Texas A& M president will leave earlier than planned
Texas A&M University President Michael Young announced Tuesday that he will resign a semester earlier than planned.
Young, who has been president since 2015, announced in September that he would officially resign next May and would become director of A&M’s Institute for Religious Liberties and International Affairs within the Bush School of Government and Public Service.
In his Tuesday letter to the community, Young wrote that he met with Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp to discuss his desire to resign Dec. 31 after having “time to reflect on my own interests and where I can make the greatest contribution.”
When asked about Young’s reason for leaving, a university spokesman directed the Houston Chronicle to Young’s letter, which did not give a specific explanation about his amended and earlier departure.
“Thank you for the incredible opportunity to serve as your 25th president,” Young wrote. “As this great university goes forward, please take care of each other, Aggies. Commit to the success of each other in heart and action -- the institution and Aggies will thrive as they always have.”
Sharp said in a written statement that he accepted Young’s resignation and highlighted some of the president’s achievements, including navigating the university during the pandemic and increasing the school’s research expenditures to nearly $1 billion a year.
“I want to thank him for his service to Texas A&M University and I look forward to seeing him fulfill his passion to create an institute addressing the issues of religious freedom and international affairs,” Sharp said.
Sharp recommended Dr. John L. Junkins, chair of the engineering school, as inter im president, noting that he will “bring a steady hand to the tiller to ensure that Texas A&M successfully navigates the next few months until a successor is named.”
Junkins said Tuesday that he was “doubly surprised” when he learned of Young’s early resignation and that he was being asked to be interim president.
“Given the short notice and the few months duration of this appointment, I will not bring a bold new agenda. My job will be to help navigate Texas A&M safely along our presently planned course and work with existing senior leadership and the faculty to solve problems as they arise until our newpresident takes the helm, hopefully by June,” Junkins said in the email to the A&M community.
He will transition into the interim position by January. Junkins, who has worked at A&M for 35 years, said he looks forward to resuming his role as professor and director once the official president is chosen.