University of Texas System chancellor Francisco Cigarroa suggested that UT President Bill Powers’ office leaked confidential information to the media.
University of Texas president Bill Powers resigned last week, effective June 2015. The move came several years of clashes with the board of regents and several previous attempts to fire him.
Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa then testified before a state House committee Wednesday that is investigating whether to impeach Regent Wallace Hall, one of Powers’ biggest critics.
Cigarroa insisted Hall did not pressure him to demand Powers’ resignation and said he didn’t discuss the matter with Hall until July 9, the day before he accepted Powers’ offer to step down next year.
Cigarroa also said he didn’t tell Powers that he must quit or be fired, only that if he didn’t resign, Cigarroa would take the matter of his employment before the nine-member board for discussion.
“It wasn’t like I said, ‘Bill if you don’t accept this, you’re going to get fired,’” Cigarroa said. He defended his move as well, noting previous discussions with Powers about planning an exit.
Cigarroa praised Powers’ “exemplary record” as a campus leader in areas such as improving graduation rates and drawing research money to the 50,000-student university since his tenure began in 2006, but insisted that Powers did not meet his demands to improve cooperation between the two men.
