Nonprofit Online University Appoints 13 State Leaders
AUSTIN, April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An innovative newcomer to Texas higher education, online university WGU Texas, is tapping key state leaders from business, education, healthcare and public policy to serve on its Advisory Board.
Members will provide advice and counsel to WGU Texas' chancellor, Dr. Mark David Milliron, to help shape the future direction of the university, established by the state last fall. The nonprofit institution is self sufficient on tuition and does not receive state funding.
WGU Texas Advisory Board members will play a lead role in guiding the university's support of economic development in Texas by advancing this new option for adult students to complete affordable, graduate and undergraduate degrees. In addition, the advisory board will help identify and develop partnerships with lead employers to help meet state workforce needs.
Board members are invited to serve for three-year terms, bringing expertise that aligns with the university's four colleges and more than 50 industry-relevant accredited bachelor's and master's degrees in business, information technology, health professions, including nursing, and teacher education.
The newly-appointed Advisory Board members are:
- Andres Alcantar – Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission, Austin (effective May 1, 2012)
- Jelynne LeBlanc-Burley – Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, CPS Energy, San Antonio
- Patricia Diaz Dennis – Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Retired, AT&T, San Antonio
- John Fitzpatrick – Executive Director of Educate Texas, Austin and Dallas
- Bernie Francis – Owner and CEO of Business Control Systems, and First Class Caregivers, Inc., Dallas
- Reynaldo García – President and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, Austin
- Karen Garza – Superintendent, Lubbock Independent School District, Lubbock
- Bonnie Gonzalez – Chief Executive Officer, Workforce Solutions, McAllen
- Woody Hunt – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hunt Companies, El Paso
- Alice Rodriguez – Business Banking Executive, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Dallas
- Robert Scott – Texas Commissioner of Education, Head of the Texas Education Agency, Austin
- L. E. Simmons – Founder and President of SCF Partners, Houston
- Lora Villarreal – Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer for Xerox Services, Dallas
"We are fortunate to have this diverse and accomplished group of leaders help guide our important first years in the state. Their collective expertise and in-depth industry insight will be invaluable as we position WGU Texas to help thousands of Texans successfully take the pathway to possibility that is higher education," said Chancellor Milliron.
About WGU Texas
WGU Texas is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to quality higher education for Texas residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Established through a partnership with nationally recognized and accredited Western Governors University, WGU Texas is open to all qualified Texas residents and currently enrolls approximately 2,300 students. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and nationally accredited through the Distance Education and Training Commission (DETC) in addition to programmatic accreditation.
For more information, visit the WGU Texas website at http://texas.wgu.edu or call 877-214-7011.
Follow WGU:
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http://twitter.com/wgu
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http://news.wgu.edu/news/news.xml
Contact for media inquiries:
Jennifer Rees – Sr. Manager, PR
512-577-7641
[email protected]
Contact for enrollment information:
877.214.7011
texas.wgu.edu
SOURCE WGU Texas
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