State Sen. Brandon Creighton is expected to be named the sole finalist for the Texas Tech University System’s Chancellorship.
Cody Campbell, chairman of the Texas Tech Board of Regents, announced August 31 that “after a lengthy, thorough, and comprehensive search, I expect that the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents will unanimously name Senator Brandon Creighton as the Sole Finalist for our Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System.”
Campbell further called Creighton “a strong voice in the fight to get our colleges and universities back on track and clearly shares the values and the vision of the Texas Tech community.”
The Texas Tech Board of Regents held a special called meeting the previous day.
Creighton (R–Conroe) is the primary author of Senate Bill 37, a new law passed during the regular legislative session. It overhauls several aspects of university governance, including abolishing “shared governance” and granting new oversight powers to boards of regents.
At state universities, “shared governance” refers to a system in which universities’ boards of regents delegate authority to presidents, who then share power with faculty, represented by a faculty senate.
Under the new law, regents can reconstitute faculty senates in an advisory capacity. The Texas Tech University System’s regents recently chose to exercise that option.
“I am honored the @TTUSystem Regents have expressed confidence in me and I’m excited about the future of the Texas Tech University System,” Creighton replied. “Over the past six years, no university system in Texas has taken more bold steps forward.”
Creighton’s acceptance of the new position would require him to resign from his Senate seat. Once Creighton makes the vacancy official, Gov. Greg Abbott would call a special election to fill it.
Creighton is the third current or former Republican lawmaker to become a university system chancellor in recent months. Former Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who also served as a state senator, was recently named chancellor at Texas A&M, and former State Rep. John Zerwas was likewise hired for the same position at the University of Texas. Creighton was first elected to the Texas House in 2006 and then elected to the Senate in 2014.
The timing of Creighton’s assumption of the chancellorship and resignation from the Senate is currently unclear. The next regular meeting of the Texas Tech Board of Regents is scheduled for November.
The Texas Tech University System is the parent organization of five institutions. Its board of regents is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate.
