Essential documents for the Sunday resignation of the first Woman and the first Hispanic President of Texas A&M University at College Station.–gm
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Statement from Texas A&M President Elsa A. Murano
“The events of recent weeks have been very taxing for the entire Aggie family. The faculty, students and staff have demonstrated incredible loyalty to this institution, upholding our Aggie values during these exceedingly trying times. I am truly grateful for the countless expressions of support that I have received from our faculty, staff, current and former students, and friends of Texas A&M. I cannot adequately express how much I have appreciated your many letters, phone calls, emails, and especially your prayers. They have been truly uplifting and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
“My husband Peter and I fell in love with Texas A&M the moment we set foot in Aggieland back in 1995. This deep and abiding passion for what the university represents, and for the people of the Aggie family, reinforces my duty to do what is best for Texas A&M. For this reason, I will be resigning as President of our beloved university, effective tomorrow, June 15, 2009, to return to the faculty, subject to approval by the Board of Regents.
“Our university is strong and I know that we will weather this storm. I sincerely hope and pray that we will intensify our efforts to protect and enhance Texas A&M’s reputation. I trust that the important issues raised in recent weeks will be addressed in the Aggie way – with integrity, selfless service and indomitable spirit. God bless you all, and gig ’em!”
Statement regarding resignation of Dr. Elsa A. Murano
June 14, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Dr. Elsa A. Murano today announced her resignation as president of Texas A&M University. Dr. Murano’s resignation and the plans for her transition back into the faculty will be addressed by the board at its meeting scheduled for tomorrow, June 15.
“Dr. Murano has served the university with distinction over the course of her career” said Morris E. Foster, chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. “I want to thank her for her service and commitment to the betterment of the university, its faculty and its students.”
Dr. Murano has served as president of Texas A&M University since January 2008. Plans for her succession will be taken up by the board in the near future.
“We look forward to having Dr. Murano rejoin our faculty and continue her nationally recognized work in food science,” said Michael D. McKinney, M.D., chancellor of the A&M System.
About the A&M System
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $3.04 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System educates more than 109,000 students and makes more than 15 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. Externally funded research brings in almost $676 million every year and helps drive the state’s economy.
Evaluation documents posted at KBTX-TV website [pdf format]
Profile of Darryl Kent Carter, Attorney for Murano
The Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University System: Morris E. Foster, Chairman; James P. Wilson, Vice Chairman;
Phil Adams, Richard A. Box, Lupe Fraga, Bill Jones, Jim Schwertner, Gene Stallings, Ida Clement Steen; Hunter Bollman, Student Regent.
Discussions Regarding Concept of Merging Certain Functions of the Flagship Institution into the A&M System Offices
Dr. Elsa A. Murano
President, Texas A&M University
May 27, 2009
To Texas A&M Faculty, Staff and Students:
I have been contacted by numerous faculty, staff and administrators, former students and friends of Texas A&M University throughout the day regarding the concept of merging certain functions of the flagship institution into the A&M System Offices as one approach in realizing cost efficiencies. While we are all concerned about the pressures of the current economic situation, I know that we are simultaneously mindful not to sacrifice academic quality, or our national reputation.
Since yesterday, I have continued to receive a diversity of perspectives from the campus community on this concept. I plan to provide these to the Regents and the Chancellor very soon. On issues of this magnitude, we all agree that an open dialogue is critical. Please know that I value your input greatly, and I appreciate all that you do to make Texas A&M one of the premier public universities in the country.
Sincerely,
Dr. Elsa A. Murano
President
President Murano’s Biography
Dr. Elsa A. Murano is the 23rd President of Texas A&M University. Taking
office on Jan. 3, 2008, at age 49, she is the first woman and first
Hispanic-American to lead the oldest public institution of higher
learning in Texas—now one of the largest teaching and research
universities in the nation.
