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October 22, 2009
A&M's VP search began as sham, article says
Mike McKinney, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, has told the online publication Inside Higher Ed that Elsa Murano, who resigned as president of the College Station campus under pressure in June, conducted a search for a vice president of research that started out as a sham with a pre-determined outcome but ended up as a real search.
As previously released documents indicated, McKinney said Murano failed to keep her promise to hire the candidate favored by him and the system’s Board of Regents.
Jeffrey Seemann, a dean at the University of Rhode Island, was hired instead. In the meantime, McKinney and the regents brought their favored candidate, Brett Giroir, aboard as the system’s vice chancellor for research.
It was no secret that McKinney and the regents wanted Giroir, formerly with the federal government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, for the research slot at the system’s flagship campus. But this is the first time that McKinney has suggested Murano’s search was just for show.
“She told me ‘I feel like I need to appoint a search committee for the VPR’s office, but I’m still going to get Brett,’ ” McKinney is quoted as telling the publication. “I went ‘Elsa, this is me and I stand up and swear on the Bible, that’s not a search, that’s manipulation.’ I think the only thing worse than not being inclusive is to act like you are and you’re not. That’s manipulation.”
The article says McKinney conceded that he advised Murano on conducting a search with a pre-determined outcome.
“Don’t appoint a big committee,” he told her. Murano has not responded to interview requests.
Here’s what Rod Davis, a spokesman for the A&M System, said when I asked him about the article:
“The quotes are accurate but selective. The spin is often out of context, and reflects the biases of the reporter. It is an op-ed, not a news report, and basically re-hashes long dormant material… We’re not going to comment on this matter anymore.
“I can say that more than once during the interview, Dr. McKinney said that in recounting once again the sequence of events, he did not in any way wish to say anything bad about Dr. Murano, and to stress that he looked forward to working with her.”
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October 15, 2009
Protesters converge on Texas A&M ahead of Obama speech
Hundreds of demonstrators arrived at the Texas A&M campus at College Station on Friday ahead of a speech by President Barack Obama, who is scheduled to appear with former President George H.W. Bush to mark the 20th anniversary of Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light” initiative.
The demonstrations cover a variety of topics, including immigration and health care. Many protesters are carrying signs, sitting in lawn chairs and listening to speeches and bands over loudspeakers.
“Our only true task is networking and organization,” Mike Openshaw from the North Texas Tea Party in Plano said. “The common thread is the belief in governmental fiscal sanity. We’re spending more than we are taking in, and it’s easier to solve the going out than the coming in.”
The largest protest was organized by members of the Texas A&M University’s College Republicans, who arrived at 5 a.m. to claim an 80,000-sq.-ft. section of Spence Park, which university officials say can hold up to 7,000 people. The College Republicans are partnered with the Brazos County Republican Party, the Republican Women of the Brazos Valley and other conservative organizations.
The College Republicans have labeled their demonstration “Hands Off Texas,” while the Young Conservatives of Texas are protesting “Obama’s Socialist Agenda.”
The Young Conservatives said they did not wish to partner with non-student groups. But they have been joined by members of Young Conservative chapters from other Texas schools, including the University of Houston and Baylor University.
Before the event, officials urged students to honor the university’s core values of respect and selfless service. The university president, the student body president, and president Bush all wrote letters to the students urging them to exhibit behavior the university could be proud of.
“I was hoping more people would show up. This is a Christian nation not a Socialist nation,” said Diane Kerr, from Rockport. Asked why there were not more people, Kerr said “Conservatives have jobs. Most of us are working.”
There appeared to be no organized demonstrations by Democrats, but some people were holding protests against the Obama protesters.
Tom White, a freshman at A&M, carried a sign that read “Today is not about politics.”
He said, “There are a lot of posters that are very respectful. There are a lot that are filled with hate. We’re in Aggie land, we should be friendly.”
Obama is scheduled to speak after 5 p.m., officials say.
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October 1, 2009
Texas flags to be lowered for A&M's Borlaug
Gov. Rick Perry has ordered the lowering of Texas flags to half-staff throughout the state on Tuesday in honor of Norman E. Borlaug, a Nobel laureate at Texas A&M University for whom a public memorial will be held that day.
Borlaug, a professor of international agriculture at A&M, died Sept. 12 in Dallas at the age of 95. The memorial will be at 11 a.m. in Rudder Auditorium on the College Station campus, according to a university news release.
Perry said in a statement that “the world has lost a dedicated researcher and scientist with the passing of Dr. Borlaug, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
“Dr. Borlaug was widely acclaimed as the founder of the Green Revolution in agriculture and a leading expert in the effort to relieve world hunger. As a mark of respect for this widely regarded researcher and professor, it seems fitting that flags in Texas be lowered to half-staff.”
Borlaug won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for developing high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat that dramatically reduced famine in many developing countries.
A&M’s Web site on Borlaug includes additional information and a portal for writing condolences.
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September 29, 2009
'Notes from Dr. Mike' takes indirect note of UT
In the latest online video message in a series dubbed “Notes from Dr. Mike,” Texas A&M University System Chancellor Mike McKinney draws a distinction or two between his flagship campus and its rival in Austin — without mentioning the University of Texas by name.
“Texas A&M will not limit the number of top 10 percent,” McKinney says in the message, titled “A New Semester.”
“So if you’re out there and wondering if you’re going to be able to go to school, you can go to Texas A&M University if you’re in the top 10 percent.”
Earlier this year, the state Legislature tweaked the state’s automatic-admission law to allow UT-Austin to limit the number of students who can enroll by virtue of having graduated in the top 10 percent of their class from a high school in Texas. All other public universities in the state still must accept every top 10 percent student who applies.
UT-Austin announced this month that students applying to enroll in fall 2011 will have to rank in the top 8 percent to gain automatic admission.
McKinney also says the College Station campus welcomes National Merit Scholars. The Austin campus announced this month that it would begin pulling out of the National Merit Scholarship Program next fall and channel the scholarship money into need-based aid instead.
“We want you to know if you are a National Merit Scholar, we would love to have you at Texas A&M,” McKinney says. “And I tell you, you would enjoy — you would enjoy being at the university.”
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September 11, 2009
Obama to hold forum on community service at A&M
President Barack Obama will be in Aggieland next month.
The White House announced today that the president would hold a forum on community service at the George Bush Presidential Library Center at Texas A&M University on Oct. 16.
Here’s the text of the White House press release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, October 16th, President Barack Obama will hold a Presidential Forum on community service hosted by former President George H.W. Bush and the Points of Light Institute at the George Bush Presidential Library Center on the campus of Texas A&M University. The event builds upon President Obama’s “United We Serve” call to service challenging all Americans to help lay a new foundation for growth in this country by engaging in sustained, meaningful community service. It will also celebrate the contributions of more than 4,500 Daily Point of Light award winners and honor President Bush’s legacy of service and civic engagement.
