Texas A&M System Regents Endorse the A&M System’s Role in the Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas


COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Wednesday endorsed the Texas A&M System’s role in rebuilding Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

On Sept. 7, Gov. Abbott appointed Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp as Commissioner of the Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas, which will lead the effort to rebuild the public infrastructure – roads, bridges, schools, utility structures and systems and government buildings — damaged by the hurricane. The governor also authorized The Texas A&M System, including its 11 universities and 7 state agencies, and its employees, to support the work of the Commission.

“The governor’s call to duty is consistent with the unique service mission of the Texas A&M System and will expedite the state and local recovery as well as the rebuilding of public facilities and infrastructure so critical to the Texas economy and the well-being of our state’s citizens,” said Charles Schwartz, chairman of the Board of Regents. “It is an honor for the A&M System to play such a pivotal role in the Harvey recovery effort.”

The Regents met Wednesday in a special telephonic meeting.

In other action, the Board authorized the purchase of an 18-story building on 5.5 acres at 1020 Holcombe Boulevard, across the street from the Texas Medical Center and adjacent to Texas A&M Health Science Center’s Institute of Biosciences and Technology. The Holcombe facility will serve the university’s EnMed partnership with Houston Methodist Hospital. EnMed is an innovative engineering medical school option to educate a new kind of doctor who will create transformational technology for health care.

About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.55 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the Texas A&M System educates more than 148,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $972 million in FY 2016 and helped drive the state’s economy.

Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu