Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education adds New ...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2011
Jenifer Sarver 512-879-0992 [email protected]
Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education adds New Business Leaders, Public Policy Makers, Leading Aggies as Founding Members Southwest Airlines CEO, Former Texas A&M President and Texas A&M System Chancellor, Texas A&M Chancellor Emeritus, Former Lieutenant Governor among New Additions AUSTIN—Two weeks after its launch, the Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education is pleased to welcome 24 new founding members dedicated to advancing excellence in Texas public higher education. The new members include CEOs of leading Texas companies, a former Texas A&M System Regent, a chief justice of the 3rd Texas Court of Appeals, a former mayor and chair of the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System and the founder of Texas Monthly magazine, are among other distinguished Texans who have signed on to publicly support quality and excellence at Texas’ public universities. The new members represent a bipartisan cross-section of Texas business, industry, academic and public policy leaders, including: Judge Marilyn Aboussie, Perry L. Adkisson, Ben Barnes, Margaret C. Berry, Carmel Borders, Bill Cauthorn, David L. Chapman Ph.D., Janet S. Cockrell, Josiah M. Daniel III, Raul B. Fernandez, Charles B. Fulton, Marina V. Grayson, Gary Kelly, Michael R. Levy, William H. Mobley Ph.D., Jane Clements Monday, Betty Sue Newton, Fred A. Palmer DVM, Lorraine Perryman, B.M. Rankin Jr., Barbara Gurwitz Raynor, Robert B. Rowling, Rick Rickman and Bill Wright. “As former president of Texas A & M University and chancellor of the Texas A & M University System, I am deeply concerned about the future of our university and am pleased to join this effort to ensure that we preserve the integrity and continue to enhance the quality of not only Texas A & M but also all of our institutions of higher education in Texas,” said William H. Mobley, Ph.D. “Our flagship institutions are the crown jewel in the Texas economy as they prepare our young people for the future and help assure the competitiveness of our state and nation in the global economy. Our universities and their leaders deserve our active and constructive support.” Southwest Airlines president and CEO Gary Kelly, is among the new members who have joined in supporting our state’s public research universities. In a letter this week to Governor Perry, Kelly wrote: “Both UT and A&M are world-class leading Universities. Both bring not only immense pride to our State, but top-notch talent, economic development, and much-desired jobs. The world faces much uncertainty, as does our nation. Our nation will have to work hard to retain, much less improve, our competitive position in the world. We need government, universities and private business working together.” -More-
David L. Chapman, Ph.D, who served as an archivist for Texas A&M for nearly 40 years said, “Texas A&M University has come so far from the days when it was the tiny Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas to a Tier One research university and the attempts to turn it into a diploma mill are an affront to the faculty, administration, staff—and to the state of Texas. In 1912, the Texas Legislature made overtures at consolidating Texas A&M with UT. If E.B. Cushing had not stepped in the only thing that would be left of Texas A&M would be a historical marker on the side of Highway 6 that says ‘there once was a school here’; I believe we are under the same level of threat today. I have joined the Coalition because I have a long view of the university’s history, and have a passionate concern for its future.” The Coalition is committed to ensuring our public higher education institutions remain on a track of excellence through continued progress and reform, which begins with accountability and transparency in the dialogue surrounding the public higher education debate. About the Coalition The Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education was launched in the summer of 2011 by a group of concerned citizens who believe strongly in the power of higher education to transform lives, build our economy and shape Texas’ future. Formed in response to a growing concern over recommendations being floated that could have long-term damaging effects on our institutions of higher learning, the Coalition hopes to advance a thoughtful, constructive and transparent dialogue around higher education in Texas, seeking to improve the quality educational opportunities for all Texans. For more information on the Coalition and information on higher education in Texas, please visit: www.TexasEducationExcellence.org ###
Jenifer Sarver 512-879-0992 [email protected]
Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education adds New Business Leaders, Public Policy Makers, Leading Aggies as Founding Members Southwest Airlines CEO, Former Texas A&M President and Texas A&M System Chancellor, Texas A&M Chancellor Emeritus, Former Lieutenant Governor among New Additions AUSTIN—Two weeks after its launch, the Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education is pleased to welcome 24 new founding members dedicated to advancing excellence in Texas public higher education. The new members include CEOs of leading Texas companies, a former Texas A&M System Regent, a chief justice of the 3rd Texas Court of Appeals, a former mayor and chair of the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System and the founder of Texas Monthly magazine, are among other distinguished Texans who have signed on to publicly support quality and excellence at Texas’ public universities. The new members represent a bipartisan cross-section of Texas business, industry, academic and public policy leaders, including: Judge Marilyn Aboussie, Perry L. Adkisson, Ben Barnes, Margaret C. Berry, Carmel Borders, Bill Cauthorn, David L. Chapman Ph.D., Janet S. Cockrell, Josiah M. Daniel III, Raul B. Fernandez, Charles B. Fulton, Marina V. Grayson, Gary Kelly, Michael R. Levy, William H. Mobley Ph.D., Jane Clements Monday, Betty Sue Newton, Fred A. Palmer DVM, Lorraine Perryman, B.M. Rankin Jr., Barbara Gurwitz Raynor, Robert B. Rowling, Rick Rickman and Bill Wright. “As former president of Texas A & M University and chancellor of the Texas A & M University System, I am deeply concerned about the future of our university and am pleased to join this effort to ensure that we preserve the integrity and continue to enhance the quality of not only Texas A & M but also all of our institutions of higher education in Texas,” said William H. Mobley, Ph.D. “Our flagship institutions are the crown jewel in the Texas economy as they prepare our young people for the future and help assure the competitiveness of our state and nation in the global economy. Our universities and their leaders deserve our active and constructive support.” Southwest Airlines president and CEO Gary Kelly, is among the new members who have joined in supporting our state’s public research universities. In a letter this week to Governor Perry, Kelly wrote: “Both UT and A&M are world-class leading Universities. Both bring not only immense pride to our State, but top-notch talent, economic development, and much-desired jobs. The world faces much uncertainty, as does our nation. Our nation will have to work hard to retain, much less improve, our competitive position in the world. We need government, universities and private business working together.” -More-
David L. Chapman, Ph.D, who served as an archivist for Texas A&M for nearly 40 years said, “Texas A&M University has come so far from the days when it was the tiny Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas to a Tier One research university and the attempts to turn it into a diploma mill are an affront to the faculty, administration, staff—and to the state of Texas. In 1912, the Texas Legislature made overtures at consolidating Texas A&M with UT. If E.B. Cushing had not stepped in the only thing that would be left of Texas A&M would be a historical marker on the side of Highway 6 that says ‘there once was a school here’; I believe we are under the same level of threat today. I have joined the Coalition because I have a long view of the university’s history, and have a passionate concern for its future.” The Coalition is committed to ensuring our public higher education institutions remain on a track of excellence through continued progress and reform, which begins with accountability and transparency in the dialogue surrounding the public higher education debate. About the Coalition The Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education was launched in the summer of 2011 by a group of concerned citizens who believe strongly in the power of higher education to transform lives, build our economy and shape Texas’ future. Formed in response to a growing concern over recommendations being floated that could have long-term damaging effects on our institutions of higher learning, the Coalition hopes to advance a thoughtful, constructive and transparent dialogue around higher education in Texas, seeking to improve the quality educational opportunities for all Texans. For more information on the Coalition and information on higher education in Texas, please visit: www.TexasEducationExcellence.org ###
