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President accepts UA’s top position

Written by Amber Tafoya

Tuesday, 28 January 2003 12:00 AM

University of Alabama Board of Trustees named UTA President Robert Witt to the school’s highest post Monday.

The board voted unanimously for Dr. Witt at its 10:30 a.m. meeting today after Alabama Chancellor Malcolm Portera recommended Witt.

He will leave Arlington by March 1, his anticipated first day at the university.

After the decision, Alabama students, faculty and administration honored Witt and his wife, music adjunct professor Anne Witt, UA spokesperson Kelly Reinhart said.

“The tone of today’s meeting was very much that Dr. Witt was the right person at the right time for the University of Alabama,” she said.

After he was nominated for the presidency, Witt met with Alabama officials for an interview with presidential search advisory committee members in December after being nominated.

Witt was announced the sole candidate from a pool of 150 by Alabama officials Jan. 17 and was contacted by the search committee.

Witt returned to Alabama on Wednesday for an open forum to meet with students and faculty before final interviews with trustees Monday morning.

Witt’s Alabama supporters believe he is the right choice because of his 35-year run with the UT System, his contributions to student growth at UTA and the research programs he brought to the university.

Witt began his presidency at UTA in 1995 and established the university’s first local black ministers’ alliance and a Hispanic Advisory Board the same year. He also created the Nanotechnology Research Teaching Building and the Arlington Business Incubator at UTA.

Jeremiah Arsenault, UA Student Government Association president, said students connected with Witt’s Alabama ties through his wife, who graduated from UA in 1967. Her parents live in the state.

One of the first issues Witt is expected to address is UA’s funding during the state legislative session, said Cathy Andreen, Alabama’s media relations director. Alabama’s legislative session will begin in March.

The Texas Legislature started its session this month and representatives expect funding requests to UTA and other state universities will be hard to find because of a $9.9 billion state deficit and a 7 percent proposed budget cut.

Gov. Rick Perry asked state agencies on Friday to cut at least 7 percent from their budgets. UTA depends on state funding to cover about 41 percent of its budget.

Finding funding for UTA will be hard with or without Witt, Governmental Relations Director Kate Kettles said. She will be in Austin today attending committee meetings and meeting with representatives.

“I will report everything to Dr. Witt,” she said. “He still is the president.”

Dana Dunn, vice president for academic affairs, said Witt will keep in touch with UTA when he moves to Alabama.

He will have to tie up some loose ends, she said.
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