The Daily Point of Light Award - created by President Bush in 1989 - honors individuals and volunteer groups around the country who are helping to meet critical needs in their communities and creating change every day and has a bi-partisan presidential legacy over the past two decades.
President Obama’s United We Serve call to service began on June 22nd and runs through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11th. Service projects marking the eight year anniversary of 9/11 will take place today in all 50 states, and will include over a dozen Cabinet Secretaries and high ranking government officials. Projects range from food drives and home repairs to neighborhood cleanups and disaster preparation activities.
The National Day of Service and Remembrance was developed by 9/11 families and established into law by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which President Obama signed in April. The most sweeping overhaul and expansion of national service programs in 18 years, the Serve America Act will triple the size of AmeriCorps and strengthen service opportunities for Americans at all stages of their lives.
For more information about the October 16th Presidential Forum on community service, please visit www.PointsofLight.org.
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September 9, 2009
Perry hot for Bonfire, but A&M cool
Gov. Rick Perry has predicted that Texas A&M University will resume its annual bonfire tradition, but his alma mater is decidedly cool to the notion.
The governor was quoted by Pam Colloff, senior editor of Texas Monthly, in a posting on the blog of Paul Burka, the publication’s senior executive editor:
“It’s really going to be interesting when Bonfire is reintroduced on the campus again, and it will be. I will not be surprised if it happens by 2011, maybe even 2010. I think Bonfire will be back on campus. The kids will have the experience again.”
Not necessarily, according to A&M.
“The safety of our students and others is always of paramount concern, so we have refrained from supporting the construction of any bonfire since the tragedy,” said Sherylon Carroll, a spokeswoman for the university.
Carroll also released the following statement from R. Bowen Loftin, the university’s interim president:
“I think it would take an extraordinarily large amount of interest on the part of our students for us to consider building Bonfire on campus again. I don’t hear the students rising up and demanding it. To have it (the Bonfire accident) happen to you one time is something that you can get past. If you did it again, and it happened again, you have no way to excuse yourself.”
Twelve Aggies died and 27 others were injured when the bonfire stack collapsed Nov. 18, 1999.
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August 4, 2009
Regent and ex-coach Stallings to address A&M graduates
Gene Stallings, a member of Texas A&M University’s governing board and a former football coach of the Aggies, will speak at the commencement convocation ceremony Aug. 13, the university announced today.
Stallings, known for speaking his mind, has a long perspective on A&M, having graduated in 1957.
“Coach Stallings — Regent Stallings — has inspired countless Aggies, Texans and Americans for literally decades, and I’m confident he will do the same for our 2009 summer graduates at this special time in their lives,” Interim President R. Bowen Loftin said.
“When I was a student here at Texas A&M, I have fond memories of Coach Stallings leading the Aggies to a win over Texas and a victory over Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. We are delighted that he has graciously accepted the invitation to be our speaker.”
All graduating students can attend the convocation, along with family members and friends. Graduates subsequently receive degrees in ceremonies organized by the various colleges at the university. Commencement convocation and degree ceremonies are open to the public.
The convocation will be at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 13 in Rudder Auditorium. Graduation exercises will be held the following day at Reed Arena, where more than 1,700 students are expected to receive degrees during 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. ceremonies.
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July 17, 2009
A&M report on boat fatality disputes Coast Guard
Texas A&M University System officials, contradicting findings by the U.S. Coast Guard, said today that severe design flaws led to the fatal capsizing of a racing sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico last year.
Among the defects cited in a report by the A&M System was a fiberglass laminate on the hull far too thin to support the forces on the boat’s 5,000-pound keel.
The system acknowledged that its findings conflict with those of the U.S. Coast Guard. A Coast Guard report issued in December, along with other Coast Guard documents obtained by the American-Statesman under the federal Freedom of Information Act, said multiple grounds and inadequate repairs were the cause.
The federal agency said A&M officials did not know that the marina where they stored the Cynthia Woods at the Galveston campus wasn’t deep enough, causing the sailboat to rest on its keel during low tides.
The keel and a portion of the hull surrounding it broke off during a race in the Gulf of Mexico in June 2008. Safety officer Roger Stone drowned, and five other crew members spent 26 hours in the water until they were rescued by the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard’s findings amounted to a broad critique of A&M’s safety culture.
“Vessel’s hull failed after multiple groundings, improper storage of the vessel on its keel in the marina and inadequate repair to known damage,” the report said. “No procedure is in place to ensure the integrity of a vessel after repairs are completed. Until asked by USCG investigators to take soundings, the marina manager did not know the depth of the marina where the S/V Cynthia Woods had been moored for approximately two years.”
The report released today by the university disputes the Coast Guard’s findings.
“While we recognize the conflicting conclusions between the United States Coast Guard’s report and this report, we have not attempted herein to reconcile the differences,” the A&M System’s report said.
Cape Fear Yacht Works, which designed and built the boat, said in a statement today that it was disappointed to learn that A&M “refuses to accept any responsibility” for the events related to the capsizing, “especially in light of the United States Coast Guard findings.”
“We question the validity of reports provided by private investigators hired by the Texas A&M Board of Regents, and we stand by the integrity of the United States Coast Guard, an independent United States federal agency who devoted countless hours and six months of in-depth investigation,” said Rona Garm, manager and spokeswoman for Cape Fear Yacht Works.
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July 2, 2009
A&M chancellor's statement to faculty
I wrote a story for today’s paper about the Texas A&M University faculty’s no-confidence vote in Chancellor Mike McKinney.
About a week before Tuesday’s vote, McKinney addressed the Faculty Senate. His remarks, provided by the A&M System, are reprinted below.
But first, an update on my story courtesy of Rod Davis, spokesman for the A&M System. The story noted that some faculty members complained that system officials didn’t consult adequately with them before expanding a rule on background checks for new employees and before trimming the list of financial firms with which university employees can place retirement money.
“I do know for a fact that Jay Kimbrough, then the deputy chancellor, went to the A&M Faculty Senate meeting to explain the background checks, which merely extended the background checks that staff and many faculty already got, and answered a number of questions,” Davis said. “I was at that meeting. I would say there was quite a bit of frank and candid input.
“However, ultimate responsibility for making and implementing system policy, following all consultation and input, is not with the faculty, but with the chancellor and his staff, contingent on approval by the Board of Regents.
“Regarding the retirement plan, some administrative changes were made in response to changes from the IRS regarding 403b plans. The changes were communicated to the faculty through a presentation to the Faculty Senate.”
Here are McKinney’s remarks to the senate:
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to make a few comments to you this afternoon. I spent a lot of time thinking about this meeting, and working on my thoughts, because I have great respect for the role faculty play in advancing the academic, research and service goals of Texas A&M, and I have a sincere desire to see our relationship move beyond the adversity of the recent past.
To the extent that I read from prepared remarks today, just know that I poured my heart and soul into every word on this piece of paper. If students are the heart and soul of this university, faculty are the mind and conscience. You have an extraordinary role to play, not only in developing research and young minds, but in attracting additional talent to this university and helping to select appropriate leadership.
