Good afternoon. I am J.B. Milliken, Chancellor of The University of Texas System, and I am pleased to present the 2022-2023 budget priorities of the UT System Board of Regents.
It has been two years since I sat before you—in person—as a new Chancellor (and Texan). I am happy to be back with you, but like you, wish we were all in person again. These are unusual and unprecedented times, but I could not be more proud of how our leadership, faculty, staff and especially students have risen to the challenge of operating effectively, if not perfectly, during this global pandemic. Our institutions have successfully continued to provide education, research and health care to serve the people of Texas.
Thank you, President Hartzell. I know you and President Pisters are as excited as I am about this novel collaboration linking two world-class UT institutions.
In response to questions about the virtues of university systems – and surprisingly, there have been some – I’ve always said that to be successful a university system needs to be more than simply the sum of its parts. Thank you all for providing proof for my claim!
I especially want to thank Karen Willcox and David Jaffray their leadership in helping make this partnership possible.
I’m delighted…honored…to be a small part of what looks to be a very impressive agenda. Thanks to everyone for your presence today.
Background
Much has happened since January when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network advisory regarding an outbreak of disease in China. Two weeks later the first COVID-19 notice was issued from the UT System Office of Risk Management to risk and safety officers at the 14 UT institutions. On March 2, the UT System issued system-wide guidance on international travel, spring break and personal travel and travelers returning to campus. Three days later we issued guidelines elevating approvals for out of state travel, a required review of infection control, and post-travel return to work protocols. At the same time Executive Vice Chancellor John Zerwas and I began twice weekly conference calls with health presidents, and Executive Vice Chancellor St
