Letter to Chancellor Hance
February 1, 2008
The Honorable Kent Hance
Chancellor
Texas Tech University System
Lubbock, TX 79409
Dear Chancellor Hance:
I write to inform you that I have decided to step down from being President of Texas Tech University effective January 31, 2009 or when a new permanent president takes office. I plan to return to my position as a Professor at Texas Tech.
When hired in 2003, I made a commitment to serve Texas Tech for five years. At that time, the agenda that had been articulated by the Board, Chancellor, and search committee was to center attention on moving Texas Tech toward greater academic excellence. “Pathway to Preeminence” was the central theme that the System articulated at that time. In the past five years, through the work of many excellent colleagues, including administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders, Texas Tech has moved its academic quality and national reputation upward. Every single initiative set out in my Inaugural Address has been accomplished, or is underway with substantial progress made. Texas Tech is a better academic institution than it was in 2003. The new Phi Beta Kappa chapter, nearly 400 new faculty hires (including some 28 new endowed professors, chairs, and Horn Professors), a new College of Mass Communications, improved diversity of students and faculty, greatly increased graduation rates and improved retention rates, several new PhD programs (including wind engineering and mass communications), a more robust research agenda and infrastructure, and a dozen new buildings that support academic, research, and student quality of life are just some examples of Tech’s collective academic progress.
Recently, the agenda of Texas Tech University has focused on the expansion of student populations. While I support the ambitious goal of reaching 40,000 students by 2020, I believe new presidential leadership is needed to carry out that goal. You and the Regents need the opportunity to find the best leader to implement this new agenda with fresh enthusiasm and dedication. I am committed to providing continued leadership on several major issues facing Texas Tech through the end of this budget cycle, including working with Provost Marcy to insure full compliance with SACS, completing the self-study for the Department of Athletics impending review by the NCAA, and preparing the all-important budget request for the upcoming legislative session next year.
It has been a personal and professional pleasure to serve as President of Texas Tech University these past five years. Jennifer and I are passionate Red Raiders and we appreciate the superior support and friendship that faculty, staff, students, and alumni have provided us. The Red Raider Family is blessed with great people who care deeply about advancing our university. Jennifer and I pledge our support to continue to work towards Tech’s unremitting improvement into the future.
Sincerely,
Jon Whitmore, President
Texas Tech University
cc: Mr. Scott Dueser, Chairman, Board of Regents