As of Jan. 31, Marilyn Fowlé has retired from her position as the university’s vice president for administration and finance.

During her seven years of employment with the university, Fowlé helping to shape the campus master plan as well as the long-term financial-planning.

“It was good to have her [Fowlé] here. She was very open and very student-oriented. She had a lot of background in financing, so there’s a lot of buildings, walkways and parking lots that she really put her stamp on,” Valarie Maxwell, director of budget and management, said.

Maxwell had nothing but good words to say regarding Fowlé’s time as vice president and really emphasized Fowlé’s past work experience.

“She was a great addition to us here. She had a lot of experience in different campuses, good Texas experience, and knowing what was required for the state as we jump through the hoops of state legislature,” Maxwell said.

Starting Feb. 1, Maxwell will serve as the interim vice president and take on the daily responsibilities of the office until a permanent replacement is hired. Maxwell will continue to prepare the budget for the 2020 school year as well.

“We have a budget oversight committee and we have already begun that process. In January, we had hearings where the academic departments and other departments brought forth requests. So beginning next week we’ll start working with that budget oversight committee and start going through and developing what we need for 2020,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell provided more insight on the university’s budget and the process that the budget oversight committee must undergo to get it approved.

“The university’s budget is a little over $120 million, and it is partially funded by the state legislature. So we get some of the money from them, of course the rest comes from student tuition and fees and other general revenues from here. All of that gets compiled and we won’t actually put together the budget and present it to the board of reagents until August,” Maxwell said.

The search for a new vice president for administration and finance began last fall. A search coordinated by Debbie Barrow, director of board and government relations, is working with Association of Governing Boards Search to help with applicant recruitment.

Barrow said the job posting is on the human resources portion of the university’s website.

“It’s got this big profile that tells what the search firm working with the committee is using to recruit people,” Barrow said.

The search committee has already begun reviewing applications for the position, with the goal of beginning interviews in early March.