Much has been made of shared governance. I say let’s look at the record.
I have a very active and vocal Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board. I have a team of independent thinkers who work at the System Offices and I encourage new ideas and frank discussions. I interact with, and listen to, faculty and students at every campus visit around the state. I meet with system CEOs, (including University Presidents) on a regular basis.
To be precise, I strive for “integral leadership,” the next iteration of shared governance, which has been further defined as “collaborative but decisive leadership.” Because at the end of the day those accountable for decisions must take action.
I would also encourage you to allow the committee charged with defining shared governance to complete its deliberations before presuming that no one is supportive. I am supportive and in fact, it was I who suggested to Dr. Murano that she expand the committee to include the A&M System and the Board of Regents. She added Dr. Frank Ashley, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs to the committee.
Some of you may recall that I appointed the last presidential search committee. It was as diverse as any search committee in recent memory, and the Faculty Senate Speaker served as chair. That committee worked extremely hard.
There seem to be some discrepancies about what happened as that process drew to a close that have contributed to false claims about my commitment—and the regents’ commitment-to shared governance.
It is an oft-repeated assertion that the board discarded three viable candidates recommended by the search committee. This is simply not so.
The chairman of that search committee knows that the one candidate who did not come for a Board of Regents interview withdrew long before any “weather event.” I called the candidate and convinced him to go forward. We sent committee members of the Search Advisory Committee to talk with him in his home state. He again withdrew. Chairman Jones talked with him and again convinced him to re-enter the process. He again withdrew and declined to set another appointment after the “weather event” passed.
Another candidate simply did not meet expectations for the president of Texas A&M, meaning the board in essence was given one candidate from which to choose. Dr. Slack knows that I supported the one clearly qualified candidate and that she was identified as a viable candidate by the board.
The Board of Regents felt they needed more than one candidate. The chairman was able to secure interviews for the Regents with a number of qualified candidates who were on the preliminary list of the advisory committee but had declined the request of the committee to further participate in the search.
I make no presumptions as to why they declined Dr. Slack’s invitation but accepted the Board’s invitation. I merely state this as fact.
After interviewing several candidates, the Board of Regents chose Dr. Murano as the sole finalist.
Now, the tenure of Dr. Murano did not meet the hopes and expectations of those who appointed her and as you know she resigned.
As chancellor, I simply cannot and will not discuss the details of personnel matters.
My annual reviews of all people who report to me directly are for the purpose of identifying needs and setting goals. Everyone that works for the System Offices and all the CEOs, including university presidents, know this. My reviews are not for the purpose of salary or employment.
My cover letter to each of the CEOs requesting his or her self-evaluation clearly states, “I see this process as a collaborative opportunity to review past achievements, evaluate the challenges that you face, set new goals and objectives, and develop new ideas on how we can continue progress toward excellence in education, research, and service for the state of Texas.”
I do face-to-face verbal evaluations annually. I make notes before the face-to-face meeting so I remember to mention some positive things and some things requiring attention. What has been termed in the media as an “unprofessional evaluation” was simply my notes.
All of my executive staff and all of the CEOs have heard me say that the annual review is not the only time to evaluate and provide feedback. I meet with all the presidents many times during a year. I always have feedback on issues, including an assessment of needs and issues that need addressing.
Dr. Murano received positive feedback for some of her performance during the year. She also received comments from me encouraging more collaboration and cautioning her to be careful in taking counsel from others who had previously had their own difficulties.
Scripture says in Matthew 18:15 if you have a problem with a brother or sister you must go to them and attempt to fix it, just the two of you. Earlier this year, I went to Dr. Murano’s office. We had a frank discussion, shook hands, hugged and agreed to a “do over,” putting aside past differences, knowing Texas A&M is bigger and more important than any one individual. We both still believe that today.
Eventually, open records requests were filed, and in compliance with the law, my notes were released.
I am a big boy. I can take criticism. But I encourage you to apply the principles of good research:
Check your facts
Use multiple sources
Seek a primary source (not a blog)
The Shared Services teams, as requested by the Board of Regents, have been formed. Team leaders and members have been named, and work has already begun. A news release, which will include the committees’ memberships, will be distributed within a day or two.
The charge to the team leaders is to reduce administrative expenses by at least $20 million by increasing efficiency without sacrificing quality. This will be a completely transparent process. A website is being developed to report the progress of the teams.
You will notice that faculty will be members of some of the teams and input will certainly be solicited from faculty on any of the areas in which they are stakeholders.
We have been working on shared services for at least three years. This is a renewed emphasis and it will be transparent. There is no attempt to “take over” anything or to get anybody’s money.
In fact, Dr. Loftin’s request for a financial analysis of the provost and VPR offices will help everyone clearly see which college generates the money (tuition and formula) and where the money is spent.
The same information will be clarified for research and research indirect costs recoveries. No one is suggesting any changes. Dr. Loftin is simply insisting on easily understood transparency. Please wait for the results before assigning motives to the quest for information. Faculty will be involved by Dr. Loftin, Dr. Watson and Dr. Vitter throughout the process.
Gov. Rick Perry is a devoted Aggie and my friend. Any idea that he is involved in the day-to-day operations of Texas A&M is flat wrong. In the 25 years that I have known Rick Perry, he has never once mentioned even a thought about being president or chancellor of A&M. He likes serving as governor of Texas and intends to continue doing so. The conspiracy theories of some secret plan are simply illogical.
I also do not have a desire to be the president of Texas A&M University, nor am I interested in managing the day-to-day affairs of Texas A&M. I do have a desire and a commitment to fulfill my oversight responsibilities as chancellor for all of the system universities and agencies as envisioned by the legislature.
There is a natural tension between the system and the flagship university. Ask previous presidents and chancellors.
There are times when I will make recommendations to a president regarding personnel or a program. But, I also let presidents know they are welcome to disagree with me, and ultimately the decision is theirs.
At times I can be very passionate about the potential in a particular area, but I do not try to impose a solution when others have specific responsibility and accountability for the decision.
As some of you know, I am a passionate ally in attempts to recruit members of the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Engineering, as well as other stars. I have also asserted whatever influence I might have to keep some of our current stars from leaving for greener pastures.
Similarly, regents will hear input in a spirit of shared governance, but stakeholders-me included-cannot expect to impose our will on the governing authority. We work through persuasion.
Some believe the recent disagreement over the leadership of Texas A&M University will imperil future efforts to attract talent. I believe in my heart that is not the case, but to some extent that is up to you.
The more we drag out disagreements of the past, then the more likely that there will exist a perception that Texas A&M is in turmoil. I can tell you it is not my desire to reignite past disagreements. I hope that you join me in that sentiment.
Shakespeare said, “The past is prologue.” I believe the past can be the past if we agree to work together for the sake of the future.
One of the main responsibilities of a university is to teach the totality of the wisdom of the past to develop the hopes and dreams of the future. And what the future is about is those 48,000 students who will show up here this fall. That is why I am here, and I would suggest they are why you got into teaching in the first place. I want these students to partake in the best educational environment in the country-a place that stretches their potential, and that leads them to pathways of opportunity.
