Local News: Texas A&M President Murano Resigns

Sphere: Related Content Texas A&M President Murano Resigns
President Says A&M's Best Interest in Mind
By: Kalee Bumguardner

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

Texas A&M President Elsa A. Murano, the first female and first Hispanic president of the University, announced her resignation Sunday afternoon, effective Monday and subject to approval by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.

Morris Foster, chairman of the board, called a special meeting Friday, for 9 a.m. Monday. Murano's resignation, and the plans for her transition back into the faculty will be addressed at the meeting.

"Murano has served the University with distinction over the course of her career," Foster said. "I want to thank her for her service and commitment to the betterment of the University, its faculty, and its students."

In an e-mail sent by Murano's representative and attorney, Darryl Carter of Glickman, Carter & Bachynsky, LLP in Houston, Murano said that her deep and abiding passion for Texas A&M reinforces her duty to do what is best for the University, and that is why she will be resigning as president.

Murano's resignation is the latest in a string of events that began when Texas A&M University System Chancellor Mike McKinney gave Murano a poor performance evaluation Feb. 9 for her first year on the job, despite having recommended her for the position in 2007.

Murano vehemently rejected the results of the evaluation and presented her evidence as to why it was undeserved in a 10-page letter to McKinney and the Board of Regents March 10.

In late May, McKinney suggested merging the positions of Texas A&M president and system chancellor as one of many options to save money. This suggestion met with much opposition from faculty and students. Murano compiled these arguments and sent them to the regents.

Her subsequent resignation prompted a flurry of comments from A&M students and faculty, some in support of her, and others who were glad to see her go.

"I admire and commend Dr. Murano for her year and a half of service," said Student Body President Eric Beckham, senior petroleum engineering major. "I'm sad to see her go in this fashion, but will look to the student body to rally around whoever's going to be the next president."

Former student body president, senior biomedical sciences major Mark Gold, who is the only SBP to serve his full tenure with Murano as president, said he was surprised to hear of her resignation.

"I did not expect a resignation from President Murano because of the short period of time she served and I believe she had just gotten her team together to execute her plans and achieve her vision for Texas A&M University," Gold said.

The faculty senate speaker, Robert Bednarz, said Murano's resignation was unfortunate for a number of reasons.

"It will almost certainly introduce instability at the University just as it was emerging from a two-year period during which almost every senior administrator at Texas A&M was replaced," Bednarz said. "In addition, the short tenure of the president and the manner in which her presidency began and ended will make it more difficult to attract the most highly qualified individuals to apply for the position."

Different theories as to why Murano resigned have emerged.

Kolin Loveless, speaker for the student senate and senior mechanical engineering major, said while he didn't know for certain why she resigned, he suspects that it is because of all the articles regarding Murano and the chancellor that have been in the news.

"She's been under a lot of fire lately, and maybe she thought she'd be on the chopping block anyway," Loveless said.

Some said that by resigning before the regents' meeting, when they planned to discuss the employment, evaluation or dismissal of A&M system administration officers, including the president, Murano saved face.

"I think it was a wise decision on her part to resign due to her recent barrage of criticism," said senior history major Bryant McCombs. "It would have been a bad choice for her to continue because it would have tarnished her legacy, however short it was."

The executive committee for the Council of Principal Investigators have asked students and faculty to meet near the Rudder Tower fountains at 8:30 a.m. Monday in a show of support for shared governance and the future of Texas A&M.

"Although it may appear that the decisions have already been made, it may still be possible to influence the outcome," said Deborah Bell-Pedersen, a professor in the biology department, on behalf of the CPI executive committee. "Hence, it is essential for the students, faculty, and staff to make their opinions known."

In a March 2009 meeting, the regents eliminated the requirement for a search committee in the hiring of a University president.

Logan West and Lorelei Willett contributed to this report.

Published on Monday, June 15, 2009