UT Regents to meet and talk about the fate of President Bill Powers

Bill Powers is spending the first part of the week in New York with Mack Brown, current AD Steve Patterson and retired AD DeLoss Dodds at various National Football Foundation functions. When he gets back to Austin, the UT Board of Regents Thursday will discuss his employment during an executive session of its scheduled board meeting.

Powers has been President of the UT Systems flagship University for almost 8 years, but he came under fire beginning in 2011 when several new members expressed disenchantment with his performance. The agenda for the Thursday board meeting includes:

the "discussion and appropriate action related to recommendation by Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chancellor concerning employment of William C. Powers, Jr., as President of The University of Texas at Austin."

The struggle between Powers, who assumed the chairmanship of the prestigious Association of American Universities in October, and several members of the board has been escalating over the past year. Regent Wallace Hall is currently under investigation by a legislative committee for allegedly overstepping his authority and executing a "Witch Hunt," against Powers.

Members of the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations have made it clear that they expect the board to not take any action regarding the employment of those involved in their investigation, including Powers.

That committee is scheduled to meet again next week. They are looking into the possibility of recommending articles of impeachment against Regent Hall, who may be be compelled to appear before the committee at that time.