Chairman Foster thanks outgoing regents, welcomes new board members

Paul Foster, chairman of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, thanked Vice Chairman Gene Powell, Regent Bobby Stillwell and Vice Chairman Steve Hicks for their service over the past six years and welcomed new regents David Beck and Sara Martinez Tucker to the board in a statement on Thursday.

“All three of these regents have served with passion and dedication and have been driven by their desire to serve the students of The University of Texas System and make UT institutions the best in the world,” Foster said of Powell, Stillwell and Hicks. “I thank them for their service and for what I know will be a lifelong partnership in supporting the mission of the UT System.”

Both Powell, who served as chairman of the board from 2009 to 2011, and Stillwell, who is chairman of the board’s committee on health affairs, were appointed by Gov. Rick Perry and served six-year terms.

Hicks, also appointed by Gov. Perry in in 2009, has been reappointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to a second six-year term. Gov. Abbott also appointed Beck of Houston and Tucker, a native of Laredo, as new regents. All three were confirmed by the Texas Senate on Wednesday and took the oath of office later that day.

“We look forward to working with these committed public servants who have all shown a deep dedication to higher education,” Foster said. “I am certain that the UT System will greatly benefit from their expertise.”

About The University of Texas System
Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking research and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States, with nine academic universities, six health institutions and an enrollment of more than 214,000. The UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public universities in Texas. The UT System has an annual operating budget of $15.6 billion (FY 2015) including $3 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With about 90,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state. For more information, visit www.utsystem.edu.