Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: January 28, 1998

UT System News Release

Executive Appointments Announced for U.T. System

AUSTIN – Dr. Edwin R. Sharpe, a long-time administrator at The University of Texas at Austin, has been appointed vice chancellor for academic affairs for the U.T. System.

In addition, Francie A. Frederick, who has been serving as acting vice chancellor for academic affairs, has been named executive secretary to the Board of Regents. She will succeed Arthur H. Dilly, who plans to retire May 31 after 17 years in that position.

The appointments, effective June 1, were announced Wednesday (January 28) by Donald L. Evans, chairman of the Board of Regents, and Chancellor William H. Cunningham.

"Ed Sharpe and Francie Frederick are two of the most knowledgeable and resourceful higher education administrators in the nation, and the U.T. System is indeed fortunate that they have agreed to serve in these critically important positions," Cunningham said.

Evans said: "One of the great strengths of the U.T. System is its continuing ability to attract outstanding administrators who are dedicated to serving the best interests of the people of Texas. Ed Sharpe and Francie Frederick fit that description perfectly, and the Board of Regents is delighted that they will be serving in these important new roles."

Sharpe is currently U.T. Austin's vice president for administration and public affairs, a position he has held since 1984. From 1983 to 1984, he was executive director of the U.T. System Office of the Chancellor.

From 1974 to 1983, he held a series of administrative positions at U.T. Austin, including associate vice president for administrative services, assistant to the vice president for business affairs, assistant to the vice president for administrative services, and research asociate in the Office of Vice President for Student Affairs.

Sharpe earned three degrees form U.T. Austin – a bachelor's degree with honors in economics in 1969, an M.B.A. in 1970, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration in 1980.

Frederick has served as acting vice chancellor for academic affairs since September. Before that, she had been associate executive vice chancellor for academic affairs since 1988. In that capacity she participated in the oversight of administrative and policy issues related to the System's general academic institutions and has served as liaison for the U.T. System Faculty Advisory Council and the U.T. System Student Advisory Group.

She joined the System in 1979 as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel. Previously, she was head of the Charitable Trusts Section of the Texas Attorney General's Office and was an assistant criminal district attorney in Beaumont, serving as counsel to the commissioner's court of Jefferson County.

After attending Lamar University and the U.T. Medical Branch at Galveston, Frederick received a degree in medical technology with honors in 1967. She received a J.D. degree magna cum laude from the University of Houston in 1975.