Powers Retrospective

May 2015

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

A TEXAS STUDENT MEDIA COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

A TEXAS STUDENT MEDIA COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

MAY 2015

TEXAS STUDENT MEDIA Board of Directors Mary Dunn, President Arthur D. Soto-Vasquez Bobby Blanchard Arjun Mocherla Pauline Berens Adam Alloy Matt Eastin Heidi Toprac Robert Quigley Todd Ross Nienkerk Jeff Cohen Director Gerald Alan Johnson

Changing of the Guard

12 Hours with Powers

Business and Operations Manager Frank Serpas

2006 | Page 4

2012 | Page 18

Advertising Manager Denise Twellmann

President Powers Editorial

UGS School now open

2006 | Page 6

2008 | Page 20

Freshman Invasion

Powers eyes graduation rate

2006 | Page 8

2011 | Page 24

CACTUS YEARBOOK

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

Powers announces strategy

Lawmakers defend Powers

2006 | Page 10

2013 | Page 26

Creative and Art Services - Cover Design Daniel Hublein Production and Layout Stephen Salisbury

Powers Ahead

Appeals court rules in Fisher case

2006 | Page 11

2014 | Page 28

Powers to Change

Campaign for Texas

2007 | Page 12

2014 | Page 30

FarewellPowers.com/Digital Daniel Hublein Curt Yowell

Powers to the People

Dell Medical School

2008 | Page 16

2014 | Page 31

Editorial Management Jordan Rudner Brett Donohoe Jack Mitts Peter Chen, Advisor

Design Christy Zhang Advertising Sales Allysun Gutierrez Carter Goss Shukree Shabazz Felisha Cockran

Editorial Contributors John Farey, Joshua Fechter, Clint Johnson, Andrew Kreighbaum, Shabab Siddiqui, Jessica Sondgeroth, Maya Srikrishnan, Amanda Voeller, Ian Warren, Michelle West, Alex Wilts

This publication was created with content published in the Daily Texan and Cactus yearbook during Bill Powers’ presidential term at the University of Texas. Both publications are part of the Texas Student Media family. Some of the stories have been edited for brevity. Texas Student Media trains future journalists, editors, radio producers and television producers through our award-winning student-run media entities.

Learn more at supportstudentvoices.org

Photographic Contributors Chris Benavides, Joe Buglewicz, Jonathan Garza, Erika Kalifa, Jeff McWhorter, Sarah Montgomery, Charlie Pearce, Lawrence Peart, Brian Ray, Dean Sagun, Marisa Vasquez, Amy Zhang Special Thank You to: Stewart Vanderwilt Mark Francois Karl Miller Jennifer Townzen Geoff Leavenworth Avrel Seale Doug Bolin Kathleen Skinner Mike Wilson Wanda Cash Kathleen Mabley Rod Hart

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

Changing of the Guard

Powers will face lack of funding, diversity, new curriculum

B

ill Powers is optimistic.

Just ask the new president about his vision for UT’s future.

“We need to be the most excellent research and teaching public university in the country,” Powers said Monday.

“When [students and facility] are asked where they want to go, they say, ‘Oh, of course, Texas.’” That, he said, is what it means to be a top university.

It’s possible, Powers said, although he’ll face a host of challenges such as securing funding, revamping the curriculum and improving diversity.

Powers’ approach to each issue will be colored by one optimistic vision: UT as the country’s premier public university.

“The crucial beacon that’s a driving force of my view is excellence in education,” Powers said.

Powers takes office today as the campus debates some of the most sweeping changes to the core curriculum in 25 years. Top administrators, including Powers, want to revolutionize the way UT teaches undergraduates.

Powers chaired a task force that recommended adding two broad, “signature” courses to the core curriculum. The task force suggested reducing Advanced Placement credit and delaying the selection of a major.

And to oversee it all, the task force wants to create the “University College” to house incoming freshmen. “Cen-

trifugal forces,” as Powers calls them, pull resources away from the core curriculum. The new college would be designed to guard them.

Powers talks about bringing “treasures” like the Harry Ransom Center and worldrenowned professors to undergraduates.

“We need to bring more of them in a more systematic way and early on when students are here,” Powers said.

Of course, the president can’t do it all—changes of this scope require faculty support and funding—but with Bill Powers as the boss, curriculum reform is sure to receive plenty of attention from the Tower.

In his last State of the University speech, Larry Faulkner said his successor’s greatest challenge will be securing funding. Dwindling state support has posed a difficult question for UT, Faulkner said.

Can the University remain public without allowing its quality to slip?

“We have been able to retain our essential character as a public flagship institution as we have edged along the path we are on,” Faulkner said, “but we are approaching a point of no return.”

UT presidents have tried to balance quality and affordability for years, but the rules recently changed.

The Texas Legislature no longer sets tuition at public universities. Under pressure from higher education leaders,

lawmakers handed that power over to the school in 2003.

Administrators hailed the move as critical to sustaining quality. Students scorned it as a ploy to charge more tuition.

UT has increased tuition each year since 2003, and last fall it began charging a flat rate per semester, rather than per course.

“It’s a different world,” said Jim Vick, a former vice president of student affairs who served under Faulkner and several of his predecessors.

“One of the things that has changed significantly is the approach to funding.”

An improved undergraduate experience, Powers said, “will resonate extremely well” with state leaders and private donors.

He was quick to say he wants to keep UT affordable.

But Powers made it clear that quality in education and research comes first.

“I’d like people, when they come here as undergraduates and they go home at Thanksgiving and somebody around the dinner table asks, ‘How is it going?’ They don’t just say, ‘Pretty good,’” Powers said.

“They say, “Wow, I had no idea.’”

Powers overlooks the South Mall from the steps of the Tower.

Story by Clint Johnson Photo by Brian Ray Originally published February 1, 2006

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

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MAY 2015

President Powers

A crowd of students show their school spirit has horns in August 2014.

Photo by Jonathan Garza

First opinions from the Daily Texan

P

resident Powers. For the first time, but certainly not the last, that title is dropped on this page. We look forward to the improvements the 28th presidential term will hopefully bring, and support Powers’ quest to make the University “secondto-none.”

After meeting with Powers Monday, we are convinced of his competence and eager to watch him implement his stated goals. That said, we know it’s easy for any president to become sidetracked, what with all the bureaucracy and stresses of leadership.

With this in mind, there are a few issues which, above all else, requires constant focus, and we call on Powers to always keep them in mind.

A diverse student body One of the most impressive characteristics of our new president is his apparent heartfelt commitment to creating and maintaining a diverse student body. Whereas many officials talk the talk of improving enrollment of underrepresented groups, Powers has a clear record of actions.

As dean of the law school, Powers oversaw increases in minority enrollment under every category the University accounts for in its statistical handbook. Since Powers became dean in 2000, the number of black students has increased from 17 six years ago to 29 in 2005. At the same time, the number of Latino students has increased from 51 in 2000 to 80 in 2005. While these numbers may seem small—especially out of a total enrollment in the 500s—they are drastic improvements, particularly from statistics in the pre-Powers years.

When asked about these increases Monday, Powers attributed his success to targeted recruitment strategies, particularly at traditionally low-enrolling schools in South Texas—a method he said he will continue as president. Powers also expressed interest in limiting the University’s reliance on top 10 percent as the foremost criteria of enrollment, although he did not elaborate to what extent he wished to limit it.

Given his proven track record in creating a more di-

verse university community, we expect great things from President Powers in this category. We hope his history of results follows him into the President’s Office and that he continues his commitment by not only targeted recruitment but also the continuation of former-President Faulkner’s fight for a much-needed cap on top 10 percent.

Undergraduate education As chair of the Task Force on Curriculum Reform, President Powers has established himself as a key figure in the debate on the overhaul of undergraduate education at the University. As president, he has a bully pulpit to push strongly for the implementation of two of the report’s most important reforms: new freshman and sophomore Signature Courses and the creation of a University College. Whether or not either reform is enacted, it is refreshing to see undergraduate education as a major issue on campus.

