Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: November 14, 1996

UT System News Release

New Vice Chancellor to Focus on Information Technology

DALLAS -- Distance learning, "virtual" libraries, and other educational uses of advanced communications technologies have received a new emphasis in The University of Texas System with the creation of the position of vice chancellor for telecommunications and information technology.

Dr. Mario J. Gonzalez Jr., a U.T. System administrator since 1993, will hold the new position, which was announced at the meeting of the Board of Regents on Thursday. Gonzalez has been an associate vice chancellor in charge of South Texas/Border region development since 1993, and in 1994 he assumed additional duties as director of the Office of Telecommunications and Information Technology.

"Moving this position up to the vice chancellor level increases the visibility and importance of the U.T. System's activities in the fields of telecommunications and information technology," said Chancellor William H. Cunningham.

"We are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Gonzalez's caliber to serve in this very important role. Under his leadership, I am confident that the U.T. System and its component institutions will continue and significantly expand their innovative work in this area."

Gonzalez, who holds degrees in electrical engineering from U.T. Austin, was a faculty member and administrator at U.T. San Antonio from 1977 to 1986.

He joined the U.T. Austin faculty in 1986 and has served as chairman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as an associated dean on the College of Engineering.

The new vice chancellor's duties will include developing the telecommunications and information infrastructure necessary for the U.T. System to effectively fulfill its educational, research, and clinical missions; managing the U.T. System telecommunications network, which includes facilities for administrative videoconferences; helping to develop technologies for a "virtual" university, such as continued expansion of online libraries; development and assessment of distance education programs using technologies such as interactive video; and evaluation of pilot projects related to information technology.