Following an effort by former Amarillo mayor Jerry Hodge to have Rick Francis removed from the Texas Tech Board of Regents, Francis announced his intention to step down from his role as board chairman this week.
During a meeting on Thursday, board chairman Rick Francis announced he would be stepping down as chairman of the board. However, the El Paso businessman will remain on the board, although not in the chairman position. Francis’ term on the board is up in January, and he will be eligible to be reappointed to another six year term by Governor Greg Abbott.
Francis’ resignation comes as Jerry Hodge, an ex-Amarillo mayor, launched an effort seeking to have Francis removed. Hodge’s effort, called “Fire Francis,” asked residents of Texas to sign letters asking Francis to leave the board.
Also, during the meeting on Thursday, Texas Tech named Tedd Mitchell as the sole finalist to become the next permanent chancellor of the school system, following the departure of chancellor Robert Duncan.
