On Thursday, an effort was announced to remove Texas Tech Chairman of the Board of Regents, Rick Francis. The effort was led by former Amarillo mayor Jerry Hodge, according to a statement sent by SKP Creative which is a communications strategy company.
Hodge pledged a $10 million donation to Texas Tech prior to the departure of Chancellor Robert Duncan. Duncan signed an agreement to retire in mid-August after a majority of regents said in a closed-door meeting that they would not renew his contract in 2019.
Hodge believed that Duncan was treated unprofessionally, and additionally someone leaked information about the $10 million donation to the media before it was made officially public. Hodge said he and his wife were not happy at all.
The $10 million gift was withdrawn on a Sunday morning, September 9, in an email. The email questioned whether or not the regents leaked information about the gift before it was officially made public.
The effort includes the website firefrancis.com.
On the website, it said, “The firing of Chancellor Robert Duncan, which was led by Chairman Rick Francis, was done in poor taste, without cause, and has led to a mistrust of the Texas Tech University (TTU) Board of Regents (BOR) among our state’s leaders, Texas Tech supporters, and alumni.”
The regents meet again in early October.
The following is a statement from Rick Francis released Thursday afternoon:
“The focus of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents is providing Dr. Mitchell and our university presidents the resources and support necessary to maintain our system as a first-class institution of higher education. We remain committed to our strategic priorities as we approach a pivotal legislative session.”
L. Frederick “Rick” Francis
Chairman, Texas Tech University System Board of Regents
The following is a statement distributed by SKP Creative:
The chairman of the board of regents for the Texas Tech University System is the target of a new campaign that seeks to remove him from office for a wide range of issues including his lead role in forcing the departure of the system’s chancellor and his efforts to undermine a proposed Tech veterinary school in Amarillo.
The campaign focuses on Rick Francis of El Paso and is being led by one of Amarillo’s leading business figures, Jerry Hodge.
Elements of the campaign began rolling out this morning under a new website, “firefrancis.com”
The campaign will be directed through a committee formed as a 501(c)(4). It will include an aggressive social media initiative that will allow supporters of the former Chancellor, Robert Duncan, and proponents of the proposed vet school, to communicate directly with Governor Greg Abbott and the other eight Tech regents who could remove Francis as chair of that board. Other elements of the campaign will include paid advertising and other tactical initiatives.
The campaign is being launched in advance of a board of regents meeting scheduled for October 4 in Lubbock.
“Rick Francis needs to be fired,” said Hodge. “The committee feels strongly that the firing of Chancellor Robert Duncan, which was led by Chairman Francis, was done in poor taste, without cause, and has led to a mistrust of the Texas Tech University Board of Regents among our state’s leaders, Texas Tech supporters, and alumni. Francis’ actions have put the leadership of the entire board in question. The only way to correct this is with the removal of Francis and the appointment of a new chairperson. His removal will restore honor, integrity, and trust in the board of regents.”
A positive first step would be for the board to vote Francis out as chairman, an action Hodge believes would have wide-ranging support. “It would be greatly appreciated if the other regents stepped up and asked Francis to step down,” Hodge said. The regents have the authority to elect the chair.
Hodge questioned Francis’ actions that appear to undermine the university’s efforts to develop a vet school in Amarillo amid stiff opposition from Texas A&M which operates the state’s only other public veterinary school.
“Rick Francis must be held accountable,” Hodge said. “Francis has publicly supported the Texas Tech administration on certain projects while at the same time undermining their hard work in Austin. The proposed veterinary school in Amarillo is a key example. Serious questions have to be answered, not the least of which is did he have Texas Tech’s or Texas A&M’s best interests in mind when Bob Duncan was forced out as chancellor?”
Hodge said he will be available for media interviews on Monday, October 1, to provide an update on the campaign.
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