On Monday, Powers said the University needs to “unleash the enthusiasm that is there for creative educational

programs.” He seems genuinely interested in a campus dialogue on the issue, and how a large research university can work to create an inspirational and more personal atmosphere. But both the idea of Signature Courses and a University College deserve intense criticism and discussion, as it is questionable whether or not these proposals will actually meet these innovative goals.

We will try to dissect core curriculum reform in a multipart Viewpoint series in the coming weeks, but we are glad that President Powers is making a conscious effort to put undergraduate education under the microscope.

University funding In his Monday interview with the Texan, Powers emphasized the importance of private philanthropy in helping fund our university.

Endowments are certainly a vital component of the University’s funding, however at a time when the Legislature has a lot on its platter, we cannot allow them to overlook their duty to higher education.

Article 7, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution mandates that the state “establish, organize and provide for the maintenance, support and direction of a University of the first class.” It is time the Legislature stands up to their charge, and we urge President Powers to push hard on this point.

Staff support Powers said on Monday that he will spend time with the staff council on his first day in office, adding that, “I think we need to keep remembering how much the staff around this University does.” We hope President Powers will stay true to this commitment and assure the staff support structure of the University that their concerns will be heard.

Over the summer, Vice President for Business Affairs Kevin Hegarty announced a plan to outsource the Central Receiving and Delivery Department on campus to a local company, forcing 19 University employees to find work elsewhere with the UT System or lose their benefits and retirement packages.

There are at least four former Central Receiving employees still looking for jobs on campus; otherwise they will be out of work next week.

While this business model has the potential for longterm cost savings by purging staff members from expensive benefit programs (Hegarty estimates that 65 percent of all University costs are tied to employees), it should be reexamined in several months to see if the private employees have been offered benefits (which they were not as of October) and if the level of service has diminished (the new employees no longer check the contents of packages for shipping errors). Staff morale is worth far more than the $220,000 Hegarty estimated the outsourcing will save the University.

President Powers should assure those at the staff council meeting that their jobs with the University are secure, and that he is committing to helping them help make the University first class.

Originally published February 1, 2006

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

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MAY 2015

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

“PARENTS ARE SENDING THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS OFF TO CAMPUS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS FEEL THAT WE’RE TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.”

Powers lends a hand as freshmen move into their dorms.

Photo by Joe Buglewicz

Report suspicious behavior anonymously to the Compliance and Ethics Hotline: www.reportlineweb.com/utaustin or President Powers University Compliance Services thanks call 877-507-7321 for his dedicated service to the University of Texas Confidentiality will be maintained to the greatest extent allowed by law and under the circumstances of the report.

Report suspicious behaviour anonymously to the Compliance and Ethics Hotline: www.utexas.edu/compliance www.reportlineweb.com/utaustin or call 877-597-7321 www.utexas.edu/compliance

FRESHMAN Invasion POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 9

MAY 2015

President Powers prepares for first full year as University’s top administrator

By Jessica Sondgeroth

P

resident William Powers said he wouldn’t carry small refrigerators on his back while helping incoming student move into the dorms Friday morning. He said he’d probably use the elevator.

“You know, parents are sending their sons and daughters off to campus, and we want to make the students and the parents feel that we’re taking the responsibility of being a home away from home,” Powers said.

Powers’ agenda for the fall se-

mester may also require some heavy lifting as he continues pushing forward on reforming the undergraduate core curriculum for the first time in two decades.

Last fall, a task force headed

by Powers, then School of Law dean, recommended sweeping changes to the University’s undergraduate education.

Since he took office in February, the challenge of overhauling the curriculum has given Powers the opportunity to display his style of leadership.

“The real role of a leader is to try to bring people together

on important issues, and the curriculum is a crucial issue,” Powers said. “It’s an issue that people have very strong opinions on, and rightly so, given the business we’re in. I think it’s very important that this is a collective project.”

For example, requiring incoming freshmen to hold off on declaring a major was a contentious issue among some department, such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering colleges. That recommendation has been dropped, but some controversial aspects of the reform, including a man-

datory Signature Course for all freshmen, remain.

In the spring and over the summer, Powers said he invited students, deans and faculty to submit proposals and recommendations for curriculum reform.

David Hillis, an integrative biology professor who drafted the minority report for the Task Force on Curricular Reform, has recently removed his major points of objection and now supports the proposals.

“President Powers has shown good leadership on curricular reform,” Hillis said in an

e-mail interview. “He has encouraged open discussion, listened to criticism of the original task force report and fostered the development of a sensible compromise proposal.”

Powers is also facing a major administrative turnover as the search for a new provost, the chief academic officer of the University, continues. Current Provost Sheldon Ekland-Olson, who has served as provost since 1998, will resign from his position Thursday to return to the Department of Sociology as a professor for the fall.

Eckland-Olson announced his resignation May 30 at the request of Powers, however, the decision was mutually agreed upon by the two administrators.

Executive Vice Provost Stephen Monti will be interim provost until the new provost, selected by a committee of nine faculty members, three students and others, is appointed by Powers sometime this semester.

Originally published August 28, 2006

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President Powers,

Vision and follow-through are the measures of great leadership. Because of your leadership, UT now has the the nation’s best • Reimagined core curriculum • Innovative first-year Signature Courses • Home for undecided students • School devoted to the entire undergraduate academic experience

THANK YOU

for your dedication to providing a world-class undergraduate education.

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W

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

President Powers announces strategy for the University

ith eight months of to state support for liberal arts, cation at this University,” Powleading the University fine arts and humanities sub- ers said. under his belt, President Wil- jects is as equally important Powers said he pledged to liam Powers evaluated the as support for STEM subjects, make diversity a top priority, University’s progress over the such as science, technology, a goal also given by Faulkner, last year and set goals for the engineering and mathematics. noting that during his tenure future on Friday.

Placing an emphasis on in- as dean of the law school, The relatively new president ternational studies, Powers be- the law program’s number of gave his inaugural address on gan this portion of the speech black students quadrupled and the State of the University Fri- by naming the Teresa Lo- the number of Hispanic studay, citing accomplishments zano Long Institute for Latin dents doubled. in faculty increases, progress American Studies the campus’ Despite increases in minority on approving curriculum re- “crowning jewel.” student enrollment, the Uniform, growing diversity and Powers also announced that versity’s demographics do not increased funding for graduate a task force is being composed align with the state’s. Although and international proTexas’ population is 35 grams, but no achieveHispanic, UT’s “TO OUR LAWMAKERS, I percent ment was mentioned Hispanic population SAY INVESTING IN UT IS is only half of that, at without “the need to further transform our A SOUND INVESTMENT 14 percent, according University.”

IN THE ECONOMY OF to the Office of InstituFormer president tional Research and the TEXAS.” Larry Faulkner said in Texas State Data Cenhis final State of the ter. Also, while black University address that the to examine how to make inter- students make up only 3.7 University’s greatest challenge national and global program percent of the student populawould be to provide a finan- efforts more effective. He said tion, they make up 11 percent cial model for long-term sus- he would also add $1 million of the state’s population. tenance.

The University will be studyThough Powers said his ing admissions and recruiting goals are audacious in light efforts to ensure a diverse of declining state fundUniversity population, ing, he wants to lower Powers said. the student-faculty Since more than 70 ratio from 18-to-1 percent of students to 16-to-1 by addare admitted under ing 270 more facthe top 10 percent ulty members, 145 rule, this limits the more than Faulkner flexibility of the adsuggested last year. missions process, PowPowers also committed ers said. Powers advocat$1.3 million in new recured capping the law during a ring funds for the history deSenate subcommittee hearing partment, he said. The funds on Sept. 14. will pay for six new faculty Powers said the University members, and grant stipends in support for international needs to do a better job of and a departmental excellence programs at the graduate-stu- teaching the core curriculum, fund for speakers, symposia dent level. which students depend on for and visiting scholars, Powers “If we aspire to international writing and critical thinking said. prominence, we have to spend skills.

