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Office
of News and Information
August 26, 2002 |
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AUSTIN -- Chancellor Mark G. Yudof announced major staff changes and a reorganization of the University of Texas System administration Friday. Searches for new leaders for key offices in health affairs, academic affairs, governmental relations, and community relations will begin immediately, according to Yudof. A new office for educational system alignment is being established to improve the U.T. System interface among higher education, community colleges, and elementary and secondary education in the state. In addition, a new position for accountability and performance assessment has been created for the first time at the state's largest higher education system. "This is an opportunity to bring a new leadership team together for the U.T. System," Yudof said in making the announcement. "We have great challenges and opportunities ahead of us in higher education, and I want a leadership team that reflects our values and aspirations for higher education in general and for the entire U.T. System." Today's announcement is Yudof's first major staff change since becoming the ninth chancellor of the U.T. System on Aug. 1. With Friday's announcement, searches will begin for an executive vice chancellor for health affairs, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, vice chancellor for governmental relations, and vice chancellor for community relations for the U.T. System. James
Guckian, M.D., currently the acting executive vice chancellor for
health affairs, will continue in that position on an interim basis
until a replacement has been named to succeed him. Edwin
R. Sharpe, the current executive vice chancellor for academic affairs,
will assume new responsibilities as vice chancellor for educational
system alignment. In his new position he will be responsible for
the U.T. System K-16 program including the "Every Child, Every
Advantage" initiative, a variety of collaborative efforts with
other universities, community colleges, public schools and state
agencies; and the U.T. TeleCampus, the web-based distance learning
program which serves the component institutions of the U.T. System.
"This
is an excellent opportunity to focus on issues in education that
have become a passion for me in my time here at U.T. System,"
Dr. Sharpe commented. "We will be able to concentrate on programs
that integrate and align educational institutions from preschool
through college graduation and beyond. The U.T. System is uniquely
positioned to make an enduring impact on the education system of
the state and to help achieve the ambitious goals of the federal
and state education initiatives." Tom
Scott, currently vice chancellor for governmental relations, will
resume his duties as associate vice chancellor for governmental
relations with responsibility for budget and financial matters.
Scott, an expert in higher education finance said, "I look
forward to concentrating my works on the vital finance and appropriation
issues confronting public higher education in Texas. This is a critical
time in our state's history and the success of public higher education
is key to Texas' future." The
position of vice chancellor for community relations, vacant since
June, will also be filled through a search, according to Yudof.
In
addition to these moves, Chancellor Yudof also announced two new
appointments. Amy Shaw Thomas has been promoted to associate vice
chancellor for health affairs. Shaw Thomas has been an assistant
vice chancellor for governmental relations and assistant vice chancellor
for health affairs at the U.T. System. Chancellor
Yudof also announced the appointment of Geri Malandra as executive
associate for accountability and performance, reporting directly
to the chancellor. Malandra held a similar position at the University
of Minnesota where Yudof was president before being named chancellor
of the U.T. System. "It
is crucial that we establish at the highest level an office charged
with responsibility for system-wide accountability, performance,
and benchmarking," Yudof said. "As I did at Minnesota,
I intend for this office to work with all of our component campuses,
executive offices of the System, and agencies of the state to establish
a system of accountability measures and performance data. We need
accurate, objective data from this office that will provide a clear
picture of the quality of education and health care we are providing
and to report that information regularly to me, to the Board of
Regents, and to the people of Texas. It will be vital to the decision-making
process and essential to improving quality, saving dollars devoted
to education and research, and improving student services at all
of our component institutions." The
promotions, appointments, and reassignments are effective immediately. "I
am pleased that Tom Scott and Ed Sharpe have agreed to remain with
the U.T. System Administration in these new capacities," Yudof
said. "I believe they will continue to contribute in ways that
draw on their vast experience and dedicated service to the state,
the U.T. System, and higher education. Jim Guckian will continue
his excellent service as acting executive vice chancellor until
a search is concluded for a replacement." In
addition to these appointments, another major executive appointment
was made in July with the creation of the position of vice chancellor
for administration. Tonya Moten Brown, an administrator at the University
of Minnesota since 1997, was appointed July 25 by then-Chancellor
R. D. Burck in consultation with incoming Chancellor Yudof. Brown
will be the primary contact from the chancellor's office for administrative
matters related to the U.T. System's operations and planning. She
will represent the chancellor's office on governmental committees,
collaborate with system officials to ensure organizational effectiveness,
direct the analysis and evaluation of system activities for the
chancellor's office, and carry out other administrative functions
for the chancellor. She began her duties in Austin on Aug. 19. The
executive vice chancellor for academic affairs is responsible for
the U.T. System undergraduate, graduate, and research programs conducted
at the nine academic institutions in the U.T. System. Through the
presidents of the component institutions, the executive vice chancellor
has responsibility for academic planning and programs, budgets,
facilities planning and construction, and personnel (both academic
and non-academic) of those components. The executive vice chancellor for health affairs has primary responsibility for the oversight of the six health institutions of the U.T. System. Through the presidents of the component institutions, the Health Affairs Office has responsibility for the budgets, academic planning and programs, health care delivery, facilities planning and construction, and personnel (both academic and non-academic) of those components. The vice chancellor for governmental relations supports the U.T. System and Board of Regents in the pursuit of excellence in education, research, and service by enhancing public and governmental support necessary to the operations of the component institutions and System Administration. The Office of Governmental Relations works with the Office of the Governor, state agencies, Legislative Budget Board, and individual members, staffs, and committees of the Texas Legislature on issues regarding the U.T. System and higher education. The vice chancellor for community relations works with the component institutions and serves the principal liaison to the various statewide community-based organizations and professional associations operating in Texas to further the mission of the U.T. System. These efforts include on-going collaboration programs benefiting small businessmen and women in the U.T. System construction program and adult and youth educational leadership scholarship programs. Recent work has focused on developing international programs between the U.T. System and various higher education institutions in Mexico including student and faculty exchange programs, research, telemedicine, and distance education.
Contact
person: Emily Battle,
(903) 565-5604
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