University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa told a Texas House committee that the UT Board of Regents relationship with UT at Austin President Bill Powers had become strained and his negotiated resignation had nothing to their impeachment investigation of Regent Wallace Hall.
The Texas House Select Committee on Transparency in Government Agency Operation asked Cigarroa and the Board Chairman Paul Foster to explain some of the reasoning behind Powers negotiated resignation.
“I’ve been very forthright that this has been a very strained relationship," Cigarroa said. "I haven’t hidden it. I’ve spoken about in public and in fact in August the issues that came forth were a variety of issues regarding a fractured relationship.”
Powers and Cigarroa were able to reach an agreement that he be allowed to stay on through the 2015 legislative session. The committee also questioned Foster on what type of action Hall was pushing for during this negotiated exit.
“He was very disappointed that the chancellor didn’t recommend to the board that we terminate Bill Powers and I felt like he was trying to pressure him to do that,” Foster said.
Pending no further action regarding their testimony, the committee will continue to draft articles of impeachment for Hall, who is accusing of abusing the power of his appointed position in an attempt to terminate Powers.
