UT President Makes “Impassioned Plea”

Texas desperately needs more top-tier universities, a point we have made again and again. The main obstacle has been the zealous but misguided alumni of UT Austin and Texas A&M, who have opposed any innovation or funding that could possibly be perceived as favoring any other institution. But yesterday none other than UT President William Powers took the Legislature — and by extension, his own alumni — to task, laying out the need in no uncertain terms for Texas to choose two more universities to raise to the top tier by 2025. He’s someone to watch, this Powers guy. As UT president, he’s got a bully pulpit, and he’s the first UT president in decades who’s not shy about using it.