As faculty, you have a voice. You can choose to use that voice to open wounds, or to heal them. I’m a physician. I like healing wounds.
And I can’t think of a better person to help us begin that healing process than an outstanding leader with impeccable academic credentials who is the interim president of Texas A&M University, Dr. Bowen Loftin. Dr. Loftin, thank you for taking the helm of leadership at this very important time.
I asked the speaker for written questions that he felt needed answering. He told me “the EC has no set of prepared questions that we intend to pose.” I want all faculty (including Senators) to know that I am willing and anxious to engage in face-to-face dialogue concerning the future path of this great University and The Texas A&M University System. Simply call my office to arrange a meeting. I have always maintained an open door policy.
Thank you all. I appreciate your commitment to Texas A&M University.
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July 1, 2009
A&M faculty vote 'no confidence' in chancellor
Faculty members at Texas A&M University have approved a resolution expressing “no confidence” in A&M System Chancellor Mike McKinney.
The vote on Tuesday by the Faculty Senate was 55 to 9. A day earlier, an online poll of faculty members found that 83.5 percent of more than 1,300 responding had no confidence in the chancellor, said Robert Bednarz, speaker of the Faculty Senate and a professor of geography.
The developments come a few weeks after Elsa Murano resigned as president of A&M. McKinney had criticized her job performance and had also suggested that it might be possible to combine the jobs of chancellor and president to save money.
Many faculty members have criticized McKinney and the regents for not consulting with the faculty on a variety of matters.
“The faculty felt Texas A&M was not moving in the right direction and felt that they had to go on record,” Bednarz said today.
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June 15, 2009
Regents name interim leader at A&M
R. Bowen Loftin, who leads Texas A&M University’s Galveston campus, today was named interim president of the main campus, effective immediately.
The vote by the A&M System’s Board of Regents, meeting in College Station, was unanimous. The action came as the regents accepted the resignation of Elsa Murano as president. She will return to the faculty, where she holds a tenured professorship in the agriculture program.
Morris Foster, chairman of the regents, said a search committee including faculty members and other interested parties would be formed to find a new president. He hopes to complete the search within six months.
Loftin, above right, has been vice president and chief executive of the Galveston campus since May 2005. He also holds a professorship in industrial and systems engineering at the main campus in College Station.
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June 14, 2009
A&M president resigns before regents meeting
Elsa Murano’s rise to the presidency of Texas A&M University was controversial. Her resignation Sunday is even more so — but it was not a surprise.
The A&M System’s Board of Regents, meeting in College Station today, is expected to discuss Murano’s decision to return to the faculty, where she holds a tenured professorship in the agriculture program as a microbiologist specializing in food safety.
What’s not clear is how the regents and the system’s chancellor, Mike McKinney, will handle the fallout from what has all the appearances of a forced resignation.
The abrupt departure of a president would be a destabilizing event at any major university. But it could prove all the more so at A&M, for a number of reasons:
Murano, 49, is the first woman and first Hispanic to lead A&M, a formerly all-male and mostly white institution that has been trying to diversity its employee and student ranks.
Faculty members are increasingly upset by what they perceive as a command-and-control management style by the regents and McKinney, and they see Murano’s resignation as the latest and most stunning example.
A&M’s personnel and policies have been influenced considerably by Gov. Rick Perry, a graduate of the university. McKinney is a former chief of staff to the governor. Several other system and campus officials are close to Perry or were Perry picks. And the governor appointed all nine regents.
“We hope that the resignation brings to an end a time during which the board did not seek faculty advice and the chancellor defined ‘shared’ governance as a process that excluded input by the faculty and other university stakeholders,” said Robert Bednarz, a geography professor and speaker of the Faculty Senate.
Tensions between Murano and her bosses — McKinney and the regents — had been simmering for months. For example, she questioned a Perry-flavored plan implemented by McKinney to award bonuses to faculty members based on student evaluations.
Tensions approached the boiling point a few weeks ago with McKinney’s suggestion that it might be possible to save money by combining the chancellorship and the presidency — an option that almost no one expects to come to fruition.
And matters reached a full boil with the disclosure of a sharply critical performance evaluation of Murano in which McKinney rated her poorly on many fronts, including a 1, the lowest of five possible scores, on being a “team player.”
Murano submitted a rebuttal that dismissed the evaluation as “ludicrous” and “not based on facts.” And in a white paper dated 10 days ago, Murano’s office speculated on the impact her departure would have:
“The removal of President Murano would raise the normal concerns about such actions and cause questions about the system’s and university’s real commitment to diversity and excellence.”
When the regents named Murano sole finalist for president in December 2007, they said gender and ethnicity had nothing to do with her selection. Rather, she was chosen for her leadership abilities, integrity, research credentials, global understanding, willingness to listen, decisiveness and experience running a large, complex organization, then-Regent John White said at the time.
Murano, who fled Cuba with her family when Fidel Castro came to power, had been A&M’s dean and vice chancellor of agriculture and also served a stint as undersecretary for food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Murano said in a statement Sunday that her resignation is what’s best for A&M.
“Our university is strong and I know that we will weather this storm,” Murano said. “I sincerely hope and pray that we will intensify our efforts to protect and enhance Texas A&M’s reputation.
“I trust that the important issues raised in recent weeks will be addressed in the Aggie way - with integrity, selfless service and indomitable spirit. God bless you all, and gig ‘em!”
Morris Foster, chairman of the regents, said in a statement issued by the system that Murano has served the university with distinction.
“We look forward to having Dr. Murano rejoin our faculty and continue her nationally recognized work in food science,” McKinney added in the statement.
Plans for replacing Murano will be taken up by the regents in the near future, the statement said.
Murano assumed the presidency in January 2008 under difficult circumstances.
Hers was not one of three names submitted to the Board of Regents by a search committee, said R. Douglas Slack, a professor of wildlife and fisheries sciences who led the panel, which also included representatives of the administration and the student body. Rather, all three names were of sitting presidents of universities. The regents rejected all three, naming Murano instead.
“We assumed they would ask us to look at more names and continue the search,” Slack said. “But they continued the search, which was their prerogative. They can make the rules, and they did.
“It’s a difference in philosophy. The faculty at Texas A&M do not want to run the place. We want to have input to the process.”
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Murano's resignation statement
Elsa Murano, president of Texas A&M University, announced today that she is resigning effective Monday.
Here’s the statement she issued:
“The events of recent weeks have been very taxing for the entire Aggie family. The faculty, students and staff have demonstrated incredible loyalty to this institution, upholding our Aggie values during these exceedingly trying times. I am truly grateful for the countless expressions of support that I have received from our faculty, staff, current and former students, and friends of Texas A&M. I cannot adequately express how much I have appreciated your many letters, phone calls, e-mails, and especially your prayers. They have been truly uplifting and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
“My husband Peter and I fell in love with Texas A&M the moment we set foot in Aggieland back in 1995. This deep and abiding passion for what the university represents, and for the people of the Aggie family, reinforces my duty to do what is best for Texas A&M. For this reason, I will be resigning as President of our beloved university, effective tomorrow, June 15, 2009, to return to the faculty, subject to approval by the Board of Regents.
