The Texas A&M system board of regents formalized the appointment of new Texas A&M president Katherine Banks during a special meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. Banks will assume her new duties June 1 as president and a system vice chancellor in charge of national laboratories and national security strategic initiatives.
Following a 19 minute executive session, the regents unanimously approved giving the chancellor permission to negotiate and execute a contract.
The chancellor said Banks declined $350,000 dollars of his compensation offer. That includes taking a reduced salary and deferred compensation and not accepting a housing allowance.
Regents chairwoman Elaine Mendoza, who was on the search committee, wished Banks “congratulations and Godspeed. We are expecting great things under your leadership.”
Click below for comments from John Sharp and Elaine Mendoza from the March 31, 2021 board of regents meeting:
Letter released by Katherine Banks, April 1 2021:
Howdy!
When I joined Texas A&M 10 years ago, I could not have imagined the impact this university would have on me and my family. Yesterday, when The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents confirmed my selection as president, I was both humbled and honored. I’m grateful for their confidence in my leadership, and excited by the many opportunities we have to work together to strengthen and advance this great institution.
I will officially take office on June 1. I look forward to meeting with and learning from key stakeholders across campus and beyond in order to understand your perspectives, learn more about your challenges and envision our many opportunities.
As we prepare for the months ahead, I want you to know that we are focusing on a safe return to campus this fall. My top priority is to ensure the health and safety of our entire university community. I’ve been vaccinated and encourage others to get vaccinated as well.
I am confident that with the caliber of our faculty, the “can do” spirit of our students and staff, and our willingness to step forward, we are positioned to elevate this university to new levels of preeminence.
News release from the Texas A&M system:
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Wednesday confirmed M. Katherine Banks as the twenty-sixth President of Texas A&M University.
Dr. Banks, currently Vice Chancellor of Engineering and National Laboratories and Dean of the Texas A&M College of Engineering, assumes her duties June 1.
President Banks also will carry the title Vice Chancellor of National Laboratories and National Security Strategic Initiatives because of her continued involvement with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Bush Combat Development Complex at the RELLIS Campus.
Dr. Banks, who has led Engineering for the past decade, was selected after a national search led by Elaine Mendoza and Tim Leach, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of Regents, and a 15-member search committee.
“After a robust national search, which drew top-notch, competitive candidates, our Board today unanimously confirmed Dr. Katherine Banks as the next President of Texas A&M University,” Chairman Mendoza said. “With her decade of accomplishments evident right here on campus, Dr. Banks will be ready and able to move forward from day one. Texas A&M is a great university and under her leadership, we are expecting it to be even greater; we are excited to see this next chapter unfold.”
“We have all worked with Dr. Banks for many years and we know what she has done to transform our engineering college, which this week the U.S. News & World Report ranked as the best in Texas,” said Chancellor John Sharp. “Dr. Banks is going to do for the university what she has already done for engineering. She is going to be a great president.”
“I am truly honored that the Board of Regents has selected me to be the next president of this great university,” said Dr. Banks. “Crucial listening sessions will begin soon with key stakeholders across campus and beyond to gather perspectives concerning the issues, challenges, and opportunities that we face today. I look forward to working together as we take Texas A&M University to new levels of preeminence.”