Statement by Chairman H. Scott Caven, Jr., on the Appointment of Ben Dower of Austin as Student Regent

AUSTIN – H. Scott Caven, Jr., chairman of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, issued the following statement today (May 9) regarding the appointment of Benjamin Dower of Austin, an undergraduate student at UT Dallas, as the next student regent on the Board.  He is a senior economics major.  The one-year term as student regent is effective on June 1.

Governor Rick Perry today appointed Dower and nine other students to higher education governing boards across the state.

Statement from Chairman Caven:

“On behalf of the Board of Regents, I want to congratulate Ben Dower on his appointment to the University of Texas System Board of Regents. The Board considers the student regent position to be tremendously helpful in our work and deliberations.  Ben is an outstanding choice and we look forward to serving with him.

“I also would like to take this opportunity to thank Regent Matt Camarillo for his tireless commitment and extraordinary service to the UT System during his tenure as student regent. He has been a remarkable colleague and ambassador of the UT System and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Serving the educational and health care needs of Texans for more than 125 years, 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 $10.7 billion (FY 2008). Student enrollment exceeded 194,000 in the 2007 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 81,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in Texas.