Tudor to be next board chair

By Andrew Ta     1/9/13 6:00pm

Rice University's highest governing authority, the board of trustees, is getting a change in leadership as Bobby Tudor III (Hanszen '82), namesake of the Tudor Fieldhouse, succeeds Jim Crownover (Hanszen '65) as its next chairman.

Tudor will take over when Crownover's second and final four-year term ends June 30, according to Crownover. According to President David Leebron, Tudor has been a member of the board since 2006.

Rice's board of trustees, composed of 25 members, approximately two- thirds of whom are Rice alumni, advises Rice's president and management team and sets the strategy and vision for Rice, according to Tudor.

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Tudor said his plans for the beginning of Rice's second century align with Leebron's Vision for the Second Century and Rice's current direction.

"The V2C remains in place," Tudor said. "I think the broader question for the board and for Rice is, 'What next?' How do we want to think about adding or subtracting priorities for the first decade of the next century? The first rule of thumb is to do no harm. The board generally is very pleased with the current state of affairs and the direction of the university."

According to Tudor, a primary focus of his term would be to strengthen Rice's financial position.

"The board expects significant challenges over the next decade, the most obvious being the financial challenges facing higher education," Tudor said. "In the case of Rice, [our challenge is] a financial model dependent on the return of our endowment."

Tudor said increasing tuition was not a path at which the board was looking.

"The only way to decrease dependence [on the endowment] is to raise tuition and fees, but the desire is to have Rice continue to be cost-advantageous [or] less expensive than primary competitors," Tudor said. "We want to continue to generate attractive returns from the endowment, but that's market-driven."

The board will look for alternative methods to raise funding, including research grants and monetizing intellectual property that Rice owns.

The shift toward online learning is something else Tudor will deal with during his term, he said.

"One challenge is the impact that online learning is going to have to have on a residential university model," Tudor said. "That's very hard to predict right now. You can certainly imagine scenarios where access to high-quality online learning changes the behavior of students. We need to make sure Rice is well-positioned for that revolution."

Leebron said he looks forward to working with Tudor on Rice's financial pressures, digital education and intercollegiate athletics, among other issues.

"I think [Tudor] is someone who is a natural-born leader," Leebron said. "He and his wife are very much engaged in the city of Houston. He's connected both in the energy and the financial world. Those are two important areas for Rice and Houston."

Leebron said Tudor, as a Rice alumnus, knows what Rice needs.

"He was a student-athlete, so he brings that perspective," Leebron said. "He understands both the important things that have made Rice great and what it means to be in a changing world and what it means to adapt to that world."

The board of trustees plays a significant role in student life decisions, but the focus is always on the student, Tudor said.

"[It] should be very clear that the board considers the quality of student life and the quality of the Rice experience of utmost priority," Tudor said. "In everything we do, we are very much focused on the impact of those actions on student life."

Crownover, who during his tenure oversaw the potential merger with the Baylor College of Medicine, said being the chairman was not always easy, but he nonetheless enjoyed his time in the position.

"[The] chairman serves at the pleasure of the board - they chose you and they can unchoose you," Crownover said. "[You] organize the board, work with the president, make sure everyone has the chance to give their point of view, and build consensus. I've enjoyed the time immensely and enjoyed the people I've worked with. I feel really honored to have been here at the 100-year mark."

Crownover said he would help Tudor make a smooth transition but he was not sure how he would stay involved with Rice.

"I hope [we] continue to raise our aspirations," Crownover said. "One of our top priorities is to develop ... [a] strategic alliance with the medical center. I hope [Tudor] continues to have an eye toward building [Rice's reputation] in Houston and on a global basis."

Student Association President Sanjula Jain said she would like to arrange more communication between the board and students.

"We are working to establish a permanent setup where student leadership will meet once a semester with Board members," Jain said. "From what I know, historically, there has not been much interaction between students and the board. However, in the past few years both parties have managed to establish a great relationship that will continue to grow in the future."

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