COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Nearly 3.5 hours after the Texas A&M Board of Regents began a special meeting Sunday, they picked a new interim president and made a decision on potential settlement claims, according to the university.
Mark Welsh III, Dean of A&M's Bush School, was named the interim president.
The board also OK'd settlement negotiations with Dr. Kathleen McElroy, a professor at the University of Texas, after a botched hiring process that would have made her the new director of the journalism school, according to a Bryan-College Station Eagle report. Texas A&M initially celebrated the hiring of McElroy but then watered down her contract after some people criticized her prior work on diversity and inclusion. She ultimately turned down the job.
Also, Katherine Banks, Texas A&M's president at the time, would resign over the fallout.
The board also reportedly will release finding from the General Counsel's Office investigation into the hiring to the general public.
Sunday night's meeting immediately went into closed session and no part of it was streamed online.
Who is Welsh?
- Has been acting president since July 21, 2023
- Previously was dean of Bush School of Government and Public Service
- Retired from U.S. Air Force
- Has a BS from U.S. Air Force Academy and Masters of Science in computer resource management from Webster University.
- Became 20th Chief of Staff of the Air Force in August of 2012.