Contact: Anthony P. de Bruyn or Michael L. Warden, (512) 499-4363

Date: December 5, 2005

UT System News Release

William C. Powers, Jr., Named President of UT Austin

AUSTIN – William C. Powers, Jr., dean, School of Law, The University of Texas at Austin, was officially named president of The University of Texas at Austin on Monday (Dec. 5) by the UT System Board of Regents.

Powers, who will succeed President Larry R. Faulkner on February 1, 2006, was named the sole finalist for the position by the Board of Regents one month ago.

“The Board of Regents is delighted that Bill Powers has agreed to serve as president of this great institution,” said Board of Regents’ Chairman James R. Huffines. “Bill Powers has an outstanding record and broad national stature in law, teaching, administration and public service. We believe he is the right person for the job and will continue to lead the university into even greater excellence and prominence in the state and nation.”

Powers, who has served as dean of the law school at UT Austin since 2000, is also a university distinguished teaching professor, Hines H. Baker and Thelma Kelley Baker Chair in Law, and John Jeffers Research Chair in Law. He joined the law school faculty in 1977 and has held several faculty chairs and other administrative appointments. He served as associate dean for academic affairs from 1984 to 1987 and 1994 to 1995. Powers received his law degree from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

“The board has chosen an excellent leader in Bill Powers and I feel very good about his selection,” said UT System Chancellor Mark G. Yudof. “Being president of a large, complex institution such as UT Austin is a tough job, and I am confident in his abilities. Bill Powers has excelled in dealing with the challenges and opportunities of leading one of the country’s outstanding law schools, recruiting a world-class faculty and admitting the most highly diverse and talented students in the history of UT Austin. He will be an excellent president.”

UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner praised the selection of Powers as the university’s next leader. “Bill Powers is a superb choice to lead the University in its next era. This will be a time of diverse opportunities and challenges. To match them, the Regents have tapped a leader of fine intellect and courage. I look forward to working with him on the smoothest possible transition.”

As UT Austin president, Powers will oversee a major research university that is home to over 48,000 students, 2,700 faculty and 17,000 staff members. The campus operating budget for fiscal year 2006 is $1.65 billion.

The faculty at UT Austin is composed of outstanding scholars in a wide range of disciplines, including hundreds of members of prestigious academic and scientific organizations. The university has one of the largest graduate schools in the nation. The university has one of the largest single-campus enrollments in the nation, including students from all 254 counties within Texas, all 50 states and more than 100 foreign countries.

Colleges and schools include Architecture, the McCombs School of Business, Communication, Continuing Education Division, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Jackson School of Geosciences, Graduate Studies, School of Information, School of Law, LBJ School of Public Affairs, Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work, and interdisciplinary units.

The UT System is one of the nation's largest higher education systems with 15 campuses, including nine academic and six health institutions, and an annual operating budget of $9.6 billion (FY 2006). Student enrollment exceeds 184,000 in the 2005 academic year. The UT System confers one-third of the state's undergraduate degrees and educates three-fourths of Texas health care professionals. With more than 76,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in Texas.

In commemoration of today’s vote by the Board of Regents, the UT Austin Main Tower will be lit orange
tonight in recognition and appreciation to Dr. Faulkner for his service as president and to welcome his successor, Bill Powers.

Curriculum Vitae, Biography and Photograph:

William C. Powers, Jr.

Curriculum Vitae

Photo

Related websites:

Website for UT Austin: http://www.utexas.edu/

Website for UT Austin presidential search: http://www.utexas.edu/news/faulkner/search.html

Related news releases:

UT System News Release: Finalist Named for President of UT Austin (11/04/05)

UT System News Release: UT Austin Presidential Search Advisory Committee Members Named (08/22/05)

UT System Statement: Chairman James R. Huffines: UT Austin President
Larry R. Faulkner 's Retirement (06/30/05)

UT System Statement: Chancellor Mark G. Yudof: UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner 's
Retirement (06/30/05)