Contact: Anthony de Bruyn, (512) 499-4363

Date: February 10, 2005

UT System News Release

UT System to Explore Presidential Library Bid

The University of Texas System Board of Regents today announced the creation of a special ad hoc advisory committee to spearhead work on a proposal for the Presidential Library of President George W. Bush.

James R. Huffines, chairman, announced the advisory committee in today's meeting of the board in Austin.

The Committee will be co-chaired by The Honorable Tom Loeffler, former Chairman of the UT Board of Regents and a former U.S. Congressman; and Dr. Peter T. Flawn, president emeritus of The University of Texas at Austin and former president of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Mr. Loeffler and Dr. Flawn will recommend to the Chairman other members of a presidential library committee that will begin work on developing proposals for the President Bush library.

"This is an exciting opportunity for the UT System to marshal its considerable talent, creativity, and experience to go forward in a very expeditious effort to develop a truly innovative proposal or set of proposals for an appropriate presidential library for our President," Huffines said. "We have the geographic presence in the state, as well as the expertise, to represent to the people of Texas and to the nation, the work, the leadership, and the contribution that George W. Bush made to this state, to the nation and to the world. With the UT System institutions we have a major presence in each of the metropolitan areas in which he lived and worked in Texas."

All UT institutions are being encouraged to participate and contribute ideas and proposals to the committee, according to Huffines. "I am looking forward to drawing on the resources of the 15 UT institutions to develop a unique proposal or proposals that we can take forward as a decision is made where to locate the country's 12th presidential library. Chancellor Yudof and I are strongly committed to this significant opportunity and hope that all members of the Board and other UT System leaders focus great energy to bring the Library to the UT System," Chairman Huffines said.

The advisory committee is expected to give an interim report back to the Board on its efforts at a future Board of Regents meeting.

The George W. Bush Presidential Library would join the 11 other presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration including the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum located on the UT Austin campus. This nationwide network of libraries is a repository for preserving and making available the papers, records, and other historical materials of U.S. Presidents since Herbert Hoover. Each presidential library contains a variety of public outreach and educational programs including a presidential museum and an active series of public programs and resource for scholarly research.

The UT System has 15 campuses, including nine academic and six health institutions, and an annual operating budget of $8.5 billion (FY 2005). Student enrollment exceeded 182,000 in the 2004 academic year. The UT System confers one-third of the state's undergraduate degrees and educates three-fourths of the state's health care professionals annually. With more than 76,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.

Watch the archived webcast of the discussion (also includes Items 4-6 and the Standing Committees)

White House presidential libraries

National Archives presidential libraries

Biography of The Honorable Tom Loeffler

UT System News: Board of Regents Names Loeffler Chairman (1/26/01)

Biography of Dr. Peter T. Flawn

Other news and presentations from the meeting of the board