Powers used the opportunity more money on graduate edu“At the moment, more than

200 students are enrolled in a prototype of a cross-disciplinary freshman course entitled ‘Saving the Planet,’” he said.

“The campus will watch the progress of this course with great interest.”

Total gifts to the University amounted to $213 million during the 2005-2006 fiscal year, surmounting last year’s $167 million in the most significant year of fundraising without a capital campaign, Powers said.

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation announced a $50 million donation May 15, and the University Co-op pledged $1 million to support undergraduate initiatives, he said.

“Last year we had $423 million in sponsored research, an almost 11-percent increase from the previous year,” he said. “We rank fifth in federal funding for universities without medical schools. This means we are again within striking distance of being the very best.”

UT can also do a better job of transferring technological developments made on campus into the economy, Powers said. Currently, $267 million in annual state appropriations to UT is transferred into $7.4 billion in economic activity, a multiplier of more than 25-to1, he said.

Powers is working with President Robert Gates of Texas A&M in an effort called “Horns and Aggies: Together for Change,” to make funding sustainable research a priority in the Texas Legislature, he said.

“To our lawmakers, I say investing in UT is a sound investment in the economy of Texas,” Powers said.

Powers said Texas citizens need to better understand that their future depends on intellectual capital.

Story by Jessica Sondgeroth Photo by Jeff McWhorter Originally published October 2, 2006

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

Powers Ahead

resident William Powers announced the donation of $1 million to the University, the beginning of the final step in approving curricular reform and the creation of a new position, dean of Undergraduate Studies, at the Faculty Council meeting Monday.

Less than one year after the submission of the original task force report on curricular reform, the Educational Policy Committee on Curricular Reform presented its motion Monday to an audience that seemed optimistic about the challenges facing the University this year. The council will vote on the motion Oct. 16.

Philosophy professor Paul Woodruff will assume the duties of Undergraduate Studies, because he has the vision to keep the curriculum reform’s momentum working toward a solution, rather than falling apart, Powers said.

Woodruff said UT has needed a champion of Undergraduate Studies for a long time.

Departments, colleges and schools have specific priorities and there has not been anyone with the broad mandate of supervising only the core curriculum, Woodruff said. He is taking on this duty in addition to teaching three courses this semester, he said.

The new deanship will not mirror the duties of the dean of Graduate Studies, nor will it be connected to the potential creation of a baccalaureate college, Powers said. Those involved in the process felt the reform was being stymied because no one was in charge, he said. The new deanship will undertake this responsibility and conduct research.

The announcement of the

UT creates new Dean of Undergraduate Studies Story by Ian Warren

$1 million Co-op gift is the first donation that has been set aside specifically for curricular reform. Co-op President George Mitchell said the donation was finalized at the Co-op’s Aug. 29 board meeting. The money will fund the establishment of the dean of Undergraduate Studies, whose primary duty is to act as the “guardian of the undergraduate curriculum,” Powers said.

“We just give the money. We don’t have anything to say about curriculum reform,” he said.

Archie Holmes, chair of the Educational Policy Committee, said he thought the committee’s recommendation was well received by the Faculty Council.

The committee recommended making four changes to the undergraduate degree requirements in the interest of providing students with a balance of coherence, common experience and choice, according to the motion.

The first change will require all UT students to complete an interdisciplinary, signature course their freshman and sophomore years. The goal of signature courses is to have students view complex issues more completely through “the lens of multiple disciplines,” according to the motion.

The UT education needs to have something that makes it stand apart from other universities, Holmes said in an email.

Signature courses can provide that distinction, he said.

The next change would require students to take courses that emphasize certain skills and experiences. The motion suggests that these courses, called “flags,” cover writing,

quantitative reasoning, global cultures, cultural diversity in the United States, ethics and leadership, and independent inquiry.

Holmes said these courses will prepare UT graduates to be leaders in both their professional and personal lives.

A third change would require students to take a three-hour science and technology course, in addition to the six hours of natural sciences already required.

“This will give future professional and civic leaders a firm understanding of science technology and how these topics can be used to solve problems society will face in the 21st Century,” the motion said.

The committee’s final recommendation was that students take a “coherent, thematic strand” of courses, allowing students to make the connection between different disciplines, Holmes said.

The debate on the core curriculum was prompted by the Commission 125’s Sept. 30, 2004 report to former President Larry Faulkner, which called the University’s undergraduate curriculum a “vast, a-la-carte menu.” Faulkner charted the commission, which was made up of prominent Texans, to chart the University’s course for the next 25 years.

“It has been said that large and public universities are too big and diverse to address curriculum issues, but we’ll prove that does not apply here, providing a positive example to other schools,” Woodruff said.

Originally published September 19, 2006

MAY 2015

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

POWERS to change UT President a force for legislative action

by Michelle West

I

Photo by Joe Buglewicz

n his final State of the University address, former UT President Larry Faulkner admitted that UT achieved few of its goals during the 79th Texas Legislature. He expressed disappointment in his interactions with the Legislature numerous times to The Daily Texan toward the end of his eight-year tenure and said he hoped the next president would be more successful in reaching legislative goals.

In less than three weeks, his successor, President William Powers, will be able to evaluate legislative accomplishments made during his first year in office when the 80th session comes to a close May 28. Powers’ list of appeals for the session closely mirrors Faulkner’s, parts of which have proven controversial both in the public hearing rooms and the chambers of the State Capitol.

But the former UT School of Law dean’s strength in legislative relations was a major factor in his selection as president by the UT System Board of Regents in 2005.

He had several experiences testifying in front of legislative bodies under his belt before he took office, which he said helped him in preparing for the session.

Experience and Preparation In the wake of the Enron scandal, the corporations asked Powers to join its board of directors temporarily as chairman of the Special Investigative Committee to conduct an internal investigation into the newly revealed accounting fraud that eventually led to the company’s collapse.

As a result, Powers was called to testify for a total of more than 11 hours about

the investigation’s outcome in front of the U. S. Congress.

Though the scandal brought his testimony national attention, Powers said the experience had an aspect of “political theater.” He said representing the University in front of state legislators is much more of a discussion than his Enron experience.

Before becoming president, the Texas Legislature called on him numerous times to testify regarding University and general legal issues.

Powers also testified for the Brazilian Legislature as a legal consultant.

Powers said he met with Faulkner numerous times to discuss topics including legislative efforts during the period between his selection in December 2005 and when he took office Feb. 1, 2006.

Though he said his past experiences testifying before legislative bodies were help-

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

For your 38 years of service to The University of Texas at Austin and for your strong support of the humanities, social sciences and language education during your term as president of this great university.

Every good wish from all of us in the College of Liberal Arts!

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

“THE STUDENTS DIDN’T COME HERE THINKING THEY’RE GOING TO ANY OLD UNIVERSITY. THEY CAME HERE THINKING THEY CAME TO ONE OF THE NATION’S GREAT FLAGSHIP RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES.”

Photos from left to right, Dean Sagun and Chris Benavides

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MAY 2015

ful, the real preparation came from knowing the issues.

Some of these issues have caused disagreement between Powers and legislators.

Top 10 percent Like Faulkner, Powers has pushed for a cap on the proportion of students admitted to the University under the top 10 percent law, which guarantees a spot at any state public university to students graduating within the top 10 percent of their class.

Seventy-one percent of UT’s 2006 freshman class was admitted under the top 10 percent law, said University spokesman Don Hale at a committee hearing April 29.

Eventually, Powers said, more students will be eligible under the top 10 percent rule than the University has room to enroll.

“Something at some point has to happen, otherwise it’s

going to be a train wreck,” he said.