Dr. Murano worked her way up the academic ranks-teaching and
research-and into administration from an unconventional beginning. At
the age of 2, her family departed from Havana, Cuba, when Fidel Castro
came into power. After living in several Latin American countries, she
and her family settled in Miami when she was 14 years old. At that time,
she only knew Spanish, a language in which she is still fluent, but
quickly mastered English and launched an educational career that carried
her through the doctoral ranks.
“Someday in the future, if I write a book, it will be called Only in
America, because this great country has provided me so many
opportunities, including the great honor of serving as President of
Texas A&M University,” she is often quoted as saying.
Her association with the university dates back to 1995, when she joined
the Texas A&M faculty as an Associate Professor in the Department of
Animal Science and Associate Director of the Center for Food Safety
within the Institute for Food Science and Engineering. Dr. Murano was
named Director of the Center in 1997 and served in that position until
2001. Also, she rose to the rank of Professor and was named holder of
the Sadie Hatfield Professorship in Agriculture.
Dr. Murano interrupted her Texas A&M service in 2001 when President
George W. Bush asked her to serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety for
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making her the highest-ranking food
safety official in the U.S. government. In leading the USDA Food Safety
and Inspection Service, she was responsible for an agency with a budget
of approximately $1 billion and about 10,000 employees, with the mission
of working to improve public health through the application of science
in policy decisions.
She returned to Aggieland in January 2005 as Vice Chancellor and Dean of
Agriculture and Life Sciences, joint positions in which she served until
being appointed President of Texas A&M. As Vice C
hancellor and former
Director of Texas AgriLife Research (formerly the Texas Agricultural
Experiment Station), she led a transformation of agricultural programs
and four state agencies within The Texas A&M University System to the
benefit of students, peers and the agricultural community represented in
254 counties across Texas.
While serving as Dean, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
experienced significant growth in enrollment and enhancement of its
teaching, research and service endeavors. In conjunction with her
deanship, Dr. Murano chaired a blue-ribbon task force to study ways for
enhancing the undergraduate experience at the University, which has
ultimately become known as “The Murano Report.”
A noted expert on food safety, Dr. Murano was principal investigator or
co-principal investigator in research projects totaling more than $8.7
million during her professorial career, initially at Iowa State
University and continuing at Texas A&M. She has been widely published,
as author or co-author of seven books, book chapters or monographs, and
scores of scholarly papers, abstracts and related materials.
Dr. Murano began her professorial career in 1990 as an Assistant
Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Preventative
Medicine at Iowa State, the position she held prior to joining the Texas
A&M faculty. She received a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences
from Florida International University, and earned both a master’s degree
in anaerobic microbiology and a doctorate in food science and technology
from Virginia Tech.
She is married to Dr. Peter S. Murano, Associate Professor of Nutrition
and Food Science and Director of Texas A&M’s Institute for Obesity
Research and Program Development.
Office of the President
Vice Presidents & Executive Staff
Dr. Jeffrey S. Vitter
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academics
Dr. H. Russell Cross
Executive Vice President for Operations
Ambassador Eric Bost (Ret.)
Vice President for Global Initiatives
Mr. Bill Byrne
Director of Athletics
Dr. Pierce E. Cantrell, Jr.
Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology
Mr. Jason D. Cook
Vice President for Marketing & Communications
Dr. R. Bowen Loftin
Vice President and CEO, Texas A&M at Galveston (TAMUG)
Dr. Theresa Maldonado
Interim Vice President for Research
Mr. Michael G. O’Quinn
Vice President for Institutional and Federal Affairs
Mr. Terry A. Pankratz
Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Chuck Sippial
Vice President for Facilities
Mr. R. C. Slocum
Special Advisor to the President
Ms. Courtney K. Trolinger
Vice President for Governmental Affairs
Dr. Robert Walker
Senior Executive for Development
Dr. Karan Watson
Interim Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity
LtGen Joseph F. Weber, (USMC) Ret.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Mr. Chad E. Wootton
Vice President for University Advancement
Ms. Mary Pletzer
Executive Personal Assistant to the President
Texas Civil Rights Review 