UT Tyler Presidential Search Advisory Committee Named

AUSTIN — A committee to advise The University of Texas System Board of Regents on the selection of a president for UT Tyler was announced Thursday by Regents’ Chairman Paul L. Foster, according to a UT System news release. The UT Tyler presidential search advisory committee will make recommendations on possible successors to Rodney H. Mabry, Ph.D., who announced in February his plans to retire at the end of 2016. The search advisory committee will be asked to present names of potential candidates to the board, which will make the final decision.

Officials say Committee members were selected in accordance with the Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations, which include a provision for representation on such committees by various constituencies of the institution. According to the release, Foster says regents “will seek a president to champion the continued growth of this respected university.”

Representation includes:

Chair of the committee (Steven Leslie, Ph.D., UT System executive vice chancellor for academic affairs)
Board of Regents (Regent Brenda Pejovich and Regent Ernest Aliseda)
Presidents of other UT System institutions (Gregory Fenves, Ph.D., president of UT Austin; and Kirk A. Calhoun, M.D., president of UT Health Science Center at Tyler)
UT Tyler dean, faculty and student (James R. Lumpkin, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business and Technology; Catherine Ross, Ph.D., associate professor of English; Mary Fischer, Ph.D., professor of accounting; Kouider Mokhtari, Ph.D., professor of education; and Josiah Shipley, political science and economics student)
UT Tyler staff and alumni (Jessica Brown, marketing coordinator in the College of Business & Technology; and David King, CEO and president of Primoris Services Corporation)
External and community members (Dawn Franks, president of Your Philanthropy, LLC; James I. Perkins, president and chairman of Citizens 1st Bank; and A.W. “Whit” Riter, III, president of Riter Management Company)

Officials say the UT System will establish a website to provide information regarding the search, including a timeline, and will provide an opportunity for members of the public to privately submit nominations for the next president of UT Tyler. The website will be publicized as soon as it is operational, according to the news release. Russell Reynolds Associates, a global executive recruitment firm, is assisting the UT System in the national search.