The best admissions procedure for UT would be a combination of the top 10 percent law and a more holistic approach, Powers said. Some students who fall below the percentage are highly desirable because of strong talents in certain areas, he said.

“We’re running out of room to use holistic review to recruit the kinds of students we want,” he said.

Legislators have responded to what they say is pressure from constituents who feel that the law is unfair, especially to students attending competitive high schools. Others maintain that the law is crucial to achieving diversity on the campuses of Texas’ public universities.

“When you begin to look at the issue of Texas and its diversity, both geographically and ethnically, you will see that the University of Texas today is the most diverse than it’s

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You’ve led the road to success

Thank you from your friends in the Austin community

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 15

been in its entire history,” said Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, a strong supporter of the law, during debate on the Senate floor earlier this month.

The Senate passed a bill on May 4 by Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, that would cap the percentage of students coming into the state’s university through the top 10 percent law at 60 percent, allowing the other 40 percent to be admitted through other admissions criteria. The bill is currently headed toward the House.

certain projects, he said to the committee.

“Our boards of regents are managing institutions based on what the administration tells them, and they make basic broad decisions,” said Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, at a Senate Finance Committee public hearing in February. “Nobody goes in and says, ‘OK, let’s look at the way we’ve been doing this. The Legislature’s giving us money.

We’re not directing the money. We’re giving it to the institutions, basically as a block Tuition deregulation grant.’”

The Legislature gave univerThe University of Texas resities the authority to set their ceives a large share of state own tuition rates in 2003, due funding through the use of stato a crisis in the state budget. tistical factors to determine a Statistics vary as to what the funding formula. The formula real cost of attendance at UT is used to reward universities and other state universities has that increase the number of risen to since then.

State funding degrees they award each year.

Taking inflation and financial The draft budget bills allocat- Because UT’s population is aid into account, the actual ed the University $702 million decreasing, its share of the cost increase formula is afranges from fected, Pow“OUR RESEARCH MISSION CONTRIBUTES TRE- ers said.

16 percent to MENDOUS ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE STATE 31 percent for “We’re not OF TEXAS. WE TRANSFORM OUR $276 MILLION growing and middle-class ANNUAL STATE APPROPRIATION INTO $7.4 BIL- so our share students, acLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. THIS IS A MULTI- of that pie cording to a document is an everPLIER OF MORE THAN 25 TO 1.” provided decreasing - PRESIDENT POWERS, share,”

by UT Vice he 2006 STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS said.

President and Chief FinanState fundcial Officer Kevin Hegarty. in the House version and $724 ing takes more of an impact The Texas Higher Education million in the Senate version in on the operations and mainteCoordinating Board puts the nondedicated general revenue nance needs of the University, nonadjusted cost at a 102-per- funds. The budget propos- which funds faculty salaries. cent increase. als fully funded most of the Powers has repeatedly cited a In 2006, the National Center recommendations made on struggle to be able to recruit for Public Policy and Higher behalf of the UT System by elite faculty to the University Education gave the state of the Higher Education Coordi- because of competition from Texas an “F” in higher educa- nating Board, said UT System other public research universition affordability. The center Chancellor Mark Yudof at the ties. cited, for example, that fami- beginning of the session. At“The statistics just don’t bare lies with an average yearly in- tempts to acquire more funds out that we’re bloated financome of $41,303 would need for the University of Texas by cially,” he said. to devote 24 percent of their Powers were met with some Powers said the University income to pay the cost of at- resistance by lawmakers, who regularly made efforts to imtending a four-year public uni- questioned whether UT was prove efficiency. versity. making efficient use of funds.

“Just on the energy issue, we In support of tuition deState funding through gener- spent millions of dollars retroregulation, Powers continu- al revenue has increased an av- fitting our turbines so they are ally emphasized throughout erage of 1.8 percent per year a more efficient use of energy.” the session that the University during the last 10 years and The University will not know needed to maintain “flexibil- has not kept up with inflation, its final appropriation from ity” in funding the institution.

Powers said. Much of the the state until the budget is “The students didn’t come funding received from grants Originally published here thinking they’re going to and donations is dedicated to May 9, 2007

MAY 2015

any old university. They came here thinking they came to one of the nation’s great flagship research universities,” Powers said.

Maintaining that quality is crucial, he said.

Despite Powers’ position, a number of bills were filed that would limit or do away with tuition deregulation. Legislators said they responded to constituent families who say that the price of a post-secondary education in the state is becoming unaffordable.

Proposals regarding adjustments to tuition deregulation have not moved quickly through the Legislature. The last action taken on any bills dealing with deregulation took place in early April, with all bills left pending in committee.

Thank you, President Powers, for your leadership and for your support of the College of Fine Arts.

PAGE 16

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

POWERS to the people A typical day with the president Story by Maya Srikrishnan Photos by Amy Zhang

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MAY 2015

Powers smiles through the ice bucket challenge at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

Name: 3757/The University of Texas Li; Width: 29p6; Depth: 5 in; Color: Black, 3757/The University of Texas Li; Ad Number: 3757

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 17

U

T President William Powers begins his day at the University chewing on a cigar at his desk while being prepped for the day by his assistant Kathy Bartsch.

In the 1950s, the president's office in the Main Building was converted from the Rare Books Library - something apparent in the office. Two walls without windows are filled floor to ceiling with books, including every published copy of the Cactus Yearbook. From his office, doors to a terrace offer a unique view of campus.

As a leader of one of the largest universities in the country, the UT president works about 80 hours per week, compared to the average American’s 40-hour work week, said George Glaeser, a UT Police Department officer who sits outside the Office of the President and checks people as

they exit the elevator.

Glaeser, who has been at UT for 34 years, has worked in the president’s office through the past four presidents. He said students cannot understand the complexities of the University until they see what the president does each day.

Powers said his workdays generally last from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. but dinners or evening functions can stretch the day as late as 11 p.m. He attends the functions about four times a week but said he makes exceptions to these hours for his family.

“The time I spend with my family is the best part of my day, but it’s not enough time,” he said.

Powers said his Monday schedule consisting of back-to-back

meetings from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. resembled a typical day discussing “regular business.”

“Regular business” includes a monthly Dean’s Council meeting, meetings with Provost Steve Leslie, Internal Audit Director Mike Vandervort and student organizations.

“I think it would be surprising

MAY 2015

day meetings crowd them out.”

By the second meeting of the day, he is already running a halfhour behind schedule.

As he continues with back-toback meetings, Powers is briefly interrupted by his wife, who is leading a small group of high school students and their mothers around campus. Powers stops to take pictures with the students and their mothers.

To maximize the productivity of his day, Powers met with Raymond Paredes, commissioner for higher education in Texas, while munching on a sandwich and chips from the O’s To Go and sipping lemonade.

His structured day can be full of surprises though, like an afternoon meeting with the “Morning Group” - made up of UT

“THE TIME I SPEND WITH MY FAMILY IS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY.” to students, and to faculty frankly, to see how much time we spend on the regular business,” Powers said. “I have to make time to think strategically about the big issues facing the University - like undergraduate curriculum and diversity - and not let the day-to-

spokesman Don Hale, deputies to the president Nancy Brazzil and Charles Roeckle, special assistant to the president Geoff Leavenworth, chief speech writer Tom Zigal and Powers’ executive assistant Kathy Bartsch.

Following the conclusion of his final meeting, Powers finally left his office to head to a reception at the Harry Ransom Center.

Before having a glass of red wine and two pieces of shrimp, the president goes to the Men’s Athletics Academic Awards Banquet to meet his wife, Kim Helibrun, and congratulate the athletes.

Dinner was not the last item on Powers’ “To-Do” list - he went home to go through about 100 emails.

“I usually get about six hours of sleep a night,” he said. “I catch up on weekends though.”

