This week, Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp announced the departure of Dr. Katherine Banks as president of university.
The release said that Banks elected to retire immediately, prompting Texas A&M to tab Gen. (Ret.) Mark Welsh III, the dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service, as acting president. Banks’ decision to vacate the office came amid fallout of the purportedly botched hiring of veteran journalist and 1981 Texas A&M graduate Dr. Kathleen McElroy as head of the journalism program.
“The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately,” Banks said in her resignation letter to Sharp, according to the release. “The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.”
According to the press release issued on July 22, Banks told the Texas A&M Faculty Senate she didn’t know that the position to which McElroy was initially changed from one with likely tenure to a one-year stint with the option to renew. Banks, who was the university’s 26th president, said she bore responsibility for “a flawed hiring process,” the release said.
College Station CBS station Channel 3 reported that Welsh served in the Air Force for 40 years before coming to Texas A&M more than a half-decade ago. A highly decorated veteran, the station reported, Welsh completed academic fellowships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and Johns Hopkins University, as well as graduated from Harvard University’s General Manager Program.
Welsh’s biography on Texas A&M’s website said that he was born in San Antonio and holds a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s degree from Webster University. He was the Air Force’s 20th Chief of Staff and has commanded forces in Europe and the North American Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Air Command at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, showcasing his leadership abilities and commitment to service.Gen. Welsh’s extensive experience in the Air Force and his notable achievements make him a fitting choice for the interim presidency of Texas A&M University.