“Our university is strong and I know that we will weather this storm. I sincerely hope and pray that we will intensify our efforts to protect and enhance Texas A&M’s reputation. I trust that the important issues raised in recent weeks will be addressed in the Aggie way - with integrity, selfless service and indomitable spirit. God bless you all, and gig ‘em!”
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May 22, 2009
A&M regents elect new leaders
The Texas A&M University System’s Board of Regents has elected a new chairman and vice chairman. The system issued the following news release on the changing of the guard:
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Morris Foster of Houston was elected chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, and James P. Wilson of Sugar Land was elected vice chairman, both unanimously, during a meeting of the governing board Thursday.
Foster and Wilson both were appointed to the board by Gov. Rick Perry in 2007, and will serve two-year terms as chairman and vice chairman. They replace Bill Jones of Austin and John White of Houston, respectively.
“I am proud and honored to have the opportunity to serve the Texas A&M System and the people of the state of Texas as chairman,” said Foster. “I know I have big shoes to fill in replacing Bill Jones, and will do my best to measure up. The opportunities and challenges the system faces are greater in many ways than ever before. I will bring all my experience, insights, and faith in our great traditions to bear on guiding us through difficult times and into an ever-expanding future.”
Wilson said, “It’s been a pleasure to be on this board and to serve with all the other regents, and, now to welcome our newest members. As vice chairman I will work hard to help Chairman Foster and the other members of the board to continue to make the best decisions for our students, our faculty, our staff and the state of Texas.”
Foster is a former president of ExxonMobil Production Company in Houston, and now serves as the chairman of Stagecoach/Millcreek Resort. A native of Belton, Texas, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University in 1965. Upon graduation, Foster joined Exxon and served in a number of production engineering and management assignments in California, Louisiana and Texas.
Foster was inducted into Texas A&M’s Academy of Distinguished Graduates in 1993. In January 1995, he returned to Houston and was appointed a senior vice president and a member of the Management Committee of Exxon Company, U.S.A., with responsibility for the company’s upstream business.
He was appointed president of Exxon Upstream Development Company in 1998 and following the merger of Exxon and Mobil, was named president of ExxonMobil Development Company. He was named president of ExxonMobil Production Company and vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation in October 2004.
Wilson received a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting degree from Texas A&M and began his career in 1981 as a certified public accountant with the international accounting firm of Arthur Young & Company (now Ernst & Young).
Wilson serves as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of JK Acquisition Corporation, a Houston-based publicly traded investment firm and is a founder and managing partner of RSTW Partners, a private debt and equity firm he co-founded in 1990.
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April 30, 2009
Texas A&M gets 672 acres in Killeen for Fort Hood campus
Fort Hood officially transferred 672 acres of land to the Texas A&M University System during a ceremony at the nation’s Capitol this morning. The land will be used to build Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen.
U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, Army Secretary Pete Geren, Texas A&M System Chancellor Michael McKinney and U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, signed the transfer papers.
The land is at the intersection of Texas 195 and Texas 201, near the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, according to John Stone, a spokesman for Rep. Carter’s office.
The army estimates the land is worth $1.74 million, said Rod Davis, a spokesman for A&M.
“This is a great day for Army soldiers and Texas A&M University,” said Edwards, Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee. “This Army-A&M partnership will mean Fort Hood soldiers, their families and students throughout Central Texas will have access to a first-class, affordable university education.”
Edwards and Carter supported the transfer of 662 acres from Fort Hood to the A&M System in the 2005 Defense Authorization bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 28, 2004. The Army transferred an additional 10 acres once the land was fully surveyed for a total of 672 acres.
McKinney, the A&M chancellor, said the new campus will open “a new path to making Central Texas a vital center for education, research, economic development.”
“The expansion of the A&M System is already having a profound impact on the economy, academic excellence and access to higher education for all Texans,” said McKinney. “This land … ensures that Texas A&M University-Central Texas commands a strategic position for upcoming advances in research and commercialization in collaboration with the A&M System, Fort Hood and our many partners.”
The signing in Washington today continues a rapid period of growth for the A&M System, system officials said in a statement:
With the addition of Texas A&M-Central Texas and the new Texas A&M University-San Antonio, the A&M System now consists of 11 universities, seven state agencies and a health science center. The system educates more than 109,000 students.
In January, the system was awarded a grant from the state’s Emerging Technology Fund to revolutionize production of drugs and vaccines to fight diseases from cancer to influenza and counteract bioterror threats such as anthrax or Ebola.
The system’s capital improvements plan has grown to $2.5 billion in construction.
In March, the A&M System advanced its Mission Military Friendly program as all system universities achieved full “military friendly” status from the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, which sets national standards for the designation.
On April 28, the A&M System and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority entered a historic arrangement for the A&M System to develop a 1,009 acre-site at and adjacent to Naval Station Ingleside. The NSI site, which includes a deepwater port, will become a major national center for academic research and the development of wind power and other renewable energy resources.
Edwards, co-chair of the House Army Caucus, represented Fort Hood in Congress from 1991 to 2004, and currently represents Texas A&M University in College Station. Carter, currently represents Fort Hood and represented Texas A&M University until 2004.
Legislation pending in the Texas Legislature would allow the A&M System to issue $25 million in bonds for the new campus, Stone said.
The campus will initially be named, Tarleton State University System Center-Central Texas. Once the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board certifies enrollment has passed 1,000, the A&M System Board of Regents will officially change the campus’ name to Texas A&M University-Central Texas, which expect to happen by September.
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April 20, 2009
Defense secretary to speak at A&M's Muster
Texas A&M University is big on traditions. And few traditions are as hallowed in Aggieland as Muster, the annual ceremony in memory of those who died during the previous year. For Tuesday’s Muster, which takes place at 7 p.m. in Reed Arena in College Station, the university has lined up a special speaker: Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a former A&M president.
Here’s the university’s announcement:
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates will be the 2009 Muster speaker at Texas A&M University, where he served as president before being called to Washington, D.C., to oversee the nation’s military and related operations.
Muster, Texas A&M’s unique solemn ceremony to honor the memories of Aggies who have died during the previous year, is held annually on April 21, with the campus observance traditionally filling Reed Arena, the university’s 12,500-seat special events facility. Almost 400 off-campus Muster ceremonies are held elsewhere in the state, throughout the nation and abroad, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Muster dates back to 1883 but started taking on its present format in 1903. The observance coincides with San Jacinto Day, which commemorates the date Texas gained independence from Mexico.
