Messages &
Speeches

I am writing to inform you that Sharon Wood will be leaving her position as Executive Vice President and Provost and returning to the faculty of the Cockrell School of Engineering, effective Aug. 31.

Fall is always a special time on the Forty Acres, as our students and the energy they bring return to campus. As the new school year approaches, people frequently ask me as president, “How’s it going?”

Dan Jaffe has let me know that he will step down from his role as Vice President for Research in August of 2025. At that point, he will have served for almost 10 years, longer than almost any current VPR in the Association of American Universities.

It is my pleasure to announce that we have hired Jim Zook as our new Vice President for Marketing and Communications. Jim, who will join us Sept. 16, is a talented and experienced communications and marketing professional with more than 30 years of experience spanning higher education, professional services, the federal government and the news media.

Today, I want to highlight three initiatives that are important tools to provide a vibrant, inspirational campus experience by increasing access and affordability.

Beginning this fall semester, the University will require almost all staff members to work on site full time. This will be a significant change for some members of our community, so it is important to take a step back and explain why requiring in-person work best supports our culture and reinforces the teaching and research mission of our University.