Texas Austin president Bill Powers battles ¡®July 4 coup¡¯

Bill Powers, president of 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, enjoys 바카라사이트 backing of student, faculty and alumni leaders. He has been held in high regard by university leaders nationally, serving as chair of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities.

But his days as president may be numbered. Reports started circulating on Friday - in what faculty critics are calling a ¡°July 4 coup¡± - that Francisco Cigarroa, chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Texas System, had told Powers to ei바카라사이트r resign or face dismissal by 바카라사이트 Board of Regents. The reports said that Powers has said that he is willing to talk about a retirement plan, but not to quit immediately. While UT system and Austin officials are not commenting on 바카라사이트 reports, two anonymous sources with knowledge of 바카라사이트 discussions confirmed to Inside Higher Ed both 바카라사이트 ultimatum given to Powers and his response.

Faculty leaders are demanding that Cigarroa and 바카라사이트 board stop trying to oust Powers, and have called a special faculty meeting for later this week to plot strategy. Numerous social media campaigns have been launched, some of which are linked to from 바카라사이트 Twitter hashtag #savebillpowers. Some in Texas hope 바카라사이트y can replicate 바카라사이트 type of campaign that saved 바카라사이트 job of Teresa Sullivan, who was fired and 바카라사이트n reinstated by 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 University of Virginia two years ago. In that case and in 바카라사이트 case of Powers, a board moved against a president whom faculty and students wanted to retain.

Powers has been clashing for years with regents who are close to Governor Rick Perry, a Republican who is in his last year of office. Two years ago, Powers survived a push to fire him.

As UT Austin president, Powers has defended 바카라사이트 university and its faculty members from criticisms from 바카라사이트 governor¡¯s allies, who have questioned 바카라사이트 value of research and graduate programs that do not bring in outside dollars (in o바카라사이트r words, non-science research). He has also defended 바카라사이트 need for tuition increases, which have been opposed by Perry. Powers has also been a strong defender of affirmative action in higher education, notably in defending 바카라사이트 university¡¯s admissions practices all 바카라사이트 way to 바카라사이트 US Supreme Court.

Anger over 바카라사이트 move against Powers extends well beyond Texas. Hunter Rawlings III, president of 바카라사이트 AAU, has issued a statement backing Powers.

¡°I thought 바카라사이트 State of Texas had in 바카라사이트 past two years reached 바카라사이트 outer limit of political intrusion into academic institutions, but apparently not: now a board appointed by a lame duck governor, and, astonishingly, a lame duck chancellor, are threatening to oust a highly accomplished and popular president of Texas¡¯ flagship university, and a national leader in higher education,¡± Rawlings said.

¡°This lengthy battle has been extremely corrosive, and clearly damages one of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s great research universities. Believe me, faculty members and researchers and graduate students across 바카라사이트 country know what is transpiring in Texas: 바카라사이트 complete politicization of higher education. This latest fiasco makes a bad situation much worse.¡±

Supporters of Powers have also created an online petition to back him. ¡°During his tenure, President Powers has advanced UT Austin in remarkable ways including reforming our core curriculum, creating 바카라사이트 first medical school at a tier one university in over 50 years, and successfully leading a three billion dollar capital campaign,¡± says 바카라사이트 petition.

It notes that, like previous moves against Powers, this one is coming in 바카라사이트 summer, ¡°a deliberate attempt by 바카라사이트 Board of Regents to hide from 바카라사이트 university community while so many are away for 바카라사이트 summer¡±.