Originally published April 22, 2008

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The Trustees of the University of Texas Law School Foundation congratulate William C. Powers Jr. on his successful presidency of The University of Texas at Austin and welcome him back to the School of Law.

PAGE 18

Powers discusses the importance of research after accepting a donation from the ExxonMobil Foundation

POWERS RETR

ROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

12 Hours with Powers Students shadow Powers for a full day Story by Liz Farmer Photo by Pu Ying Huang

F

rom meeting with big Texas characters to enjoying delicate appetizers, President William Powers Jr. worked from sunrise to sunset Friday, and The Daily Texan went along for the ride.

Meetings, speeches and receptions filled the day and left few moments for meals and recharging. “Today is [focused on] what I’d call the ceremonial side of my job,” Powers said.

7:20 a.m. On the Main Mall, Powers presented the Air Force ROTC the President’s Cup, an athletic competition between the ROTC branches that he started five years ago. The Air Force ROTC presented Powers with a T-shirt that he put on over his button-up dress shirt. Students teased that his untucked shirt was not within ROTC regulations. Powers said he tries not to pick sides, but he’s a Navy guy.

8:15 a.m. Powers caught up with emails, read The Daily Texan and conversed with colleagues about issues such as the recent tobacco ban on campus. Powers is a cigar smoker and said, “At this very moment, I’m missing them.”

8:30 a.m. The University Budget met for several hours to discuss a variety of issues, including how the UT System Board of Regents delay in setting tuition will affect preparation of the budget.

10:30 a.m. Former Student Government Vice President Ashley Baker met with Powers for a private discussion.

“I’ll have days where students come in for advice.” Powers said it’s easy for him to understand and sympathize with students, as he has five kids of his own.

11:45 a.m. Powers rushed over to the dedication of the Student Activity Center in honor of Margaret Berry, beloved almuna and retired University administrator. As he had trouble finding the ceremony in time for his speech, he joked, “It will be the Margaret Berry Auditorium when I say it is!”

12:20 p.m. Director of Development Lee Bash looked over at Powers as he hurried away from the stage to talk to someone.

“He does that. Ninety seconds to go, and he’s like ‘I’ve got something to do over here,’” Bash said.

12:35 p.m. Powers introduced Berry after she was introduced

by Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Rep. Lloyd Doggett and two alumni who were greatly influenced by her work. “It’s quite impossible to measure the impact of someone like Dr. Berry,” Powers said.

“At the end of the day, we’re left with the greatest superlative of all — love.” While talking about the opportunities she’d tried to create for students to keep them plugged into college, Berry said, “Don’t ever count one out. Give them another chance. Sometimes you have to do a little pushing.”

1:10 p.m. A participant at the reception yelled “Dr. Powers — picture!” to which he responded with a smile and a chance for the snapshot. While speaking to UT System Regent Alex Cranberg, Powers said he thought Berry “was nervous, but when she got up and looked out and it wasn’t a crowd, it was people she knew,” she felt more comfortable. Powers said he grabs coffee from the SAC some mornings and it’s nice to see students sitting on the inside steps, studying.

“This may sound odd. But I like the days when I am actually solving issues.”

the Exxon representatives for the donation and Exxon’s continued partnership with the University through research, UTeach and career services.

5:45 p.m. Joe Alba, Coordinator for Office of the President, navigates traffic to get to the Four Seasons Hotel for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Chancellors, the UT Law School’s top honor society. Powers needed to get back to the tower for a speech at 6:30 p.m., but explained that he’s making an appearance for his friend, UT Law professor David Anderson.

Powers hopped out of the car and made his way into the reception toward Anderson to talk for a few minutes before it was back out to the car. However, his exit was a continuous parade of ‘hellos’ and handshakes. Former Houston Mayor Bill White stopped Powers and told his entourage, “This guy and I practiced law together way back when.”

6:27 p.m. Back in the car, Alba maneuvered the car into Inner Campus Drive within a few minutes. Powers read over his notes for his next speech.

4:30 p.m. In the president’s library, about 20 people gathered with wine in hand as the ExxonMobil Foundation presented the University with more than $1.1 million. Business Dean Thomas Gilligan walked onto the wraparound porch that has sweeping views of the Capitol, the stadium and IH-35, close to where the UT baseball team would play the Oklahoma State Cowboys that evening. “Are you going to the baseball game tonight?” Gilligan asked. “I’ve actually got two dinners,” Powers said. The booming sound test for Forty Acres Fest crashed into the peaceful setting.

6:40 p.m.. Council members of the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies seated themselves in Main 212, the meeting room which had been transformed into a dinner setting with covered tables, flower centerpieces and glistening place settings. Members include UT alumni Teresa Lozano Long and Joe Long, donors to the institute and the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Powers took to the podium, glanced through his reading glasses at his notes, and said “I know I’m between you and dinner, so I’ll try to be brief.” He said he’s traveled to Brazil about 17 times, more than any other country, and said Latin American studies is important across campus.

“It offers us countless opportunities,” Powers said as he took off his glasses. “It’s a big area and we’re just scratching the surface.

We are, as a university, on the doorstep of Latin America. We ought to take advantage of it.”

In the morning, Powers said some days are consumed with meetings and other days revolve around talking to potential students, which he said is among his favorite type of day “because they’re so excited.” However, Powers said another type of day makes the top of his list.

“This may sound odd,” Powers said. “But I like days when I’m actually solving issues.”

5:00 p.m. With a diminishing voice, Powers formally thanked

Originally published April 16, 2012

1:48 p.m. Two University administrators met with Powers in preparation for this week’s meeting of the Association of American Universities. They discussed improving college readiness and expanding the online courses offered from UT and other universities. Powers said online courses can provide enrichment opportunities for students.

2:30 p.m. Powers met privately with Ajay Nair, Senior Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania. Nair is one of four candidates chosen as a finalist for vice president for Student Affairs.

PAGE 20

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

Undergraduate Studies School now open Students may remain in the school for no more than 3 semesters

by Andrew Kreighbaum

E

nrollment in the School of Undergraduate Students is now officially an option for undeclared students entering the University.

Whereas in the past incoming students who were not admitted to the school of their choice were offered a place in the College of Liberal Arts, they will now be offered a place in the School of Undergraduate Studies beginning fall 2009. Students can remain in the school for up to three semesters.

At the end of May, the Texas higher Education Coordinating Board approved the creation of the school.

“People see college or the University as a place where they have preexisting goals, and the University will help them get there,” said UT President William Powers. “But for many, many people—and frankly, I think this is a good thing—they come to the University to ask themselves what they want to do.”

Powers said room will be made for the school’s alumni to filter into other colleges on

Incoming freshman students line up for orientation in June 2012.

Photo by Marisa Vasquez

campus.

“It will be competitive, but they ought to have a fair chance and a 100 percent chance of getting something,” Powers said. “So we’ve reserved room in the colleges for people to come in and make these changes.”

Undergraduate Studies Dean Paul Woodruff conducted interviews Wednesday afternoon for an assistant dean for advising.

Powers described the dean’s duties as cross-disciplinary.

Woodruff will sit on the Dean’s Council and participate in tenure review. The school will not hire faculty or grant degrees, two of the most time-draining of a dean’s duties. Much of Woodruff ’s work will consist of interactions with other deans.

Undergraduate Studies Coordinator Lara Harlan said the school is fundamentally the same, despite the name change.

“The school designation imparts permanence to our status,” Harlan said.

Originally published June 5, 2008

PAGE 21

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

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Thank you, President Powers,

for your leadership and commitment to diversity and excellence.

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Dr. Gregory J. Vincent Vice President

and the staff of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 22

MAY 2015

M

ore than a month after its launch, President William Powers, Jr.’s blog has received nearly 14,000 visitors and 34,000 page views.

The Office of the President launched Tower Talk on Dec. 20 to give the president a platform to discuss all University-related issues, including budge cuts, football and faculty dinners.

