Texas A&M Hispanic Network

June 22, 2009

To:        Mr. Morris E. Foster, Chairman of the Texas A&M Board of Regents
From:   Henry Ortega, Chairman of the Texas A&M Hispanic Network
RE:       Statement Regarding Current Leadership Issues at Texas A&M University & the              Texas A&M University System

Chairman Foster:

It is with great disappointment, yet extreme necessity, that the Texas A&M Hispanic Network issues this statement regarding the events of recent weeks that led to the resignation of Dr. Elsa Murano, the 23rd President of Texas A&M University.

Per your statement to the Board of Regents on Monday, June 15, 2009, we strongly agree with you that Dr. Murano “served this university with distinction” and “lived the Aggie Core Values of excellence, integrity, selfless service, leadership, loyalty, and respect”. However, like many Aggies, we are puzzled as to how the Executive Performance Evaluation of Dr. Murano by Chancellor McKinney was contrary to the above sentiments on her service and brief 17-month tenure as President of Texas A&M University.

We also agree with you and wish to reaffirm the Network’s support of the 12 Imperatives of Vision 2020, including your citing of Imperative 10, where decisions are made through a “process characterized by openness and appropriate faculty and staff participation”. Our assessment of the handling of the previously noted resignation was that it was severely lacking in openness. As former students, we are left with speculations and rumors, rather than facts and tangible reasons for what has taken place. We are shocked with the Board’s lack of communication and explanation regarding the events that led to this sudden and abrupt change in such a critical leadership position. It is our consensus that the events of these past few weeks have certainly done harm if the stated intent of the Board is to conduct a true “national” search for our next President.

As you stated in your address to the Board, this is “OUR” university. As a result, we should be fully informed and aware of what is taking place within the A&M System. This is necessary so that we can all work towards the Imperatives set out by Vision 2020 and make Texas A&M University the consensus Top 10 Public University we know it can be. With that said, the purpose of our Network is not to create nor endorse factions of dissent, but to create teams of leaders -- who are literally the boots on the ground in getting out the global Aggie message about how great Texas A&M University can be.

As a Network, we actively help to recruit the best and brightest Hispanic administrators, faculty, students and their families to become life-long Aggies. Hispanic enrollment is up, and we are very proud of this fact. However, we still find ourselves constantly fighting the battle of negative stereotypes that teachers, parents, families, counselors, and students still have about Texas A&M; specifically, that it is not a welcoming environment for minorities.

The appointment of Dr. Murano as President of the university, as well as her distinction of being the first female, and the first Hispanic to lead Texas A&M University was a breath of fresh air. Moreover, it assisted in demonstrating to potential students (to the world that exists past Highway 6) that Texas A&M had finally turned the corner, and we were truly committed to Imperative 6 of Vision 2020 which is to “Diversify and Globalize the A&M Community”.

In our dealings with Dr. Murano, and in the witnessing of her public addresses to multiple groups, we know she was a great ambassador for the Aggie spirit, and she truly understood what it meant to be an Aggie, a Texan, and an American. She embraced the traditions we hold dear, and embodied what the power of higher education can do – regardless of your background or circumstances. She was a remarkable asset to our university – not just based on her gender and ethnicity – but because she loved Texas A&M and everything that it is, much like her predecessor, Dr. Robert Gates.

While we concede that there is nothing we can do at this point to change the decisions that have been made, we do not concede our position that the manner in which this situation unfolded was anything short of a complete and total embarrassment. On a weekend where Aggies should have been celebrating our two National Championships in Track & Field (with a coach who was given a full five years to develop his program), we found the headlines of our local and national papers filled with political speculations, bickering, and, sadly, the resignation of the President of our university. It was an absolute public relations debacle and an example of why the school in Austin often chants “poor Aggies”.

The Board must recognize its independent oversight responsibility and state its specific proactive steps to overcome these events. Your request for us to “move forward” and “start the healing” is self-serving and unmerited. The Board actions must demonstrate that Texas A&M is still on track to fulfill its mission of being the Land Grant university for the State of Texas and serving all Texans. It must also articulate that, somehow, this abrupt change in leadership truly is in the best interest of Texas A&M University.

As former students who have advocated on how well Texas A&M treats its students, faculty, and leadership, we need the Board’s unqualified commitment & validation that Texas A&M will make Imperative 6 of Vision 2020 a reality, and that the next President, current Chancellor, or future Chancellor will not ignore the damage that has been done.

Imperative 6 of Vision 2020 clearly states that:

“Texas A&M University must reflect the demographic distribution of our state and provide leadership development opportunities for all students. Through such an achievement Texas A&M University will contribute in significant ways to building a leadership base that is representative of the state”

It further states that one of the goals is to “reduce to zero the number of students, faculty or staff who leave because of a PERCEPTION of a less-than-welcoming environment”. It is this perception that the Network has been actively fighting against and which has sadly resurfaced.

We do not and will not accuse or imply that the decision to accept Dr. Murano’s letter of resignation was based on her gender or ethnicity. We are not here to speculate or spread rumors, but we have the right to demand openness and explanations per the Imperatives of Vision 2020. We were established to work with the university and the A&M System in getting out the truth about Texas A&M: that it is a unique and amazing institution. As Hispanic former students, we work to be Aggie ambassadors in our communities, places of work, and within our own families.

We understand that these are some of the most difficult economic times the university has faced. Complex decisions must be made as to how to proceed, including the selection of the individual who will help lead us out of this sad chapter in our history.

Let us be clear: the Network is not a single-issue organization. We are also very capable of seeing the big picture and above the “30,000 foot view”. This situation has made it more clear than ever that we need a forum and open dialogue with the Board, the System, and the University so that we can offer input and advice from our perspective.

As the Land Grant institution for the State of Texas, A&M was established to serve the people of this State. The loss of Dr. Murano as the face of Texas A&M will no doubt have an impact on the progress we felt we had made as a university in Texas and across the nation.

This is a critical juncture.

The Class of 2020 will be starting 6th grade this year. Based on all demographic projections, Hispanics will be the majority population of Texas that same year. The Network continues to get the word out so that the future leaders of Texas are wearing Aggie Rings.

Located at the center of our campus, on the tower that bear’s his name, we find the following inscription:

“In memory of James Earl Rudder, 1910-1970, Class of 1932…Earl Rudder was architect of the dream that produced this center. In this, as in all he did, he demonstrated uncommon ability to inspire men and lead them to exceptional achievement.”

The unquestioned consensus is that we are in need of this type of uncommon Aggie leadership now more than ever. In short, we are looking for the type of inspiration that will foster exceptional achievement at every level and with every person associated with our great university.

Chairman Foster, if what you stated is true and “Texas A&M is not the Board’s university, nor the system’s, administration’s, the faculty’s or the student’s university”, but “OUR” university, we look forward to actively working with you as we move toward the selection of our next leaders.

In the true Aggie Spirit,

Henry Ortega, ’62 Chairman
Texas A&M Hispanic Network

cc:  Members of the Texas A&M Board of Regents
       Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Interim President, Texas A&M University
       Dr. Mike McKinney, Chancellor, Texas A&M System

Campus views
The original 12th Man, E. King Gill, and Kyle Field.

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Promoting Hispanic Diversity

The mission of the Texas A&M Hispanic Network is to serve as an advocate and support group on Hispanic concerns and issues at the University and local communities within the larger Association of Former Students organization. The Texas A&M Hispanic Network shall dynamically work towards increasing the number of Hispanic students attending Texas A&M University (TAMU), and enhancing their experience, education, and quality of life on campus.