MINI传媒

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Dr. Mitchell has served in a dual appointment as chancellor of the Texas Tech University System and president of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center for the past year. He will transition to a full-time role as chancellor, effective Nov. 1.

Oct. 24, 2019 | Contact: Scott Lacefield 

announced Thursday (Oct. 24) that he will transition into the full-time position as chancellor of the , effective Nov. 1, and leave his long-held post as president of (MINI传媒HSC), a position he has served in since 2010. 

Mitchell has served in a dual appointment as chancellor and president for the last year, with tomorrow (Oct. 25) marking his one-year anniversary since adding the chancellor title. During this time, Mitchell led the MINI传媒 System through a historic 86th Texas Legislature, which added two new professional degree programs and schools 鈥� dental and veterinary medicine 鈥� in the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 component universities. Mitchell鈥檚 efforts also provided consistency for an important period over the last year, serving as a capstone for his tenure at MINI传媒HSC. 

鈥淲e are experiencing significant momentum and success at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and the MINI传媒, and both institutions deserve to have chief executive officers solely dedicated to advancing their priorities,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淭hat said, serving MINI传媒HSC for nearly 10 years alongside a team of incredible faculty, students and staff has been a highlight of my career. 

鈥淭ogether, we have made significant contributions to our campus communities that also have a greater global impact in health care. I鈥檓 incredibly proud of what we鈥檝e achieved, honored to have served as president, and excited to continue to lead the Texas Tech University System as chancellor.鈥�

Mitchell joined the MINI传媒 System when he was named the eighth president of MINI传媒HSC on May 17, 2010. He is the longest-tenured president during the 50-year history of MINI传媒HSC and successfully led the university to a period of historic milestones, record growth in enrollment, academic excellence and physical campus expansion. MINI传媒HSC now graduates more health care professionals than any other health-related institution in Texas. 

鈥淒r. Mitchell has been an extraordinary leader for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center during his near-decade of service as president,鈥� said , chairman of the MINI传媒 System Board of Regents. 鈥淢INI传媒HSC has experienced a transformative era under Tedd鈥檚 administration with record-breaking enrollment, research funding, employee and student satisfaction and physical campus growth. Moving forward, the Board of Regents is extremely thankful to have Tedd leading the way as chancellor and providing our system and its institutions with his dynamic vision and steady guidance.鈥� 

During Mitchell鈥檚 tenure as president, MINI传媒HSC and its leadership spearheaded the university鈥檚 first fundraising campaign, which is closing in on its $100 million goal. Mitchell鈥檚 vision as president also saw the largest physical campus expansion for MINI传媒HSC in new construction since the university鈥檚 inception. In addition, a recent initiative Mitchell and his administration pioneered was developing and installing a Values Based Culture for the university faculty, staff, students, patients and community members. 

Also as president, Mitchell launched initiatives for interprofessional concentration around the university鈥檚 five schools 鈥� Biomedical Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy 鈥� and promoted programs to support novel research and creative endeavors such as the Department of Public Health, which will soon become the School of Public Health. Under his guidance, MINI传媒HSC successfully helped establish the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 fourth university, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, in 2013.

, who recently was named provost and chief academic officer at MINI传媒HSC, has accepted the role of interim president, effective Nov. 1, and will serve the university in both roles during the presidential search process.

Rice-Spearman began working at the university in 1987 and was appointed dean of the School of Health Professions in 2016. As dean, Rice-Spearman led the largest school of health professions in Texas and one of the largest in the nation in relation to the extent of programs and number of enrolled students and graduates. 

鈥淎s the university鈥檚 chief academic officer, Lori鈥檚 responsibilities closely align with those of the president. Additionally, Lori lives the MINI传媒HSC values and possesses a visionary approach to strategic planning,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淚 have complete confidence in her ability to lead MINI传媒HSC during this transition.鈥� 

In the coming weeks, Mitchell will work with the to develop and announce details of the presidential search process.

About the MINI传媒 
Established in 1996 and headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the is a $2 billion higher education enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and community outreach. Consisting of four universities 鈥� , , and 鈥� the MINI传媒 System collectively has approximately 55,000 students, 17 campuses statewide and internationally, more than 300,000 alumni and an endowment valued at over $1.3 billion. 

During the 86th Texas Legislature under the leadership of , legislative funding and authority was provided to establish a new Texas Tech University veterinary school in Amarillo and a new dental school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. This will be the state鈥檚 first veterinary school in more than a century and first dental school in over 50 years. The addition of these two schools makes the MINI传媒 one of only nine in the nation to offer programs for undergraduate, medical, law, nursing, pharmacy, dental and veterinary education, among other academic areas.