“The UT community is large and extends to almost every corner of the world,” Powers wrote in his first blog entry. “Tower Talk is another way for us to stay in touch.”

Geoff Leavenworth, special assistant to the president, said Powers’ goal is to comment on it once or twice a week.

Leavenworth said blog visitors are not consistent but

Story by Shabab Siddiqui President Powers gives the crowd the horns in one of his final addresses as president.

are instead characterized by occasional spikes.

“There are things that drive traffic to the site,” Leavenworth said.

“The president sent out a letter [Thursday] that had a link to the site, so that caused an increase. Some people subscribe to it by RSS, so it may create some additional page views.”

Anyone who visits the blog is allowed to leave a comment at the bottom. Comments are not responded

by Powers or his office, but other visitors are allowed to post their own replies.

Leavenworth said the comments section is not censored, and posts appear on the page immediately. He said the only exceptions are posts that contain profanity or spam, which the blogging

Photo by Sarah Montgomery

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President Powers, Thank you for your leadership and support of the arts and humanities.

www.hrc.utexas.edu

PAGE 23

service automatically bounces back to the president’s office.

Kathleen Skinner, senior administrative associate in the office, is in charge of determining whether bounced posts are appropriate. Skinner said she has dealt with about 300 cases of spam-related posts.

Chemical engineering freshman Boyang Han said he likes the format of the blog but thinks it could be more personal.

“It’s more a blog about what’s going on in the University,” Han said. “It seems like anyone could have written a lot of the posts.”

Han said he would like to see more interaction.

“I think it would be cool if [Powers] responded to the comments,” Han said. “I know it’s not supposed to be a conversation, but his input on

MAY 2015

people’s comments would be good.”

Dozens of universities have blogs written by their presidents, though some are maintained by staff members as opposed to the president him or herself. Lou Anna Simon, president of Michigan State University, and Holden Thorp, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, are among administrators from UT’s peer institutions that have blogs.

University presidents join athletes, politicians and other high-profile figures who have begun using blogs and other forms of social media to connect more with people. Don Martin, UT alumnus and founder of the Austin-based firm Don Martin Public Affairs, said targeted communications is a common trend.

“A blog gives the opportunity to tell their story through their own words as opposed to a news media, which will interpret what they have to say,” Martin said. “I think it’s a great idea to show that [Powers is] in touch with modern ways of communicating and he’s reaching out.”

Jackie Dana, academic advisor and vice chair of the UT Staff Council, said she visits the blog once or twice a week and sees it as a tool for demystifying issues facing the University.

“I welcome it as [a] small but positive step in bridging the perceived gap between the administration and the rest of the UT community,” Dana said. “It’s a bit too soon to say whether it is effective since it’s very new, but I think it has a lot of promise.”

Central Health is grateful for President Powers’ role in the establishment of our partnership with The University of Texas at Austin, and for his unwavering support of the creation of the Dell Medical School.

“The foundation of a UT Austin education will always consist of interactions among our worldclass students and faculty. New technologies developed by our faculty, students, and staff will strengthen our students’ oncampus experience, improve This partnership is an essential component of our learning, and accelerate gradwork to eliminate health disparities and improve uation.”safety net health care delivery as we transform

Originally published February 2, 2010

Travis County into a model healthy community.

Find us at www.CentralHealth.net or @CentralHealthTX

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President Bill Powers is one of the best and most influential leaders in the history of The University of Texas at Austin.

Respected and loved by students, faculty, and alumni, he prioritized diversity and fostered a culture of excellence not only at UT-Austin, but also throughout higher education.

His tremendous legacy of service will live forever in the minds and hearts of Longhorns worldwide.

Hook ‘em, Horns!

--Senator Judith Zaffirini

PAGE 24

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

Powers eyes UT’s Powers sets out plans for redesigning courses

By John Farey

President Powers pauses during his 2011 State of the University address.

Photo by Lawrence Peart

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 25

MAY 2015

graduation rate, budget

P

resident William Powers Jr. challenged the University to boost its four-year graduation rate from 51 to 70 percent in the next five years.

At the same time, he defended current faculty members from outside critics and suggested concrete plans about a UT medical school in Austin will be announced next week.

During his annual State of the University speech Wednesday, Powers addressed students, faculty, alumni and state leaders at the B. Iden Payne Theatre on the eve of the University’s 128th birthday.

He stressed the need to keep tuition costs affordable while operating under an overall 16.5 percent smaller budget and state funding down $46 million from a year ago. De-

spite tighter economic conditions, the University received the second-highest annual donations of $374 million, only $9 million less than the 2008 record, Powers said.

He said increasing UT’s four-year graduation rates by almost 40 percent would be a huge savings for students, for families and for the University.

“It will take a combination of designing better pathways through the University, incentivizing students to make the right choices and holding students to degree plans that lead to timely graduation,” Powers said.

As more students graduate in a timely manner, other students will be granted entry into the University, Powers said.

Redesigning courses would be a major part of the initiative to improve graduation rates, with $50 million being delivered over five years for research into new degree pathways and curricula that reflect the latest knowledge about the student learning process, Pow-

ers said.

Powers said Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, will deliver a collaborative plan for a medical school next week while the University continues talks with Austin health care providers.

“We need to continue to push forward to bring all this

“THE FACULTY ARE OUR BIGGEST ASSET, AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. THEY CARRY AN AVERAGE OF 33 PERCENT MORE TEACHING LOAD CREDITS THAN THE UT SYSTEM REQUIRES”

together in a medical school,” Powers said. Powers also used the speech, his sixth as president, to defend faculty members who he said were unfairly criticized as being under-productive in a series of external reports last year.

“The faculty are our biggest asset, and we need to recognize that,” Powers said. “They carry an average of 33 percent more teaching load credits than the UT System requires.”

School of Information professor Loriene Roy said she expected Powers’ speech to have a unifying effect on the faculty and was a welcome vote of confidence in the faculty’s ability to improve graduation rates.

“He spoke for the faculty but also for the way we do our

work, our writing, our research and our teaching,” Roy said.

“The responsibility to get students graduating on time in four years extends not only to the current faculty but to high school advisers, counselors, parents and the students themselves.”

Rhetoric and Writing senior Matt Portillo said he worried that the pressure to graduate in four years might detract from the university experience.

“As a fifth-year senior, I don’t think it’s a one-size fits all,” Portillo said. “[A fifth year] allowed me to develop a breadth of experience and insight into myself that I needed to decide what direction I wanted to go in academically.”

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE STUDENT VOICE President Powers kept us in print, on the air, and on screens. He understands the value of providing students the resources and independence they need to develop their skills as reporters, writers, producers, and photographers, and the impact this will have for the University of Texas.

Be like Bill. Consider a donation today. Supportstudentvoices.com.

CACTUS YEARBOOK

Originally published Sept. 15, 2011

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 26

Lawmakers defend, praise Powers in time of strain

A

t a time of strain between President William Powers Jr. and members of the UT System Board of Regents, Texas lawmakers defended Powers’ record and heaped praise upon him at a ceremony on the floor of the Texas Senate on Monday.

State Sen. Kevin Eltife, RTyler, filed a Senate resolution honoring Powers, joining two more resolutions filed in the House by state Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas and chairman of the House Higher Education Committee. All three passed.

Eltife, a UT alumnus, said “I see a man [in Powers] who shares the love for the University that so many of the current students and former students have for this great institution. I

see a man who always puts the University first, someone who stands up for what he believes even if it may not be politically popular.”

The resolutions came after regents intensely questioned Powers during their Feb. 13 meeting. The majority of the questions came primarily from three regents: Alex Cranberg, Wallace Hall and Brenda Pejovich, each appointed

by Gov. Rick Perry in 2011, which marked the beginning of a more public opposition to Powers by the regents.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said he believed regents are undermining Power’s authority at the University.

“I believe in reform and I know Bill Powers believes

in reform,” Dewhurst said.

