COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KXAN) — On Friday, Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp announced Dean Mark A. Welsh III will be acting university president after M. Katherine Banks submitted a letter late Thursday announcing she would retire immediately, according to a news release from Texas A&M.
This comes after the Faculty Senate passed a resolution Wednesday to create a fact-finding committee into the mishandling of the hiring of Dr. Kathleen McElroy, a University of Texas professor and former New York Times journalist, the release said. Additionally, McElroy is a graduate of Texas A&M University.
In June, the university announced the hiring of McElroy to revive the school’s journalism program, but that fell apart as the details of the job offer changed from a position with the possibility of tenure to a one-year professor of practice appointment, with the option to renew, according to the university.
Banks denied knowing about the changes in the job offer at the Faculty Senate meeting Wednesday but took responsibility for a flawed hiring process after a wave of national publicity suggesting McElroy, who has done research on diversity and inclusion, was a victim of “anti-woke” hysteria and outside interference in the faculty hiring process, the release said.
Public universities in Texas are in the middle of eliminating offices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to comply with recent state legislation, according to the university.
In a statement to KXAN Friday, McElroy said, “I’m deeply grateful for the groundswell of support I’ve received, especially from Aggies of all majors, and my former and current students. There’s much more I could say and will say about what has unfolded. But for now, I’ll reserve those statements for a future date.”
In her resignation letter to Chancellor Sharp, Banks wrote, “The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately. The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.”
Two years ago, Banks became the 26th president of Texas A&M University after a decade of excellence as vice chancellor and dean of engineering at the university, the release said. She led efforts for the Texas A&M System to become the only university in Texas to help manage a national weapons lab, the Los Alamos National Laboratory; created EnMed, a program training engineers to become medical doctors; and oversaw dramatic enrollment growth at the nation’s largest engineering school, according to the university.
Sharp thanked Banks for her years of service and named Welsh as acting president until a national search can find Banks’ successor, the release said.
Welsh, a retired Air Force general, is the dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service, according to the university.
Read Banks’ resignation letter below:
Chancellor,
First, thank you for the opportunity to serve at this wonderful university. It has been an honor of a lifetime.
The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately. The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.
I wish Texas A&M nothing but the best. It has been a privilege to serve under you.
Kathy
Texas A&M President Kathy Banks