Dr. Furgason steps down as president,
will assume reins at Harte Research Institute

Dr. Robert R. Furgason, who has guided Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi through almost 14 years of phenomenal growth and change, has announced his intention to step down from his post as soon as his successor is appointed.

Furgason, who came to the University in December 1990 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will serve as director of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies.

The president arrived at the University when it was still known as Corpus Christi State University and guided it through several major changes, including the transition to a four-year university, during which time the University grew from 4,489 in 1994 to 7,861 in 2003. The University’s landscape has been transformed with new buildings all over campus, including student housing and a soon-to-be-opened Performing Arts Center.

New programs have been introduced and more are in the works. Furgason has also been involved in the community and has received many awards for his professional and civic involvement, including being named the Man of the Decade in 2000 by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

Furgason announced his intention to step down during a special President’s Convocation on April 2 attended by faculty, staff, students and members of the news media.

In his remarks, he said the University is a major player in addressing the need to educate the state’s minority population and must continue in that regard. He noted that two years ago Hispanics made up 39 percent of the 2,514 student applicants to the University. This year, 46 percent of the University’s 3,052 applicants are Hispanic.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s STAR awards for Closing the Gaps in minority educational attainment, the U.S. News and World Report national rankings, faculty awards and accolades, and the University’s reputation in the community and among state leaders point to the University’s excellence, he said.

Furgason said research is one area in which he hopes to continue helping the University build its capabilities. He described the opportunity to direct the Harte Research Institute as “probably without precedent.” The Institute can provide a blueprint for the way in which problem and issue oriented research should be organized and conducted, he added.

The Institute, created by a $46 million gift from Corpus Christi philanthropist Ed Harte, will bring world-renowned scientists to the campus to further enhance A&M-Corpus Christi’s research on environmental issues facing the Gulf of Mexico.

Furgason said he will assume the directorship on a three-quarters-time basis in order to pursue personal interests.