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Most sitting college presidents within the Texas A&M University System opted not to comment when asked recently about the idea of merging the positions of the system chancellor with the presidency of the flagship university.
But several of their predecessors spoke out -- both against and in favor the possible change. All said successfully combining the two complicated posts would be a challenge.
"Both of those positions are very complex and, frankly, my view would be that it takes full-time for two different people," former longtime Tarleton State University President Dennis McCabe said in a phone interview.
Trustees are set to discuss the administrative structure of the A&M system and its flagship College Station campus at a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday.
The agenda does not mention Elsa Murano, who announced her resignation as A&M's president Sunday.
Chancellor Mike McKinney told The Eagle late last month that the option of combining the two posts is one of many cost-cutting measures being considered by regents. Though McKinney said they still were in the discussion stage and nothing was formalized, his comments drew criticism from university faculty members, Murano, alumni and others associated with Texas A&M.
Three former presidents of Texas A&M system campuses added their voices to the mix last week by discussing with The Eagle how such a change could affect the smaller universities. The majority of current presidents did not return calls or declined to comment, which their predecessors said could be because they do not want to speak out for or against the chancellor or board of regents before a decision is made.
The A&M system includes 11 universities -- including two added in recent weeks -- a health science center and seven state agencies.
Complexity vs. synergy
McCabe, who headed Tarleton State for nearly two decades before resigning to teach in 2007, said he's only heard of the possibility of combining the posts through rumors.
"In my time as president of Tarleton State University for 17 years, I think it would have been difficult probably if there had been a person that was the leader for Texas A&M University and also the leader for the A&M system," he said.
McCabe said a chancellor-president would almost certainly have to create a new level of management to handle the added responsibility.
"If you add a bunch of people and you give them specific roles as far as how to respond to the different agencies around the state, you could probably get a model that would work," he said.
But hiring more people, he said, would not necessarily save money.
Retired Army Gen. Mark Cisneros, who served three years as president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville beginning in 1996, said he would support such a change.
When contacted by phone, Cisneros said he was surprised by the possibility of restructuring because McKinney hadn't mentioned it when they spoke at a recent luncheon.
"Probably if you want to capture my initial thought, it's that I'm kind of neutral for it," he said. "I think overall it's not a bad thing to try."
Cisneros, who is CEO of the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, said McKinney is an "outstanding individual, and I have a lot of respect for him and what he brings to the whole thing."
Combining the two positions could raise ire from regional university presidents, but Cisneros said he would not have minded the change while he was president so long as all smaller university presidents still had access to the board of regents.
Practically speaking, Cisneros said, a chancellor-president would represent the flagship university.
"There's some synergy when you have that. I think when the president, who is also the chancellor, speaks at the Legislature, that he also represents all the universities and regional universities at the same time," he said.
After further consideration, Cisneros said he didn't see "any downsides" to combining the two positions.
"I think the chancellor being the president of the university would have more understanding of what other university presidents [within the system] would have to go through," he said.
Cisneros said most current presidents would be against the idea because "they would think that lessens their roles since they are now reporting to a president," he said. "But I think it's a great idea."
Former Texas A&M president Ray Bowen has said he disagrees with the idea of merging the two positions.
"I've indicated publicly that I believe it's too large of a job for one person," he said.
Bowen said he can see an advantage to a chancellor having experience as a president of a university. They might be able to better understand their presidents' concerns, he said, "but for a chancellor to get that experience with a large, complex place like Texas A&M University -- it might be difficult."
McCabe said simply combining two positions into one almost never works -- especially if both people are doing important work.
"Irrespective of the chancellorship and the presidents of A&M, if you combine people or you cut positions and combine their responsibilities for others, then either something didn't need to be done before, or there will be new positions that will cost less to get the same job done, or expectations will have to shift," he said.
Assisting other schools
Russell Long, who served as president of West Texas A&M University for nearly 10 years, said it was common for the chancellor or a representative to accompany him when he went to Austin to ask for funding for his school from state legislators.
It's not a requirement that it work that way, he said, but the chancellor's role in that process is still "extremely important."
Long, who retired soon after stepping down as president in 2005 after nearly 40 years of work in higher education, said he hadn't heard about the possible changes and would have to "know a great deal more and give it a considerable amount of thought" before venturing a strong opinion.
But, he said, he could see problems that would arise from such an arrangement.
"I think that one of the issues that would probably bubble up next would be whether or not the other institutions in the system would remain autonomous or whether they would become branch campuses of A&M," he said. "If the chancellor were also the president of A&M, this would change the relationship between the regional universities and Texas A&M University."
It's possible for one person to do both jobs well, he said, but it would certainly be a strain on that person.
Of the eight current presidents of A&M system campuses contacted by The Eagle for this story, four declined to comment while three did not respond to calls or e-mails.
Dan Jones, president of Texas A&M University-Commerce, said he did not believe combining the two posts would negatively affect the system's smaller schools.
Overall, he said, "it would be premature to have an opinion at this point."
"We've enjoyed very good support from the A&M system, very good support from the chancellor, and I'm certain that -- whatever the board decides to do regarding the College Station campus -- it will not affect the high level of service we receive from the A&M system," he said.
Regardless of whether the two positions are combined, McCabe said, he would have expected his boss to serve as an advocate for the smaller universities before the regents and other public officials.
"I would expect my immediate supervisor, no matter what model is used, to be an advocate for my institution or the institution I was involved with," he said.
