Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: January 27, 1998

UT System News Release

Finalists Named for U.T. Tyler Presidency

AUSTIN – Four finalists for the presidency of The University of Texas at Tyler were announced Tuesday (January 27) by the U.T. System.

The finalists are William G. Cale Jr., executive vice president for academic affairs at Lamar University in Beaumont; Stephen G. Jennings, president of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa; Rodney Hugh Mabry, dean of the college of business administration at the University of Tulsa; and W. Frank Newton, dean and professor of law at Texas Tech University.

The finalists will visit the U.T. Tyler campus in the next few weeks and will be interviewed by the Board of Regents following those visits. State law requires that names of finalists for a university presidency be made public at least 21 days before regents vote on the appointment.

The finalists were recommended by an advisory committee that included faculty, staff, students, alumni, regents, System administrators, and community representatives.

"The advisory committee is deeply impressed with the qualifications of the finalists and is confident that each of them has the experience and skills to be an outstanding leader for U.T. Tyler," said Francie A. Frederick, acting vice chancellor for academic affairs and chair of the committee.

Donald L. Evans, chairman of the Board of Regents, said: "We are grateful to the advisory committee for its excellent work in screening and interviewing potential candidates and in developing this list of distinguished finalists. The work of the advisory committee will continue to be of immense value to the board as we take up the very important responsibility of selecting the person who will lead U.T. Tyler into a new century of service to Texas."

William H. Cunningham, chancellor of the U.T. System and a member of the advisory committee, said:

"Each of the finalists has broad experience in the classroom, as a scholar, and as an academic administrator. Each is eminently qualified for this vital leadership role."

The advisory committee was formed after President George F. Hamm announced in late 1996 that he planned to step down from the presidency.