Latest news with #Eltife
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UT System chancellor leaves to lead University of California
University of Texas System Chancellor JB Milliken will leave the 256,000-student system to take a new out-of-state position as University of California president, system officials said Friday. "We are fortunate to have had Chancellor Milliken at the helm of the UT System for almost seven years,' said UT System Regents' Chair Kevin P. Eltife in a statement. 'The board and I are grateful for our close and very productive relationship with him, and we are proud of what we accomplished together. He has led the UT System admirably and innovatively." Milliken was appointed as UT System chancellor in 2018 after spending years as chancellor for City University of New York, and has also served as president of the University of Nebraska. Milliken was named the new president of the University of California on Friday, and will enter that role in August, according to statements from UC and the UT System. John Zerwas, the University of Texas System's executive vice chancellor for health affairs and a former Republican member of the Texas House, will serve as acting chancellor when Milliken leaves in June, according to a news release from the UT System. Zerwas, who is a doctor, retired from the Legislature in 2019 after seven terms in the House, at one point serving as chair of the budget-writing House Appropriations committee. Eltife praised Zerwas' work as vice chancellor and his ability to strengthen partnerships between UT and health institutions. 'We continue to have the benefit of Dr. Zerwas' long and distinguished service in the Texas Legislature as a higher education advocate and budget expert,' Eltife said. Milliken's exit is not the only pre-summer leadership shakeup at UT and other major Texas universities.. Jim Davis, former UT chief operating officer, was appointed as interim president of the University of Texas at Austin campus in February, months before former president Jay Hartzell indicated he would step down for a new role as Southern Methodist University's next president. Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp, the university's longest-serving chancellor, will be retiring in June. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar will take on the role July 1. The transitions in university leadership come at a time where college campuses across Texas and the nation are under increased scrutiny from lawmakers. A bill passed by the state Senate would limit how universities could teach about race and history, while another passed by the House would require schools including universities adopt a controversial definition of antisemitism. Those bills come in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests across university campuses in Texas and the United States last year, and as lawmakers continue to crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campuses. Milliken was one of several university leaders who testified during a 2024 state Senate subcommittee hearing aimed at ensuring campuses were complying with a 2023 ban on DEI offices and programs. 'Those degrees change the lives of our graduates for the better, absolutely. But they also change the trajectories of families and communities,' Milliken said in remarks to the UC Board of Regents during their meeting on Friday. 'Despite this, we know that confidence in higher education is at the lowest levels in the decades since it's been measured. Yet I remain firmly convinced that higher education is more important than at any point in our history.' Disclosure: Southern Methodist University, University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Texas System bans drag shows in campus facilities
The University of Texas System announced Tuesday its universities are banned from sponsoring drag shows or hosting them in their facilities, a few weeks after the Texas A&M System's board of regents approved a similar ban. 'If the board of regents needs to take further action to make this clear, we will do so,' UT System Board of Regents Chair Kevin Eltife said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that this is a measure 'to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and executive orders, including any restriction on the use of public funds.' Eltife declined to say what specific laws they were seeking to comply with, but the move appears to be in response to recent executive orders issued by President Donald J. Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. In January, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to take all necessary steps to ensure funds are not used to promote gender ideology. A few days later, Abbott directed state agencies to reject efforts 'to distort commonsense notions of biological sex.' Texas A&M University System Board of Regents cited these executive orders when it passed its own drag show ban last month. The system was sued by the Queer Empowerment Council, a student group at the College Station flagship that organizes Draggieland, an annual drag show that was slated to take place at the Rudder Theatre on March 27. 'Texas A&M can't banish student-funded, student-organized drag performances from campus simply because they offend administrators. If drag offends you, don't buy a ticket,' said Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a national free speech group representing the students in this case. Judge Lee H. Rosenthal heard arguments Tuesday morning in federal court in Houston on whether to block the ban temporarily. It's unclear when he'll make a decision. Texas A&M has argued in court documents that drag is not expressive speech protected under the First Amendment. The system has also suggested it might lose funding if it disregards federal and state guidance and allows Draggieland to proceed in the campus theater. It said this fiscal year, federal appropriations made up 12% of its budget; federal contracts and grants 16%; and tuition and fees, some of which come from federally-backed student loans, 25%. Texas A&M, which is being defended by the Texas Attorney General's Office, also took issue with the characterization that the system has banned on-campus drag shows. It described the Rudder Theatre as a limited public forum and pointed out that students were allowed to dress in drag to protest the board's decision on campus a few days later. The UT System's drag show ban comes a few days after Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare urged the board of regents to follow in A&M's footsteps. O'Hare, who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor of business administration in finance in 1991, pointed out that UT-Arlington recently hosted an event that featured a drag performer. KERA reported that the event O'Hare was likely referring to was not funded by the university, but a student group. That is also the case with Draggieland at Texas A&M University in College Station. The UT System consists of 14 institutions that educate more than 256,000 students. The UT System Board of Regents' next meeting is scheduled for May 7-8, but it can call a special meeting before that time. The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University System, University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. We can't wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Interim president for UT Austin named at UT System regents' meeting
Feb. 19—AUSTIN — Following the recommendation of Chairman Kevin P. Eltife and the UT System Board of Regents Feb. 19, Chancellor James B. Milliken named James E. Davis as interim president of The University of Texas at Austin, effective immediately. Davis currently serves as the university's senior vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to that, he was UT's vice president for legal affairs and business strategies. A graduate of UT Austin and Harvard Law School, Davis has been pivotal in successfully navigating some of UT Austin's most innovate and complex activities to advance its mission. In each of his leadership roles, Davis has driven positive outcomes for UT. Some examples include the development of UT's Innovation Tower, the university's first seed investment fund for startup companies to support researchers' discoveries, solutions for faculty and student housing, development of the Moody Center, and UT's move into the SEC Athletic Conference, among others. "Jim Davis has consistently executed very effective and high-impact strategies to propel UT Austin's rise. His depth of knowledge in optimizing how the university operates to best serve its students is critical at this time in higher education, and we appreciate his willingness to serve in this role," Eltife said in a news release. With the appointment of Davis, Eltife emphasized the need for UT Austin to take this time to address large-scale issues like infrastructure and deferred maintenance demands and the enhancement of operational and financial efficiencies to hone UT's strength for the future and maximize investments that can be directed to faculty and students. "Among his many strengths, Davis is uniquely qualified to lead these efforts. He is the right person at the right time," Eltife said. "There's no question Jim Davis is the right leader to serve as interim president. He knows the campus and the state well, and he's already leading the institution's efforts to address some of the most critical opportunities and challenges," said Milliken. He's a solid, tested, smart leader and he's completely devoted to the success of the university. "My colleagues and I have been working closely with him on big issues for years, and we look forward to making significant progress during his interim presidency," he added. Davis responded to the appointment. "I am grateful for the leadership and support of Chairman Eltife, the Board of Regents and Chancellor Milliken, and I am honored by this opportunity to further serve our university," said Davis.
