Stephen F. Austin State University

A new vice president will soon join the administration of Stephen F. Austin State University. Deborah S. Baisden of Buda has accepted the position of vice president of finance and administration, and pending approval of the Board of Regents, will begin work March 1.

Baisden currently serves as manager of the higher education performance review team for the Texas Legislative Budget Board, a permanent joint committee of the Texas Legislature that develops recommendations for legislative appropriations for all agencies of state government. It was created in 1949 by legislation that required all state agencies to submit their budget requests to the board for review and recommendations.

Dr. Tito Guerrero III, SFA president, said Baisden's experience with the Legislative Budget Board would be invaluable to SFA.

"Universities across the state work with the Legislative Budget Board to secure funding for their projects and programs," Guerrero said. "A knowledge of the workings of the budget board is increasingly important as all public institutions attempt to maximize potential funding from the state."

Guerrero said Baisden's regular reviews of the activities of universities across the state – from capital expenditures to operations and maintenance – will be particularly helpful to SFA.

"One of the things she brings to SFA is a knowledge of best practices," he said. "Ms. Baisden has seen what works well and what is not so practical. We look forward to relying on her expertise."

As manager of the budget board's higher education performance review team, Baisden conducted comprehensive management and performance reviews of Texas A&M University – College Station and the University of Texas at Austin. Recommendations from the review identified opportunities for increased effectiveness and efficiencies with the potential for savings of more than $50 million during a five-year period. Baisden presented the published review to legislative committees in both chambers of the Texas Legislature and provided testimony to justify the recommendations.

Baisden holds a bachelor's degree in public administration and a Master of Business Administration degree from St. Edward's University. She has completed course work for a doctorate in higher education administration and is in the process of completing a dissertation. Before joining the Legislative Budget Board staff in 1996, she served for four years as a budget and forecasting analyst for the finance division of the Texas Department of Transportation.

Baisden replaces Dr. Roland Smith, who resigned as vice president in 2005.