Gates, who served as Texas A&M president from August 2002 until December 2006 - a period of significant growth and academic enhancement - will be one of a select few campus Muster speakers who did not graduate from Texas A&M. Other notable non-alumni invited to serve as speakers for the main Muster include Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and then Texas Governor Allen Shivers.
Although Gates did not graduate from Texas A&M, he was awarded an honorary doctoral degree at the university’s summer commencement exercises in 2007 in recognition of his service to the university and the nation. His wife, Becky Gates, also received an honorary doctorate at that same ceremony. Additionally, Gates was inducted into the Texas A&M Corps Hall of Honor - the first person to receive that distinction who was not formerly a cadet at Texas A&M. As university president, he was an ardent supporter of the 1,800-member student organization and often joined the cadets on early morning training runs.
At each Muster ceremony around the world, the speaker will be followed by the “Roll Call For The Absent.” Names of those from that area who have died in the past year will be read, and as each name is called, a family member or friend will answer “Here” and a candle will be lit. Following the candle-lighting ceremony in Reed Arena, the Ross Volunteer Company will march in to fire a rifle volley followed by a special arrangement of “Taps.” In addition, the ceremony also will include performances by the Singing Cadets and the Aggie Band.
A relatively new addition to the Muster tradition is “Reflections.” Its purpose is to more fully recognize the lives of the Aggies being honored by displaying personal items of the Roll Call honorees as a memorial to them. These items will be on display in the MSC Flag Room from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday (April 20) and again from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the day of Muster (Tuesday).
Muster was first held on June 26, 1883. Former students of Texas A&M, then called ex-cadets, were to gather and “…live over again our college days, the victories and defeats won and lost upon drill ground and classroom. Let every alumnus answer a roll call.”
Though Muster ends on a somber note, the day begins with fun. Activities begin with a 7:05 a.m. flag-raising ceremony and Corps of Cadets formation in the plaza in front of the Academic Building and will be followed at 11 a.m. by the annual Camaraderie Barbecue in Sbisa Dining Hall. The event will include entertainment by several student organizations. Organizers say this is a chance for Aggies of all ages to gather and share fun and tell stories and “live over again” their days at Texas A&M. They add that it also gives current students a chance to spend time with the anniversary Class of 1959.
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March 27, 2009
Earlier grant involving A&M System proved controversial
My able colleagues Jason Embry and Ken Herman describe in a story in today’s paper how a $50 million grant to the Texas A&M University System for a vaccine and drug therapy research center skirted the normal review process.
An earlier $50 million grant from the state for another life-sciences project involving the A&M System also proved controversial. That Texas Enterprise Fund grant, announced in July 2005 by Gov. Rick Perry, consisted of $35 million for Lexicon Genetics, based in The Woodlands, and $15 million for the A&M System to jointly establish the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine, a private, nonprofit organization.
The goal was to foster study of mouse genetics, which, in turn, could lead to treatments for human disease.
“It is a wise investment for taxpayers because the Institute for Genomic Medicine will leverage the talents and resources of the public and private sectors to yield tremendous benefits to the entire state,” Perry said at the time.
But TIGM (pronounced TIG-um), as the institute is known, quickly ran into problems, according to a July 2008 report by the A&M System’s internal audit department. TIGM failed to obtain a $50 million federal research grant that was the heart of its business plan, and it became a joint institute of A&M University and the A&M System Health Science Center in May 2008. The system had to pump $3.2 million into TIGM to keep it going.
The audit report said the A&M System’s “lack of effective oversight,” “poor planning” and shortcomings in construction management caused the public-private partnership’s financial problems. System officials conceded in the report that “governance, contract administration and construction management were major weaknesses” but said future partnership projects would be managed properly.
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January 12, 2009
Helicopter that crashed at Texas A&M based in Austin
COLLEGE STATION — A student was reportedly injured during a helicopter crash today at Texas A&M University on Duncan Field near the Corps of Cadets quad. The crash also killed one and injured four others, according to local news reports.
Part of a training exercise, the Army UH-60 Blackhawk had a crew of five on board, including four members of the Army National Guard and one member of the ROTC staff at Texas A&M who is a recent graduate, according to a university statement.
Neither university nor military officials would release names of the deceased or of those injured, but the university said in the statement that only one student was slightly injured by flying debris.
The helicopter was based at the Austin Army Aviation Support Facility at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said Col. Bill Meehan, a spokesman for the Texas Army National Guard. The soldiers were part of the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, whose headquarters are at Austin’s Camp Mabry, Meehan said. The soldiers involved in the crash were from Austin and San Antonio.
Meehan said the helicopter and four others had been shuttling cadets to College Station from Camp Swift, a Texas Army National Guard training site north of Bastrop.
The university said 190 members of the Corps of Cadets, were participating in what’s called the Annual Winter Field Training, which has been conducted by Texas A&M’s ROTC unit for more than 20 years and includes squad and platoon-level tactics, patrolling and simulated combat in urban areas. Meehan said this is the first time a helicopter has crashed during the exercises.
Meehan said he was not certain whether the other four aircraft were based in Austin or San Antonio. The brigade has more than 3,000 soldiers who are based in Grand Prarie, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, he said.
The Texas A&M statement includes the following details of the crash:
1. Rudder apparently failed on helicopter during takeoff - 5 were on board, no students, however one individual is from Texas A&M’s ROTC staff.
2. All injured have now been transported - patients taken to both hospitals (St. Joseph’s and The College Station Medical Center).
3. College Station Fire Department and University Police Department are in unified command on scene.
4. Debris field covers much of Duncan Field, as well as Throckmorton and Lewis Streets. Those streets will remain closed for some time.
5. Bryan mobile command post is on scene for use in extended operations.
6. All branches of local law enforcement agencies are on scene.
Witnesses told the Bryan-College Station Eagle they saw five Blackhawk helicopters taking off and landing throughout the day.
Scot Walker, publications manager for the A&M Association of Former Students, told The Eagle that he saw two helicopters lift off around 3:05 p.m. The first one took off without trouble, but the second seemed to lose control and start spinning, Walker said.
“All of a sudden he dropped straight back down into the ground,” Walker told the newspaper.
A Code Maroon, which is the university’s emergency alert system, was activated Monday afternoon, notifying students of the crash, according to KBTX. Classes resume next week.
The UH-60 Black Hawk has been in use since 1979 as a tactical transport helicopter, according to the Army’s Web site. It can reach speeds of about 160 to 172 mph and has a crew of four, including two pilots, the Web site says. It can carry 2,640 pounds or 11 combat-equipped troops, according to the Web site.
Seven Fort Hood soliders died in November of 2004 when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed after clipping the wires of an unlighted television transmission tower south of Waco.
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December 12, 2008
Bush at A&M: Gates had an 'excused absence'
A postscript to my story on President George W. Bush’s commencement address Friday at Texas A&M University:
Bush said he was impressed by the loyalty of his defense secretary, Robert Gates, to A&M, where Gates had been president.
