UT PRESIDENT TOLD: QUIT OR BE FIRED
Bill Powers
The president of the University of Texas at Austin has reportedly been given an ultimatum: quit or be fired.
A source close to the situation tells the Associated Press that UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa asked President Bill Powers to resign before the regents meet again July 10, or be fired at the meeting.
Powers reportedly told Cigarroa he will not resign, at least not under the terms that the chancellor laid out Friday. The source says Powers did tell Cigarroa that he would be open to discussing a timeline for his exit.
Powers has developed a tense relationship with the system chancellor and regents in recent months.
Framcisco Cigarroa
The ultimatum comes as the university plans to undertake an official investigation into possible legislative influence over campus admissions. Allegations of undue influence, including the admission of family and friends of legislators otherwise not qualified, were heavily publicized by UT System Regent Wallace Hall.
A House committee is drafting articles of impeachment for Hall based on his massive records requests and alleged bullying of university officials in his quest to unveil wrongdoing at the flagship.
The regents meet Thursday. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been posted.