COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has unanimously approved interim president Mark A. Welsh III to be the sole finalist for the next President of the university.
Leading up to Friday's meeting, Welsh was expected to get the nod for the position from Sharp, according to a report from The Texas Tribune. He has been interim president since late July.
“The Board is confident in General Welsh’s abilities to take Texas A&M to even greater heights,” Chairman Bill Mahomes said in a news release on the Texas A&M University System website. “Everything points to him being the perfect person for this pivotal moment in the history of our beloved flagship.”
Welsh won't be able to assume the role of university president immediately, however, as there is a minimum 21-day period between when regents name a finalist and when an appointment is held to make the move official, according to state law.
That hasn't stopped Welsh from impressing those high up in the A&M system ranks with the work he's done in his four-month span as interim president.
“Even in an interim role, General Welsh has moved decisively and effectively to advance the university’s mission,” Sharp said in a news release on the Texas A&M University System website. “He has earned the trust of faculty, staff, students and former students and added to his long-standing reputation as a thoughtful, common-sense and collaborative leader.”
Prior to stepping into the interim president role, Welsh was the dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. He has held the role since 2016. Before that, he had a successful career in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot, four-star general, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, among other accolades.
“Serving as interim president for the last several months has been an incredible privilege, and I’m truly honored to be named as the sole finalist for President of Texas A&M University," Welsh said in a statement following the Board's decision on Friday. "I love this university and everything it represents, and I’m grateful to the Board of Regents and Chancellor Sharp for their confidence in me. While I’m excited by the possibility of leading this remarkable institution in a more permanent capacity, I value the comprehensive decision-making process that will occur over the next few weeks.”
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