Favorites for Texas Chancellorship Are Non-Academics

Both The Texas Monthly and The Dallas Morning News are reporting that two candidates have emerged as favorites as the University of Texas System Board of Regents seeks a system chancellor to succeed Francisco Cigarroa, who plans to return to academic medicine. The two candidates are Richard W. Fisher, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and Admiral William McRaven. The Morning News article said other candidates were still being considered.

If the job goes to Fisher or McRaven, that would continue a trend in recent years of higher ed system head positions in Texas going to people with experience primarily outside of academe.