Content about Regents
A blog post claiming the UT System Board of Regents may have plans to fire President William Powers Jr. on Wednesday night invoked a series of responses from the UT community, ranging from indignation to justification.
The report was published by Paul Burka, a senior executive editor of Texas Monthly, on his blog on the publication's website. In it, Burka cites an anonymous source with knowledge of the proceedings who said Powers is in hot water because of his "opposition to Governor [Rick] Perry’s insistence on a tuition freeze."
Update at 5:42 p.m. on 5/10/2012: President William Powers Jr. has released a statement. "I love the University of Texas, and it's an honor to serve as its president. I am deeply grateful for the support of our students, faculty, staff and the thousands of members of the UT family," Powers said. "I will continue to work with the entire UT community to move the university forward.
In an unprecedented decision, the UT System Board of Regents declined part of the University’s recommendation to increase tuition at a meeting Thursday, but did not do so for any other UT System institution. The regents froze tuition for in-state undergraduates for the next two academic years and raised tuition for all other students.
The newly renovated Clark Field is now reserved for about 10 hours per week for the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, leaving students unable to use the field during team practice.
The dedication of Caven Lacrosse and Sports Center at Clark Field is the silver lining that emerged from tragedy, said former Board of Regents chairman Scott Caven Jr.
At a dedication ceremony for the center Friday, Caven said the naming of the field in honor of his family would forever serve as a reminder of the four generations of his family that attended the University as well as his son, who died in a car accident shortly before beginning at UT.
The Texas Tribune Festival brought influential speakers from around the world to the UT campus for discussion of critical national issues - including Longhorn football.
Less money, more problems
On Thursday the Board of Regents voted to allocate an additional $20 million out of the Permanent University Fund to UT.
UT System Board of Regents Chairman Gene Powell refuted Rick O’Donnell’s statement about Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa encouraging donors and alumni to oppose the Regents’ efforts, according to a press release.
After months of controversy surrounding the hiring of Rick O’Donnell, former director of Colorado’s higher education department, as a special adviser to the UT Board of Regents, the UT System reached a settlement with O’Donnell to avoid a lawsuit against it, according to The Daily Texan.
Soon after the System hired O’Donnell in February at a $200,000 salary, concern grew regarding the hiring process, O’Donnell’s salary and his views on academic research. O’Donnell’s employment was terminated in April.
The University of Texas System will pay $70,000 as part of a settlement with a former Board of Regents adviser who officials say was planning to sue the system following his dismissal in April.
UT System Board of Regents Chairman Gene Powell suggested increasing UT undergraduate enrollment by 10 percent a year for four years and reducing tuition by about 50 percent across the system, according to an April 7 memo obtained by the Austin American-Statesman.
An internal memorandum obtained by the Austin American-Statesman reveals that Gene Powell, the newly elected chairman of the Board of Regents, put forth some surprising ideas that seem at odds with what have been the stated goals of the University for the last several years.
Today's viewpoint centers on a memo authored by UT System Board of Regents chairman Gene Powell. Powell, who was elected in February, has already made quite a splash. In just a few months, he has hired a controversial adviser, endorsed the governor's call for a $10,000 bachelor's degree and compared different UT System universities to models of cars.
Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, publicly disagreed with goals UT System Board of Regents Chairman Gene Powell proposed in an internal memorandum between the regents.
Powell suggested increasing University undergraduate enrollment by 10 percent each year for four years beginning in 2013 and reducing system-wide tuition by 50 percent, according to a draft obtained by the Austin American-Statesman.
Student leaders from the Senate of College Councils, Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly issued a letter to the UT System Board of Regents last week expressing qualms about the board’s recent discussions surrounding research and teaching as well as blended and online learning. In addition to outlining student concerns, the letter called for student involvement in these conversations and asked for increased transparency from the board.
UT Board of Regents Chairman Colleen McHugh likes to live comfortably when she travels on university business.
McHugh ran up $950 in charges in January at the Montage Beverly Hills hotel while in California to attend the BCS National Championship game between UT and the Alabama Crimson Tide. She also reported $687 in airfare expenses for that trip.
