Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: April 14, 2002

Statement by R. D. Burck, Interim Chancellor

Statement by R. D. Burck Regarding His Service as Interim Chancellor

It is a great honor to be asked by the Board of Regents to serve as interim chancellor of the University of Texas System. I deeply appreciate the confidence that the members of the board have expressed in my ability to carry out this important responsibility.

From my days as an undergraduate at U.T. Austin, I have had a deep love for higher education, particularly as it is embodied by the outstanding institutions of the U.T. System. As interim chancellor, I will endeavor to translate that love into effective leadership on behalf of all students, faculty, and staff, and indeed, all the people of Texas.

In fulfilling these responsibilities, I will benefit immensely from the fact that Chancellor Cunningham is leaving the System in the strongest position it has ever enjoyed. His vision and initiatives have resulted in great progress and numerous achievements that have placed the U.T. System at the forefront of American higher education. It has been a privilege to be a member of his administrative team, and I will work diligently to maintain the momentum that he has generated. In this pursuit, I will, of course, rely heavily on the extraordinary knowledge, experience, and skills of other members of the System administrative team, of the presidents of the System’s academic and health institutions, and of the Board of Regents.

The U.T. System is composed of 15 diverse institutions, but we have many common purposes. Among these are to provide Texans with educational programs of the highest quality; to maintain the widest possible access to educational opportunity, knowing as we do that education is the key to a prosperous and personally fulfilling life; to explore the frontiers of knowledge in all fields of learning, from the liberal arts to the sciences and medicine; to uphold, without compromise, the values of academic freedom; to contribute to the cultural enrichment of our society; to be full partners with the public schools, with private business, and with professional groups in building a stronger and more dynamic state; and to serve the public with absolute integrity.

These are, indeed, noble purposes, and I am honored to have this opportunity to join my colleagues throughout Texas as we continue to build and enhance the great enterprise that is the U.T. System.

News Release Regarding Interim Chancellor

Mr. Burck's Biography

When was the U.T. System Established?

Chancellors of The University of Texas System