University of Texas Arlington

Spaniolo announcement receives media attention

James D. Spaniolo, who led a surge in enrollment and development as president of The University of Texas at Arlington for eight years, including construction of the acclaimed College Park District, announced Monday that he plans to retire, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. The 66-year-old administrator and attorney, who took over as UT Arlington's seventh president in February 2004, said that he loves the University but that it is time to make room for new leaders. "I have had a great opportunity to serve, and hopefully, make a contribution to the growth and development of UT Arlington," Spaniolo said. "I need to look at my future." Spaniolo plans to stay until The University of Texas System Board of Regents finds a successor, which is likely several months. He said he doesn't intend to seek any other university post and is looking to spend time with his new twin granddaughters. An earlier version of the story can be read here.

Dallas Morning News

University of Texas at Arlington President James Spaniolo announced Monday he plans to retire after eight years on the high-profile job, the Dallas Morning News reported. “This is purely a personal decision,” Spaniolo, 66, said in an interview. “People in leadership positions need to be keenly aware that they have a limited window of opportunity to make a contribution, and I felt like this has been my opportunity.” UTA supporters cite a long list of contributions by Spaniolo. Since his arrival in 2004, enrollment has surged from 25,000 students to more than 33,000, making it the second-largest campus in the UT System. Annual spending on research has tripled, from $22 million to $66 million. An earlier version of this story appeared on the Dallas Morning News Scoop Blog.

Opinions and editorials

The Dallas Morning News Opinion Page Editor Keven Ann Willey blogged that President Spaniolo’s announcement: “catches many folks by surprise as he’s been a highly regarded chief executive of the ever-expanding university during his eight-year tenure.”

Local business media

The Fort Worth Business Press and Dallas Business Journal reported on President Spaniolo’s plans to retire, citing the University’s increasing enrollment, research expenditures and strengthened academic profile under Spaniolo. The Dallas Business Journal article was also published in the Houston Chronicle.

Local news stations and websites

Broadcast reports of President Spaniolo’s retirement announcement appeared on KTVT/CBS 11, KXAS/NBC 5, and KDFW/FOX 4. Broadcast station websites KERA.org and NBCDFW.com also reported the news, posting a major portion of the University news release to their sites.

The Associated Press

The Associated Press reported on President Spaniolo's retirement announcement in a story that was carried by the Austin American-Statesman, KVUE.com (Austin), WFAA.com, KTRE (Lufkin), El Paso Times, KIII (Corpus Christi), and KSLA (Shreveport, La.).

The Texas Tribune

The Texas Tribune reported that no outside pressure, internal unhappiness or specific event led President Spaniolo to his decision to announce his retirement. "There's no sense of dissatisfaction or ambition or anything like that that prompted me to make this decision," he told the Texas Tribune on Monday. "I'm not being recruited. I'm not anticipating any specific opportunity. I'm not looking to be a university president someplace else." The Tribune’s report was carried by Pegasus News.

National media

PR Newswire also carried news about President Spaniolo's announcement. The release was published by Reuters, the Houston Business Journal, San Antonio Business Journal, Philadelphia Business Journal, Los Angeles Business, San Francisco Business Times, Atlanta Business Chronicle (GA), Business Courier (Cincinnati, OH), Sacramento Bee, Digital Journal.com, Yahoo! News, WSVJ (South Bend, IN), KLXT (Rochester, MN) and on numerous other news websites.

Ickes recognized for book

The Dallas Business Journal Executive People on the Move noted that William Ickes, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at UT Arlington, has been selected to receive the International Association of Relationship Researchers Book Award for his book, “Strangers in a Strange Lab.” Ickes will be recognized at an awards ceremony during the 2012 IARR Conference July 12-16 in Chicago.

Hitting a hight note

The Texas Music Journal noted that UT Arlington is one of the sponsors of the Texas Power 2012 Summer Concert Series, which is being held through July 3 at the Levitt Pavilion in downtown Arlington.