“That’s why I’m particularly troubled when I see UT regents go around this man. I see them trying to micromanage the system.”

The Feb. 13 meeting was

tuition. Afterward, Powers sent an email to faculty, staff and students expressing disappointment with the regents’ decision.

Shortly after, rumors originating from a blog post by Paul

“I SEE A MAN WHO SHARES THE LOVE FOR THE UNIVERSITY THAT SO MANY OF THE CURRENT STUDENTS AND FORMER STUDENTS HAVE FOR THIS GREAT INSTITUTION. I SEE A MAN WHO ALWAYS PUTS THE UNIVERSITY FIRST, SOMEONE WHO STANDS UP FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES EVEN IF IT MAY NOT BE POLITICALLY POPULAR.” -STATE SENATOR KEVIN ELTIFE

not the first time Powers and the regents butted heads. Last year, the regents rejected Powers’ request for a 2.6 percent in-state undergraduate tuition increase and chose to freeze

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Burka, senior e x e c u t i v e editor for Texas Monthly, stated that board chairman Gene Powell directed UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa to fire Powers. Cigarroa

denied the allegations.

In a joint statement Monday, Powell and Cigarroa said they were grateful to Texas legislators for recognizing Powers’ leadership at the University.

“We are glad to partner with President Powers in building and protecting a university of the first class for the state of Texas,” Powell and Cigarroa said in the joint statement.

On Monday, several senators gave testimony recognizing Powers’ leadership and achievements during his tenure.

State Sen. Kirk Watson, DAustin, said a recent ranking naming UT the 25th greatest university in the world could

MAY 2015

be attributed to Powers’ administration.

“That is a direct result of leadership from Bill Powers,” Watson said.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis, DHouston, said despite many senators’ reverential tones when making their remarks, the ceremony did not constitute a “eulogy.”

“We’re singing accolades to you today,” Ellis said, “but it’s only because we respect you, we love you, we want you to keep doing the great job you’re doing for my university, the University of Texas.”

Story by Joshua Fechter Photo by Charlie Pearce Originally published February 19, 2013

PAGE 27

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

PAGE 28

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

Powers& Procedure Appeals court rules in favor of UT’s admissions policy in Fisher case

By Amanda Voeller

Photo by Erika Kalifa

5 PAGE 29

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

T

f e at u r i n g p e r f o r m a n c e s b y:

Patty Griffin, Sara Watkins and Anaïs Mitchell (pictured) / Los Lobos with Ballet Folklorico Mexicano / Jake Shimabukuro / Twyla Tharp / Fifth House Ensemble’s Black Violet III

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Photo: cambria harkey

he Fifth Circuit Court will appeal the decision. mitted to the University. of Appeals determined “It is a shame that for the During a press conference the University’s holistic re- last six years, hundreds of Tuesday, President William view admissions policy meets UT applicants were denied Powers Jr. said he is glad the the strict scrutiny standard in admission because of UT’s ruling upheld the constitua 2-1 decision Tuesday, al- racial and ethnic preferenc- tionality of UT’s admissions lowing the University to con- es,” Fisher said. process and emphasized tinue using race as a factor in Edward Blum, director of race is one of many factors its admissions decisions. the Project on Fair Repre- involved in admissions deci“The backdrop of our ef- sentation, a program that has sions. forts here includes the reality provided funding for Fisher’s “The University of Texas that accepting as permissible case, said in a statement he will be able to continue uspolicies whose purpose is to was not surprised by the rul- ing race as one of many facachieve a desired racial effect ing. tors, one of many factors, taxes the line between quotas “While disappointing, this in a holistic review in order and holistic use of race to- opinion was not unexpected to shape a diverse student wards a critical mass,” Judge based upon the questioning body,” Powers said. “One of Patrick Higginbotham wrote and comments made by the our core arguments all along in the majority opinion. “We court during our last hearing has been the educational valhave hewed this line here, in November,” Blum said. ue of diversity to all of our persuaded by UT-Austin In November, attorneys for students, regardless of their from this rebackground.” cord of its Law professor necessary David Gonzalez “WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ASSEMuse of race said the ruling BLING A STUDENT BODY AT THE UNIVERin a holistic means the UniSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN THAT BRINGS process and versity’s admisWITH IT THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS OF the want of sions process DIVERSITY WHILE RESPECTING THE RIGHTS workable does the best OF ALL STUDENTS. THIS RULING ENSURES alternatives job it can do in THAT OUR CAMPUS, OUR STATE AND THE that would achieving diverENTIRE NATION WILL BENEFIT FROM THE not require sity from a legal EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND THOUGHTS even greater standpoint.

THAT HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS WHO use of race.”

Student GovARE DIVERSE IN ALL REGARDS COME TOAbigail ernment PresiGETHER IN THE CLASSROOM, AT CAMPUS Fisher, a dent Kori Rady EVENTS AND IN ALL ASPECTS OF CAMPUS rejected unsaid the ruling is LIFE.” dergraduate a victory for the - PRESIDENT POWERS UT appliUniversity.

IN A STATEMENT ABOUT THE CASE cant, sued “When our adthe Univermissions policy sity in 2008 is held up in a for discriminating against her both Fisher and the Univer- high court of law, it shows based on her race, claiming sity presented arguments to that what we’re doing is fair the admissions policy was in the appeals court. Represent- and right,” Rady said. violation of the 14th Amend- ing the University, attorney In a dissent, Judge Emilio ment. The case reached the Greg Garre said although Garza said the University Supreme Court in 2012.

UT does not use specific does not pass the strict scruIn an unexpected decision, numbers to determine a crit- tiny test, which includes dethe Supreme Court deter- ical mass, the University is termining whether the Unimined the 5th Circuit court still able to determine when versity is using race as little had failed to apply strict this mass has been met. as possible while still meeting scrutiny to the University’s The University uses race as its goal of diversity. race-conscious admissions part of an admissions process “A proper strict scrutiny policy and sent the case that determines 25 percent analysis, affording the Uniback to the appeals court to of the student body, and race versity ‘no deference’ in its determine whether the Uni- is one of several factors that, strict scrutiny claims, comversity’s policies are narrowly combined, determine 4/7 pels the conclusion that the tailored and necessary to of an applicant’s personal University’s race-conscious achieve a “critical mass” of achievement index. That admissions process does not minority students. score is in turn combined survive strict scrutiny,” GarIn a statement Tuesday, with the applicant’s academ- za wrote.

Fisher said she is committed ic index score to determine if Originally published to continuing the lawsuit and the applicant should be adJuly 15, 2014

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 30

MAY 2015

Campaign for Texas raises $3.1 billion, exceeds goal Financing establishes 846 new student scholarships and the construction of several new buildings

T

he University announced Tuesday that it raised $856 million in 2013-2014 for “The Campaign for Texas,” successfully completing and passing its goal to raise $3 billion in eight years.

The campaign, which began in 2006 and officially ended at midnight Sunday, raised a total of $3.1 billion, creating funding for state-of-the-art classrooms, the establishment of 846 new student scholarships and the construction of new buildings, such as the Belo Center for New Media and the Liberal Arts Building.

“Our alumni and supporters have given the greatest gift a university could ever seek: They have helped ensure that future generations of UT students will be able to learn, grow and prepare for the future at a university that remains one of the nation’s premier public research institutions,” President

William Powers Jr. said in a statement. “We are grateful for every gift we received during the Campaign for Texas, many of which will help our faculty change the world through their research and scholarship.”

Kenny Jastrow, campaign chairman and a UT alumnus, said the biggest challenge for the University in completing its goal was getting donations after the campaign was officially announced, around the beginning of the 2008-2009 recession.

“I think it is remarkable that the campaign goal of $3 billion dollars was achieved, especially during very tough economic times,” Jastrow said. “President Powers, administrators, deans, faculty and everyone associated with the University did a magnificent job with carrying this campaign through.”

