez, Natalee Marion, Jason Pirruccello, Sarah Pryor, Kristi Salazar, and Erika Valladares.
During FY25, seven working groups identified strong foundations and highlighted remaining work to be done within Office of Legal Affairs systems and procedure development. To complete the remaining work, new cross-functional groups focused on key priorities are being established to support a fully integrated, client-centered legal function.
- Texas Public Information Act (TPIA): ensure continued compliance with TPIA requirements, recommend future processes, cost recovery models, systems, and metrics that improve efficiency and service.
- Litigation & Professional Liability Claims: ensure ongoing support for litigation and clinical claims and recommend future processes that enhance client advocacy, procedural efficiency, communication, and records management.
- Third Party Agency Investigation: ensure effective institutional response to third-party agency investigations and recommend future processes to minimize disruption, support resolution, and improve coordination across stakeholders.
- Internal Investigations: ensure timely and effective legal support for internal investigations and recommend future processes and KPIs that enhance cross-functional coordination and internal case resolution.
- Transactions & Contracts: ensure contract and transactional support continues and recommend future processes, prioritization models, and potential incentives that enhance legal value and operational efficiency.
- Outside Counsel & Compliance (OCC): ensure proper engagement and oversight of outside counsel and recommend future compliance practices, engagement criteria, and systems for tracking legal services and institutional knowledge.
Previous Updates:
The merger prospectus was reviewed and approved by the SACSCOC Board in June 2025.
The Task Force submitted the prospectus to SACSCOC in March 2025. SACSCOC will vote to approve the prospectus at their June 2025 Board meeting.
Members focused on finalizing a prospectus for submission by mid-March 2025.
Based on positive feedback on the new, combined mission statement through each institution’s shared governance process, the university presented the statement to the UT System Board of Regents for approval on November 20, 2024. The new mission statement was approved, marking a key milestone.
