CLIMATE CHECK
Sophomore Senator Nellie Clark asked about the new BoodleBox AI system that Trinity may implement, expressing concern that professors could use it to grade assignments and respond to emails. Ben Williams, associate dean of students, said Trinity has no intention of replacing teaching with AI and is only gauging how people use it.
Senator Clark said that she and Senior Senator Rohit Shetty polled students to measure interest in a food pantry. She said the poll found a majority of students are in favor of the pantry. Senior Senator Alex Brown added that SGA should consider putting the food pantry in the Tigers Den to revitalize the space.
STAFF CHAT
Mark Detterick, vice president for finance and administration, spoke about the many sectors that fall under the Office of Finance and Administration (OFA), including public safety, campus operations, and finance and information technology. Alongside him were Carlton Hendrix, assistant vice president for campus operations, and Assistant Vice President for Public Safety Chief Paul Chapa.
Detterick said that OFA oversees housing and dining, managing the operating budget and future plans for the university, among other duties. He acknowledged that many students are unaware of how their tuition is spent, and announced that his team was starting the “Trinity Budget 101” Talks in response.
They hope to pilot the plan in the fall 2026 semester, Detterick said, and students will be able to attend budgeting information sessions regarding the endowment, revenue components and expense components.
Detterick also brought up the Campus Master Plan, a list of significant improvements and additions that Trinity will implement over the next 10 years. The office will host a campus community open house at Skyline on April 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to gather student opinions and feedback on what they want to see Trinity implement. They will hold another informational session in the fall 2026 semester.
QUESTIONS FOR DETTERICK
Senator Clark and Sophomore Senator Eva Smith questioned the 10% tuition increase over the past year. Senator Smith said that many students complained about the raise and asked if they plan to address price changes or if they would allocate more money to scholarships or aid.
Detterick said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the OFA has been playing catch-up with the budget to account for inflation. Judicial Chair Odi Aneji asked whether the office could theoretically withdraw money from the endowment to cover these increases. Detterick said they had to do so during COVID-19, and that is part of the reason tuition is higher as well. Junior Vice President Madelyn Stovall said that Trinity’s financial website has a tuition calculator that prospective students can use to gauge the payment after aid and scholarships. She asked if they could expand the calculator to account for all four years of tuition, and Detterick said he would pass the idea along.
Junior Senator River Rocha asked if OFA considered putting a net around the baseball field to prevent fly balls in the parking lot. Detterick said under Trinity’s next Master Plan, they are considering turning the parking lot behind the field into a green space. DEI Chair Ayesha Farrukh said Trinity lacks sufficient parking, and Detterick clarified that they would build underground parking beneath the green space.
Senior Senator Rosalie Leykum said that City Vista consistently had things under repair and mentioned that her car was broken into. She asked what budget allocations are being made to account for these issues. Chapa said TUPD is concerned about the Old Hildebrand Road behind City Vista and has been trying to put officers on duty to combat the break-ins. He explained crime is bound to happen living in a city, but that they work hard to prevent it. He said that the number one offense committed at Trinity is property crime.
During the meeting, Chapa presented President Omar Ratrut with a leadership service award.
