Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: February 10, 2003

UT System News Release

Charles Sorber Appointed Interim President of U.T. Arlington, National Search for Permanent President to Begin

AUSTIN - Charles A. Sorber, a longtime university administrator who served for eight years as president of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, was named on Monday as interim president of U.T. Arlington. Sorber will succeed Robert E. Witt, who has accepted the presidency of the University of Alabama, effective March 1.

Sorber will hold the interim presidency while a search is under way for a permanent successor to Witt. U.T. System officials said Monday that an advisory committee will be formed soon to assist the Board of Regents in a nationwide presidential search.

"Chuck Sorber will provide the kind of experienced leadership needed at U.T. Arlington over the coming months," said Mark G. Yudof, chancellor of the U.T. System.

"These are difficult economic times for colleges and universities throughout the country and for all higher education institutions in Texas. Dr. Sorber has a wealth of experience in Texas higher education, state government, and all the constituencies served by public universities, and this experience will enable him to step into the presidency and continue the significant advances that have been achieved by U.T. Arlington under President Witt. Dr. Sorber understands the academic environment and has shown throughout his career a dedication to the welfare of students, faculty, and staff members, as well as an appreciation of the needs of the external communities served by institutions such as U.T. Arlington."

Sorber has been the U.T. System's vice chancellor for special engineering programs since 2001, when he stepped down from the presidency of U.T. Permian Basin. He also has served as a faculty member and administrator at U.T. San Antonio, U.T. Austin, and the University of Pittsburgh. He is a civil and environmental engineer.

Witt praised the appointment of Sorber.

"I have know Chuck Sorber for almost 25 years," Witt said. "He and I were associate deans together at the U.T. Austin campus and worked together there on numerous issues. We were presidents together representing our two institutions before the Board of Regents, the U.T. System, and the Legislature. We share similar values, outlooks, and experience in leading institutions of higher education. I know that U.T. Arlington, together with the team we have assembled here of outstanding administrators, deans, faculty, and staff, will be in excellent hands under Chuck Sorber."

Teresa Sullivan, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, commented: "I am gratified that Dr. Sorber has agreed to serve as president of U.T. Arlington on an interim basis. I know that his experience as a university president, a dean, a member of the faculty and an administrator will be great assets to the campus and to the community.

"Dr. Sorber is no stranger to Texas and is intimately familiar with the demands and complexities of budgets and legislative sessions that grapple with those issues - having represented U.T. Permian Basin during no less than five legislative sessions."

Sullivan will chair the advisory committee that will begin the search for a permanent president for U.T. Arlington.

"This will be a very thorough nationwide search," she said. "Our goal will be to identify candidates who possess the same qualities of leadership, management skills, collaborative philosophy, and academic reputation as President Witt. Until the Board of Regents makes the appointment of a permanent president, I know that the UTA community and people of Arlington and the Metroplex will be delighted to work with Chuck Sorber."

Sorber earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. at U.T. Austin.

From 1976 to 1980, he was director of the Center for Applied Research and Technology at U.T. San Antonio, and from 1977 to 1980 he was also acting director of that university's Division of Earth and Physical Sciences.

Sorber returned to U.T. Austin in 1980, when he became director of the university's Engineering Science Program. He also served as associate dean of the U.T. Austin College of Engineering from 1980 to 1986.

From 1986 to 1993, he was dean of engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. As dean, he expanded faculty and academic programs to include a new bioengineering program, and he was involved in technology transfer and economic development activities of the university.

As president of U.T. Permian Basin from 1993 to 2001, Sorber expanded academic and public service programs including the creation of the John Ben Shepperd Leadership Institute; increased the university's endowment from $3.9 million to $6.8 million; emphasized student recruitment programs, which resulted in substantial gains in enrollment; created a major distance education network which preceded the current UT Telecampus; developed intercollegiate athletics program; and oversaw $25 million in building programs, including a new library/lecture center and student housing.

During his tenure as the U.T. System's vice chancellor for special engineering programs, Sorber's duties have included the study of possible U.T. System participation in the work of national scientific laboratories.

Sorber is a member of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers, has been active in the American Association for Engineering Education, and is a former president of the Water Environment Federation.

Coordinator Named For Sandia National Laboratories Proposal (Jan. 31, 2001)

President Sorber to Step Down at U.T. Permian Basin (Feb. 8, 2000)

Sorber's Chronology of Events While President (1992 - 2001)

Sorber named president of U.T. Permian Basin (Nov. 6, 1992)

High Resolution photo of Charles Sorber (TIF file at 300 dpi) - right click on this link and select "save target as" to download the image to your computer.