“After all, he refused to come to Washington until after he attended the winter commencement,” Bush said. “And I was even more impressed when he insisted on standing during the Cabinet meetings, claiming he was the ‘12th Man.’ One day, he explained it all. He said: ‘Mr. President, I’m red ass.’ “
The latter is a reference to someone who is a gung-ho Aggie. The 12th Man refers to the Aggie tradition of standing ready to be called upon to serve. The student body is collectively the 12th Man during football games, standing throughout to show support.
Gates, who did not attend the commencement, had an “excused absence,” Bush said. “It’s not like he’s over at the Dixie Chicken,” the president said. “He’s traveling to the Middle East, consulting with our generals and showing his support for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.”
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Bush tells Aggie grads to pursue lives of service
COLLEGE STATION — President George W. Bush, delivering his 23rd and final commencement speech as president, told graduates at Texas A&M University this morning that fulfillment in life would come from pursuing the path of service and remaining true to their convictions.
Ralph Barrera AMERICAN-STATESMAN
In a speech laced with humor, references to his family and anecdotes about Americans who served society through military service and other ways, the president said he was eager to return to Texas after his term ends in January.
“Remember that popularity is as fleeting as the Texas wind,” said Bush, speaking from first-hand experience. If you can look in the mirror and be satisifed you did the right thing, he told the graduates, “you will pass the only test that matters.”
He urged them to answer the call for military or government service and to give back to their communities. “Pursue the path of service, and you will find fulfillment beyond measure,” he said.
This was Bush’s first visit to A&M during his presidency, but he’s given a commencement speech here before. In fact, he gave it three times over two days as governor of Texas in May 1998. This time, the school arranged for a universitywide ceremony at Reed Arena for the roughly 3,600 graduates.
Although Bush is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, A&M, with its Corps of Cadets and conservative bent, is friendly turf. Its president, Elsa Murano, was Bush’s undersecretary for food safety. The school’s former president, Robert Gates, is defense secretary.
In addition, Bush has strong family ties to Aggieland. The campus houses the Bush School of Government and Public Service, named for his father, former President George H.W. Bush, as well as the presidential library and museum of the 41st president. The younger Bush’s library will be at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Not surprisingly, the commencement ceremony was something of a family affair, with Barbara Bush introducing Bush 41, who, in turn, introduced Bush 43.
The president poked fun at his mother, who looked fit after a recent hospitalization for an ulcer, telling her, “Thanks, thanks for the gray hair.”
He spoke with appreciation of various Aggie traditions, including one bit of lore that says class is dismissed if Reveille, the school’s collie mascot, barks during a lecture.
“I wish she would have been there for some of those press conferences,” he said.
Nick Loder, from Greer, S.C., who graduated with a master’s degree in civil engineering, said he felt lucky for the opportunity to hear the president speak at graduation. “I am a fan of him,” he said.
But even students who disagree with Bush’s policies said it was a thrill to have the president as commencement speaker.
Deborah Campbell of Dallas, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree and plans to work as a massage therapist because “that’s what you do with an English major,” was a case in point.
“To be honest, I’m a Democrat,” Campbell said. “I don’t really like George W. Bush that much. But it’s a great honor to have him here. I’ve never gotten to see a president speak before in person.”
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December 11, 2008
Bush to advise Aggie grads on living healthy, productive lives
President George W. Bush will be in Aggieland on Friday, delivering the commencement speech at Texas A&M’s graduation ceremonies.
Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, said today that the president would give some advice to the students about living healthy and productive lives. And she noted that A&M “is near and dear to the family’s heart and his dad’s in particular.”
The presidential library and museum for Bush’s father, former President George H.W. Bush, are at the College Station campus, which is also the site of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. The current president is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, and his library will be housed at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
My colleague Ken Herman, who covers the White House for this and other Cox newspapers, asked Perino about Bush’s A&M appearance. Here’s an excerpt from their exchange during today’s White House press briefing:
QUESTION: Dana, do you have any intel on tomorrow’s commencement speech? What might be in it?
PERINO: I do. I have read it.
QUESTION: Good speech?
PERINO: Yes. I would — yes, actually, it’s a very good speech. The — I shouldn’t say “actually.”
The…
(LAUGHTER)
OK. I’m digging myself out of the hole. The speech is about — it’s not focused a lot on policy. The president will — it’s a commencement speech. So one of the things the president will do is talk about, you know, give some advice as to how he thinks that they can have good and healthy and productive lives as American citizens graduating from Texas A&M University. It, obviously, is near and dear to the family’s heart and his dad’s in particular.
And I think what he’ll do is highlight the — some individuals that he has met over his time as president and hold them up as examples of what these graduates could aspire to be.
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November 24, 2008
Austin dentist named A&M regent
Richard Box, a dentist from Austin, has been appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
He replaces J.L. Huffines of Dallas, who cited health reasons in announcing his resignation.
Box received a bachelor’s degree from A&M and a doctorate of dental science from the University of Texas dental branch in Houston. He served in the U.S. Army and as commander of the Texas State Guard.
The appointment is effective Dec. 8, and the term expires Feb. 1, 2013.
Huffines, chairman of the Huffines Auto Dealerships in North Texas, has a long record of civic service and was named a regent by Perry in July 2007.
“J.L. is a good friend and trusted adviser who shares my vision for a prosperous Texas,” Perry said in a written statement. “His love for our state knows no bounds, and on behalf of all Texans and Aggies, I say thank you for your commitment and service.”
Huffines’ son James is a UT regent.
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November 10, 2008
Bush to speak at A&M
President Bush will deliver the commencement convocation address Dec. 12 at Texas A&M University. Here is the memo from A&M President Elsa Murano announcing Bush’s upcoming appearance:
To the Aggie Family:
I am delighted to announce that President George W. Bush has graciously accepted my invitation to be our inaugural Commencement Convocation speaker on Dec. 12. We are highly honored to have President Bush back in Aggieland for the first time since his time as Governor of Texas.
President Bush’s address will launch a new concept for our commencement exercises moving forward for the fall, spring and summer semesters. The plan is to begin commencement ceremonies with a convocation that features one notable speaker—and with all degree candidates having the opportunity to attend this one ceremony along with a limited number of guests. The commencement exercises at which degrees will be conferred will follow in subsequent ceremonies over a two-day period.
In addition to giving all degree candidates the opportunity to hear an address by a nationally or internationally prominent leader, the degree-granting exercises will be shortened, which has been a long-term goal supported by students, faculty, staff and the administration.
The December ceremonies this year will begin with President Bush’s address at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12 in Reed Arena. Students will not be required to wear academic regalia at the 10:30 a.m. ceremony, but will need to do so at the actual degree-granting exercises. Each degree candidate will be given a ticket to attend Commencement Convocation and will also have the option of inviting up to two guests. We anticipate that a limited number of tickets also will be available to the university community. Arrangements for degree candidates to obtain guest tickets, as well as more detailed instructions about the event and related matters, will be announced in coming days. The shortened degree-granting exercises will then follow in much the same manner as has been the tradition in recent years. All the emphasis will be placed on the degree candidates, meaning no commencement address and only a few other activities will occur before the degrees are awarded.
