Hispanic Physician Is Named Sole Finalist to Be U. of Texas Chancellor

The University of Texas system’s Board of Regents has named its only finalist for chancellor: a pediatric transplant surgeon who heads the university’s Health Science Center in San Antonio, the Austin American-Statesman reported this morning. Francisco Cigarroa, who comes from a family of Laredo-based doctors, would be the system’s first Hispanic chancellor.

The board announced its unanimous decision on Thursday after nearly five hours behind closed doors. “He’s a wonderful academician, he’s a top surgeon, and he’s been very successful as president of the health-science center,” said Raymund Paredes, the state’s higher-education commissioner. “He’s turned that center into a major research institution. He’s got the kind of academic stature you would want in a chancellor of the UT system.”

The board also commended its other top candidate, John Montford, a previous chancellor of the Texas Tech University system and former state senator. He was the apparent choice of Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, who said in April that Mr. Montford would be a good chancellor.

The University of Texas system comprises nine universities, six health campuses, and more than 194,000 students. State law requires the regents to wait 21 days before confirming the appointment, but it is considered all but certain. The new chancellor will replace Mark G. Yudof, who resigned in June and now leads the University of California system.