The campaign officially passed the $3 billion in mid-August with a $50 million donation

from the Livestrong Foundation to the Dell Medical School. According to campaign data, of the 271,720 total donors, more than 120,000 were non-alumni and not directly associated with the University.

Jastrow said the campaign focused largely on utilizing social media and expanding the University’s support system.

“The [University’s] increase in connectivity with so many different people has been a great thing that has come out of this campaign,” Jastrow said.

The University also reported that 89 percent of contributions went toward supporting academic efforts. Erin Dolan, executive director of the Texas Institute for Discovery Education in Science, said the campaign helped support the Freshman Research Initiative, a program that offers incoming students the opportunity to get involved in science research.

“Thanks to the Campaign for Texas, what started in 2005 with 45 first-year students has grown into a nationally recognized program with close to 800+ undergraduates actively researching and discovering what science is all about,” Dolan said in an email.

Recent graduate Delilah Dominguez said if money from the campaign had not helped provide her a scholarship from the St. David’s Foundation, she would have been unable to attend graduate school at the School of Social Work.

“Every little bit that UT can give students entering into public service fields will help, because they’re not often properly compensated by their salary after college,” Dominguez said.

“I think [the campaign] made college for me a more affordable reality.”

Story by Alex Wilts

Computer images of future students chat outside of the planned Dell Medical School.

Image courtesy of Dell Medical School

Originally published September 2, 2014

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

President Powers puts his horns up at the medical school groundbreaking.

Seton breaks ground on Dell Medical School

MAY 2015

Tuesday, construction crews broke ground on the Seton Medical Center at UT, a $295 million teaching hospital.

Located on the site of the Dell Medical School on Red River and 15th streets, the 211-bed teaching hospital is scheduled to open in 2017.

The Dell Medical School is already under construction and is set to open in 2016.

Both buildings will be part of a new medical campus that will include state-of-the-art facilities as part of an initiative to improve community health infrastructure.

“This project will have a positive impact on the delivery of health care in Central Texas for generations to come,” said Anthony Tersigni, Ascension president and CEO, in a statement.

Ascension is the nonprofit health system that operates the Seton Healthcare Family, a health care system which man-

ages several hospitals in Central Texas.

Despite being built on University land, the new teaching hospital will continue to be managed by Seton. Central Health, Travis County’s health care district, intends to sublease the land from the University to Seton.

According to Seton, the new hospital will replace University Medical Center Brackenridge, which was built in the 1970s and is not designed to meet the operational needs of a 21st century teaching hospital. Seton expects the combination of a new teaching hospital and medical school on the University campus to create 15,000 new jobs, not including construction positions.

Story by Alex Wilts Photo by Jonathan Garza Originally published on August 27, 2014

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

Final Farewell Powers delivers final State of the University address

“TO BE IMMODEST FOR A MOMENT, I’M PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE DONE FOR THE LAST EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS”

Photo by Sarah Montgomery

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

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D

uring his ninth and final State of the University Address on Monday, President William Powers Jr. said one of the keys to making UT the best public university in America involves being able to take specific program designs and use them to focus on the University’s large-scale mission of achieving excellence.

Powers, who will step down from his post in June, said one example is the Freshman Research Initiative, a program intended to teach students to solve problems and find new solutions, therefore creating innovative thinkers.

“Lectures by faculty who create the knowledge are good experiences for our students, but they just give our students the product of research,” Powers said. “They don’t expose our students to the process of research with all of its dead ends, failures and frustrations.

The Freshman Research Initiative does. So we get more

“EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANTS HAVE GROWN FROM $477 MILLION IN 2006 TO $634 MILLION IN 2013, AND DURING THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WE’VE RECEIVED TOTAL EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANTS OF AN ASTONISHING $4.5 BILLION.” bang for our buck by designing the FRI the way we do.”

Powers praised the signature courses of the School of Undergraduate Studies for their ability to expose students to the thought processes of disciplines outside their chosen major. Powers said more classes should be designed to give students a variety of experiences beyond their chosen field.

“We need to push our debate about how to teach our

students into every nook and cranny of our curriculum, and we need to be relentless about that,” Powers said. “We also need to remember that our outputs come not from just one class but from a four-year experience in an entire ecosystem of learning.”

Powers also called for increased flexibility for faculty to promote more innovation.

“They can’t innovate if our rules are so inflexible that de-

gree requirements and rules about faculty teaching loads stifle them,” Powers said.

Robert Svoboda, Urban Studies and Advertising senior, said he agreed with Powers’ thoughts on curriculum creation.

“It’s not for administrators to design courses,” Powers said.

“Faculty does that. Administrators shouldn’t direct how individual faculty structure their research or the questions

MAY 2015

they ask. But [administrators] do need to make broad-brush decisions about what areas to support and how our research effort aligns with our teaching method.”

In one of the final portions of his speech, Powers highlighted the University’s need for adequate resources to fund both recurring operations and for capital projects.

Student Government President Kori Rady said Powers — who discussed topics spanning from technology advances to the positives and negatives of faculty tenure — covered ev-

erything he anticipated.

“It was a remarkable event in terms of the atmosphere,” Rady said in reference to the large amount of alumni who came to support the University.

Rady said the students, faculty and alumni in attendance believe in Powers’ goal for UT to become the best public university in the country.

“I think and hope we can do exactly that,” Rady said.

Story by Alex Wilts Originally published September 23, 2014

“WE’VE BECOME A MUCH MORE DIVERSE CAMPUS, AND WE’VE SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED THE NEED FOR DIVERSITY IN THE FISHER CASE.”

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The University Unions thanks President Powers for his dedicated leadership and service to The University of Texas at Austin.

ST U D E N T ACT I V I T Y C E N T E R I T H E T E X AS U N I O N

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POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

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Thank you.

Engineering Education and Research Center, Opening 2017

Thank you, President Powers, for your outstanding leadership, your unwavering commitment to world-class engineering education and research, and your extraordinary belief in the future of the Cockrell School.

MAY 2015

PAGE 35

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

MAY 2015

While the rest of the university says “Farewell, Bill”…

...we say “Welcome back.”

POWERS RETROSPECTIVE

PAGE 36

Blanton Museum of Art Bureau of Economic Geology Central Health Cockrell School of Engineering College of Fine Arts College of Liberal Arts College of Natural Sciences Dell Medical School Division of Diversity and Community Engagement Forestar Group Harry Ransom Center Jackson School of Geosciences KUT.org Larry Plutko LBJ School of Public Affairs Moody College of Communication Norton Rose Fulbright Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects School of Undergraduate Studies Tejas Club Texas Performing Arts The University of Texas Law School Foundation University Compliance Services

Erik Wilkins Frank Serpas III Geoffrey Leavenworth Gerald Alan Johnson Jessica Warren Jingshen Zhao Josh Brenner Kathy and Harlan Crow Annie L Harris Keefe Boerner Arjun Mocherla Kim Michell Austin Ferguson Kishore Gawande Ben Bentzin Family Lauren Ellis Blake Gentry Lee Bash Brian L. Evans Mark Francois Byron LeFlore Jr. Mary Elizabeth Dunn Christian Young Matthew Moon Christy Zang COL (R) Leon & Mrs. Peggy Drake Holland Melissa Wiginton Ms. Melissa M. Myer Curt Yowell Ryan Pakebusch Daniel Hublein Sarah Henkel Danna Jackson Senator Judith Zaffirini David J. Bolger Stephanie and Stewart Vanderwilt Dena Lipper Stephen Salisbury Denise Twellmann Steven Collins Dottie Lee Wanda Garner Cash Elizabeth Hoang University of Texas School of Law University of Texas Libraries University of Texas System University Unions UT Athletics Vinson & Elkins LLP

To sign the digital version of Farewell Powers visit FarewellPowers.com

MAY 2015