Bill Powers, dean of the School of Law, was named by UT System Board of Regents as the only finalist for UT president.
"We had a very highly qualified pool of candidates," said System Regent Scott Caven, a Houston businessman. "[Powers] brought a lot of experience of the state of Texas. He brought a lot of creativity and vision to where the University needs to go forward."
The regents will vote on the next president after at least 21 days.
UT President Larry Faulkner announced his resignation this summer and will step down as president by Jan. 31, 2006.
Powers was named dean of the UT law school in May of 2000. He was chair of the task force that explored curricular reform and suggested a new University College that would house all incoming freshman undergraduates before they entered a specific college of study. Powers was also a member of the Commission of 125 that mandated the curricular reform.
The regents interviewed possible candidates all day Friday before System Chancellor Mark Yudof announced Powers as the sole finalist. The Presidential Search Advisory Committee, chaired by Teresa Sullivan, System vice-chancellor for academic affairs, submitted candidates to the regents last week.
Powers was the only candidate from the University submitted to the regents. Provost Sheldon Ekland-Olson and Liberal Arts Dean Richard Lariviere were both often mentioned as possible finalists in the search for a new University president, but Lariviere had previously denied to The Daily Texan that he was in the final running for the office.
"[Powers] seems to be very good at bringing large groups together and sympathizing points of view," said Regents Chairman James Huffines.
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