The Commission of 125 Flexible Resources for the Department
The Commission of 125 was a group of citizens
Larry R. Faulkner Departmental Chair for Excellence in Chemistry and Biochemistry
convened to express a vision of how The
Strong academic leadership at the department level is essential for the university
University of Texas can best serve Texas and
to achieve preeminence. The Commission of 125 believes strongly that “a key to
society during the next 25 years. The group
improving our capacity for world-class teaching, scholarship, and research is to
included 218 members chosen for occupational,
ethnic, and geographic diversity. Ninety
require that those who lead departments and research centers meet a higher standard
were honorary members who had served as
of excellence, accomplishment, and leadership ability.” The Commission underscores
members of the UT System Board of Regents
the importance of recruiting stellar faculty leaders and providing them with both the
or one of two previous planning efforts--the
authority and the resources required to lead their areas.
Committee of 75 (which concluded its work
Dean Mary Ann Rankin of the College of Natural Sciences has set a goal of $5 million
in 1958) and the Centennial Commission
(1983). Members hailed from 22 states and
to endow a Chair for Excellence in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
two foreign countries. The Commission was
to honor Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, chemist, educator, and President Emeritus of The
chaired by Kenneth M. Jastrow II, chairman
University of Texas at Austin. This endowment, which will be named after Dr.
and chief executive officer of Temple-Inland.
Faulkner and administered by the Chair of the department, will provide resources

to advance the quality, extent and nature of chemistry and biochemistry research,
After nearly two years of deliberations,
education and outreach at the university.
the Commission delivered its report to UT
President Larry R. Faulkner on September 30, The Larry R. Faulkner Departmental Chair for Excellence in Chemistry and
2004. The Commission recommended one
Biochemistry will provide flexible support for the Department Chair to respond
imperative: “The University of Texas must
quickly and decisively to address departmental needs for which institutional or grant
create a disciplined culture of excellence
support is not available. Chairs often find themselves presented with time-sensitive
that will enable it to realize its constitutional
opportunities that can advance programs or with challenges that can hinder progress,
mandate.” The imperative alludes to the
Constitution of the State of Texas, which
but are unable to address these issues due to funding or timing constraints.
states, “The Legislature shall...establish,
Pressing needs and opportunities include:
organize, and provide for the maintenance,
• Seed funding for promising, but high risk, unprecedented, research projects
support, and direction of a University of the
first class.” To that end, the Commission
• Support for novel educational and research initiatives
recommended two strategic initiatives: to
• Scholarships and fellowships to attract outstanding students to our
develop a new undergraduate core curriculum program
and to establish a more demanding standard
• Support for our graduate student recruiting efforts
for leadership of academic departments and
research centers.
• Funding for seminars and outreach events
• Equipment acquisition to keep shared core facilities at the state of
the art
The Larry R. Faulkner Departmental Chair for Excellence in Chemistry and
Biochemistry will catalyze our progress by enabling us to fund innovative
ideas and important departmental needs with ample resources.
To make your gift to the Larry
R. Faulkner Departmental Chair
for Excellence in Chemistry and
Biochemistry, please contact:
Kay T. Thomas
Associate Dean for External
Relations
College of Natural Sciences
512.471.3299
thomaskay@mail.utexas.edu
18
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36