A look at Dr. Katherine Banks two-year stint as President of Texas A&M University

College Station, Texas (KBTX) – Katherine Banks’ retirement comes two days after the University Senate created a committee looking into the mishandling of hiring former New York Times journalist Kathleen McElroy.

Banks was appointed the 26th president of Texas A&M University in June of 2021. Prior, she oversaw the University’s engineering programs for a decade. She spoke with KBTX in 2021 right after starting her post. One of her main talking points was on placing more money into a program promoting early career scholars who embrace diversity.

But soon, her restructuring plans raised eyebrows.

“There are a number of different initiatives that I think are very important. One is the Fellowship Scholarship Program. We will be placing more money into those programs that currently exist here on campus. Also the important ACES program. That is a program to recruit more underrepresented faculty members to campus. That has been very successful. The deans are working on that now. And of course, the plan to think about campus in a new way. To think about displays and how we tell our history more broadly,” said Banks in 2021.

Yet concerns were raised just months later. Using a consulting firm, Banks put out a 130-page report outlining bold initiatives that would change Texas A&M.

Faculty spoke out.

“It’s really far-reaching and very complex,” said Journalism Professor Dale Rice.

After receiving feedback, Banks released her Path Forward Plan in December of 2021. Among numerous changes, it included the formation of The College of Arts and Sciences by merging the colleges of Liberal Arts, Geosciences and Science.

It also created a new vice president of Faculty Affairs.

“We need to enhance the faculty…we don’t do a very good job of mentoring our faculty,” Banks said.

In February of 2022, the editor of the Battalion, Texas A&M’s student newspaper, said they were blindsided when Banks demand they cease printing immediately.

Following an uproar and editorials, the Battalion is still printed once a week.

This past Monday the Interim Dean of the New College of Arts and Sciences, Jose Bermudez stepped down amid the hiring controversy over veteran journalist Dr. Kathleen McElroy.

Back in April, Bermudez spoke about Banks’ restructuring of the university.

“It’s important to give Dr. Banks credit for the vision that she had for creating the Colleges of Arts and taking a bold step that wasn’t popular at the time, but I think with time will be truly transformational for Texas A&M University,” said Bermudez.

That same month, an elected group of A&M faculty and researchers revealed “widespread discontent,” saying a poll found many feel administrators are cultivating an environment of fear and intimidation on campus. It came eight months after some Texas A&M professors expressed frustration that Banks was leaving them out of major decisions.

Two days after Bermudez stepped down, Banks met with Faculty Senate members.

“I think the University and you, Dr. Banks, have not done a good job of communicating with the facility what happened.”

Banks denied knowing about changes in the job offer of McElroy but took responsibility.

Her 25-month reign was shorter only by the only other woman president, Elsa Murano, who served from January 2008 to June 2009.

At Chancellor John Sharp’s appointment, Mark Welsh will serve as acting president of Texas A&M until the University System Board of Regents can meet to name an interim president.