With the addition of Commencement Convocation, it will be necessary to reschedule the previously announced 9 a.m. commencement exercise on Dec. 12. This ceremony has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. that day. The regularly scheduled 2 p.m. ceremony will remain unchanged, as will Saturday’s 9 a.m. ceremony. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Again, this is a great honor for Texas A&M and great news for the entire Aggie Family.
Gig ‘em,Elsa A. Murano PresidentPermalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment Categories: Texas A&M
July 29, 2008
A&M System's research chief eager to pursue funding
Brett Giroir, vice chancellor of research for the Texas A&M University System, gave a pep talk on biotechnology research at a conference today at Southwestern University in Georgetown.
But before he stepped up to the podium, he had to endure effusive praise from Pike Powers, an Austin lawyer whose career has focused on economic development and who would be the president of the Brett Giroir Fan Club, if there were such a club.
“I will never, ever have you introduce me again,” Giroir told Powers, mostly in jest.
Giroir is a physician-scientist who trained at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Before his Aggie gig, he was director of the Defense Sciences Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The agency, known as DARPA, directs basic and applied research for the Defense Department.
Higher education institutions in Texas aren’t getting their share of DARPA’s $3 billion budget, in Giroir’s view. He’d like to change that.
As a matter of fact, he’d like to expand the A&M System’s externally funded research overall. It currently runs $627 million a year, and he wants to double that in the next few years.
Most of DARPA’s solicitations are missed by Texas institutions completely, he said. In one case, a Texas university he declined to name had two departments competing for a multimillion-dollar grant. Neither qualified, although they would have been a shoo-in had they collaborated.
“We are really not in the game, and we need to be much more aggressive about identifying the opportunities and going after them,” Giroir said.
One tactic would be to get to know the people at DARPA better, especially new staff members whose portfolios of discretionary funding start out modestly but grow rapidly, Giroir said. He contrasted the performance of Texas institutions in this regard with that of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
“When I sneezed, MIT was there to give me a hanky.”
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June 11, 2008
Will A&M System's investigation be arm's-length?
Are the Aggies investigating themselves? The question arises now that the Texas A&M University System has launched an investigation into the sinking of the Cynthia Woods.
The Texas A&M-Galveston sailing vessel capsized Friday night in the Gulf of Mexico while competing in a race. Five members of A&M-Galveston’s sailing team were rescued early Sunday, and the body of a sixth crew member, safety officer Roger Stone, was recovered later that day.
According to a news release from the A&M System, Jay Kimbrough, the system’s deputy chancellor and general counsel, will lead an “independent investigation.” Technically, the system is a separate state agency from A&M-Galveston and its parent campus in College Station.
I asked Rod Davis, a spokesman for the system, whether the system investigating one of its campuses truly amounts to an independent investigation. He said it does.
“This is not A&M investigating itself,” Davis said. “This is the system investigating one of its member universities.”
Elsa Murano, president of the College Station campus, and R. Bowen Loftin, vice president and CEO of the Galveston campus, asked the system to investigate to avoid any sense that they are looking into themselves, Davis said.
The question of independence also came up in 1999, when Ray Bowen, then president of A&M, named Houston construction executive Leo Linbeck Jr. to lead an investigation of the collapse of a giant stack of logs for a bonfire that killed 11 A&M students and one recent graduate and injured 27 other people. Linbeck’s report criticized A&M’s culture for tolerating a perennial student-led construction project that raised serious safety questions.
Kimbrough is a veteran troubleshooter, having served as the first conservator overseeing investigations of inmate abuse involving the Texas Youth Commission.
“Jay is a pretty tough investigator,” Davis said. “He’s going to find out what happened. He’s also an attorney. He’s heavily oriented toward facts as being the key thing in deciding any controversy or case.”
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March 4, 2008
Agency inspecting biodefense labs at A&M
A six-person team from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today began inspecting laboratories at Texas A&M University as part of a review of safety and security matters involving biodefense research.
The visit, which will continue through Thursday, is apparently the first in a series by the federal agency, said Jason Cook, a spokesman for A&M. Campus officials hope that the visits will lead to approval to resume biodefense work, which was shut down in June by the CDC as a result of various lapses, including unreported infections of workers.
“At this time we’re not exactly sure how many visits the recertification process will entail,” Cook said. “To borrow a sports analogy, we’ll take it … one week at a time.”
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February 27, 2008
Bioweapons watchdog group hangs it up
The Sunshine Project, a nonprofit group that blew the whistle on safety and security lapses involving research on biological warfare materials at Texas A&M University, is suspending operations indefinitely.
The reason is simple, said Edward Hammond, director of the group, which has Austin ties: lack of money. Foundations, peace groups and other organizations haven’t exactly showered the Sunshine Project with money.
“Somebody will pick you up for a couple years and then drop you,” Hammond said in an interview last fall. “Generally speaking, it’s a nightmare trying to get funded.”
The barebones operation, with two full-time employees and one part-timer, nevertheless compiled an impressive record.
It revealed last year that A&M researchers were exposed to toxic microbes and that the university did not report the exposures to federal authorities. The disclosure eventually led to an investigation by the federal Health and Human Services Department, which halted all biodefense work on the College Station campus. A&M’s governing board authorized President Elsa Murano this week to execute a settlement with the department’s Office of Inspector General that includes a $1 million fine.
The Sunshine Project also compiled information on lab mishaps at the University of Texas at Austin, UT-San Antonio, the UT Medical Branch at Galveston and the UT Health Science Center at Houston.
The Sunshine Project’s Web site — you can link to it here — will remain online but will no longer be updated.
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February 20, 2008
A&M to pay $1 million for biodefense safety lapses
Texas A&M University announced today that it has agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services $1 million as a civil penalty for safety and security lapses involving biodefense materials.
The agreement could lead to the resumption of campus research involving so-called select agents and toxins. Such research was suspended last year in an unprecedented action by federal authorities.
A&M President Elsa Murano said at an afternoon news conference that the university proposed the fine and that the proposal was accepted by the Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Inspector General. She said the university took full responsibility for the lapses.
“We have raised the bar for ourselves and everybody else,” Murano said. “It demonstrates that we certainly believe this is serious, that it’s important for us to have robust safety controls.”
Donald White, a spokesman for the Health and Human Services Department, described the agreement as “a settlement in principle.”
“We are very hopeful” that the agreement will lead to a resumption of work with select agents and toxins, said Jason Cook, a spokesman for A&M.
Cook said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a unit of the Health and Human Services Department, is expected to send a “recertification team” to campus in early March. Depending on the team’s findings, A&M could be allowed to resume biodefense work.
The CDC shut down some of A&M’s biodefense research in April after the nonprofit Sunshine Project disclosed that the university had failed for more than a year to report the February 2006 infection of a researcher with the toxic microbe Brucella. The agency expanded that cease-and-desist order in June to include all of A&M’s work with select agents and toxins.
