Kevin O’Connor Kommentary for October 17

Texas A&M’s President Asked About Multiple Subjects By Faculty Senate Members

Texas A&M’s president is asked about multiple subjects when he spoke at December’s faculty senate meeting. Mark Welsh said “difficult conversations” are ahead regarding budget and capacity problems in an effort to manage 80,000 students in a way “that feels comfortable”. Welsh says they “have to get right”, the university’s facilities and infrastructure, before adding more undergraduate students. Welsh says academic deans who want to start a new undergraduate program will have to decide where to downsize. And he added that faculty members have to be a part of that conversation. Program cuts do not apply to adding the number of graduate and online students. Welsh announced that an outside consultant starts work in January to review A&M’s more than 270 facilities. That was in response to a faculty member’s complaints that the university is not addressing building repairs and basic necessities of students and employees. Welsh also said he would be sending faculty members, a list of projects that will be done in the next five years on the flagship campus that are funded by the system. That was in response to a faculty member who asked why the system is spending millions on the RELLIS campus, which is controlled by the system. Another faculty member who questioned why “the administration had not stepped forward to reassure us of their commitment to LGBTQ students and their education, or to LGBTQ faculty and their teaching and research on controversial subjects.” Welsh said “I’ve probably said this 50 times publicly. All of them should be treated with respect. All of them should be included. All of them should have a voice, and should feel comfortable using it. All of them should feel like an incredibly valuable and critically important pieces of what we’re trying to accomplish here.” This subject came up after a faculty member reported a student was chased by other students who were yelling LGBTQ students. Welsh says university police will reach out to the faculty member who sent him an e-mail about the incident to get more information. Welsh was also asked about the university’s response to executive orders from the governor against the Republic of China and the Chinese Communist party. Welsh says lawyers at the A&M system want members to send them questions on how the orders could affect students and employees. He also said any decision whether to push back on the executive orders would come from the system chancellor. Click below to hear comments from Mark Welsh during the December 9, 2024 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting. Listen to “Texas A&M's president asked about multiple subjects by faculty senate members” on Spreaker.

Brazos County Commission Approves Various Motions Associated With Six Construction Projects

The Brazos County commission’s December 10th meeting included approving various motions associated with six construction projects. Only one item drew any comments from commissioners. That was precinct one commissioner Steve Aldrich inviting motorists to drive the new stretch of I&GN Road. On that project, commissioners approved a change order adding about $1,500 dollars to what was a nearly $6 million dollar project. Click HERE to read and download documents associated with the I&GN Road change order. Commissioners also approved change orders reducing the price of bridge repairs at four locations by a combined $205,000 dollars. Click HERE to read and download documents associated with change orders on bridge projects. Approval was given to paying one engineering firm almost $350,000 dollars to design future improvements on Democrat Road, Dilly Shaw Tap Road, and Ferrill Creek Road. Click HERE to read and download documents associated with the road design agreement. Commissioners approved seeking a construction manager at risk for the county’s new office building across Texas Avenue from the courthouse and naming the committee that will screen candidates. Click HERE to read and download documents associated with the 101 Texas Avenue office building. Commissioners also approved seeking an architect and construction manager at risk for renovating the “Ashford Hills” warehouse and office building that the county acquired south of downtown Bryan. The agenda for the commission’s December 17th meeting seeks approval of naming the committees to screen those candidates. Click HERE to read and download documents associated with the Ashford Hills warehouse and office building. And as previously reported, commissioners without comment increased the cost of building a medical examiner’s office from $24 million to almost $34 million dollars. Click HERE to read and download documents associated with the amended medical examiner office building. Click below to hear comments from the December 10, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting.  

A Longtime Bryan Municipal Court Associate Judge Is Retiring

A longtime Bryan municipal court associate judge is retiring. Colleen Batchelor was recognized for her service by mayor Bobby Gutierrez at the December 10th council meeting. Batchelor, who was appointed to the city bench in March of 1985, will retire March 31, 2025. The council unanimously approved the personnel action following an executive session.     Click below to hear comments from the December 10, 2025 Bryan city council meeting.