Regent Oxford, Regent Krier; Governor Briscoe, elected officials from throughout the region … distinguished colleagues from the UT System and from so many other universities…thank you so much for being here today. I am humbled by so many distinguished friends and colleagues from two countries who have joined us.

To the Pfizer Corporation, thank you so much for your generous sponsorship — which has made all this possible.

To my mother and father — thank you for being perfect role models not only in life but, Dad, in your role as a physician. Graciela, I appreciate everything you do for me — and for our beautiful daughters. And to Christy and Barbara — I’m so glad you’re both here today — along with so many of my family from all over the country.

This auditorium is filled with leaders who have dared to dream large dreams — for San Antonio and for this region. Those were leaders like you, Bartell Zachry, and your wonderful father. That is what has built this university and that is what has built the great state of Texas. One of those large dreams from many years ago was outlined in the Constitution of this great state, which calls for "a university of the first class." That is the first reference in history … to The University of Texas.

I think about that phrase a lot. "A university of the first class." Regent Oxford and Regent Krier, all of us who have a stake in this Health Science Center are committed to that Constitutional mandate.

In fact, we are already living up to that mandate. The research that emanates from here has had major, life-changing impact on all of humanity. Now I realize that’s a pretty bold claim. But I can say that with confidence.

I’d like to give you just a few examples of why I am a very proud President. We have remarkable talent at this university. Some of the names you hear may not be household words, but perhaps they should be.

Our own Dr. Robert Campbell invented a device called the Titanium Rib and now babies who were destined never to breathe properly — and therefore would not live for more than a few years - are living full, rich lives.

Dr. Jaime Garza - who played football for the NFL and then received both his Dental Degree and his Medical Degree — saw the injuries our young people were getting from athletics — and devised a face guard that has protected countless young people from injury.

Dr. Peter Fox is known all over the world for mapping the human brain. His work shows which parts of the brain are working correctly — and which are not — and that leads researchers to the next step: determining how to fix the parts of the brain that don’t work properly!

One of our great cardiologists, Dr. Steve Bailey, is studying ways to help the heart regenerate itself by growing new vessels and new muscles after a heart attack.

Dr. John Calhoon is developing less invasive ways to perform the most complicated surgery through the smallest of incisions. What once required your entire chest being opened can now be done through an incision the width of your index finger.

Can anyone blame me for being a proud president!

And what a memorable day this is for me — and for all of us who are part of that "university of the first class — as we make official what has actually been part of my life for some months now. To the former Chairman of the UT Board of Regents, Tom Loeffler, you have been such a great leader for this state and the UT System. Your presence here today means a great deal to all of us, and especially to me personally. You are an outstanding champion for the Health Science Center and for higher education throughout the State of Texas. I appreciate the confidence you showed in me when you and the other Regents selected this surgeon as the new Health Science Center President.

I must admit, it was a phenomenal transition from full time surgeon to President of a Health Science Center with five schools. That transition was made a lot easier by someone who has been a great mentor of mine for the past eleven months — and who has provided great leadership to the UT System for the past 17 years. Dr. Mullins, thank you for your guidance and your friendship — and as you hand the baton over to Dr. Guckian, I know the UT System, and this Health Science Center, will continue to be in outstanding hands.

I want to pay my respects to another important person in my life. Dr. Paul Colombani, Chief of the Division of Pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins. I’m so glad you are with us today. Paul is a great surgeon and mentor; he taught me that there is no vision so great that it cannot be achieved. He also taught me the beauty and the joy of pediatric surgery and the challenge of transplant surgery. Paul, you had such an influence on me as a physician, and I will always be grateful to you.

I am also very grateful to the many university and college presidents who have joined us. I want each one of you to know that we are honored by your presence.

And since you have all been through this, you will understand how I feel today — as a grateful new president with a new beginning.

I can embrace that new beginning with confidence because of the groundwork that was laid for all of us in the early days of this Health Science Center. Our first president — and now President Emeritus - Dr. Frank Harrison, is with us today, and sir, I am honored by your presence and grateful for your vision and your steady hand as you guided this university through its early years. Then for 16 years, Dr. John Howe led us with an impressive amount of growth, new degree programs and outreach activities. I couldn’t have two better predecessors, friends and advisors whenever I need their counsel.

And now the mantle has fallen to me — a surgeon who fell in love with medicine when I went with my grandfather, my uncle, my father, and Dr. Mario Ramirez — making rounds all throughout South Texas — at all hours of the day and night. Their dedication to patients and their love of medicine shaped me as a young physician and continues to inspire me today.

The commitment to high goals, high expectations, and service to the community I saw as a young boy growing up in Laredo are the same commitments I bring to the office of president. Senator Zaffirini, you have also seen this "Laredo spirit" in action over the years. In fact, you exemplify this commitment to excellence!

When I assumed this office, I quickly learned that we had great financial challenges. Some were the natural impact of a period of rapid expansion; some were placed on us by outside forces over which we had no control, like the federal Balanced Budget Act, which drastically cut funding for teaching hospitals and Graduate Medical Education. Part of the challenge we face is because we care for a region of the state that has great medical needs — and because we care for many patients who are medically indigent.

When faced with great challenges, a university president can do one of two things. He can adopt the ‘bunker mentality’ and hope it will pass — or he can address it "Texas style" and face it head on. I chose the latter.

And you in this audience have been partners in helping us meet those challenges. You stayed with me when I had tough calls to make. You kept your enthusiasm when funding was tight. You kept your optimism when you faced challenges of your own. Individually and collectively, you have let me know that you are supportive of me and of our collective goals. I am here today to say a heartfelt "thank you."

And one of the most heartfelt "thank you’s" goes to our donors.

We could not reach our goals if it were not for our generous donors.

In the few short months since I have been president, I am happy to say that we have received:

$1 million from The Brackenridge Foundation

$1 million from the Houston Endowment

$1 million from the Welch Foundation.

Another $1 million from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

$350,000 from the Meadows Foundation.

$500,000 dollars from Radcliffe Killam and $2 million from the D. D. Hachar Foundation.

A distinguished San Antonio physician, Dr. Milton Jacobs, is establishing a $500,000 Chair in Internal Medicine in honor of his grandfather, Reuben Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs is here with some of his family, and, sir, we are very grateful to you.

Former Regent Sam Barshop and his wife Ann are giving $4 million toward a Center for Longevity and Aging Studies. Sam, we are humbled by your generosity.

And one of our greatest partners is the San Antonio Medical Foundation, whose Chairman, Dr. Marvin Smith, is here today. Many of you were with us when we celebrated the groundbreaking of our Children’s Cancer Research Center. Well, that ground we were breaking represented a $7 million donation from the Medical Foundation — and we are so grateful.

But … the philanthropic dollars do not only come from the outside community. Our own faculty has been most generous in giving back to this institution.

Dr. Charles and Dr. Virginia Bowden have donated and pledged nearly $400,000.

Dr. Julio Palmaz, professor of radiology, is giving $1 million toward the establishment of an MD/PhD program.

To all these generous donors, and to those whose smaller gifts collectively build a better future for this region … thank you from the bottom of my heart.

You are all partners in our success. Jose Coronado, you and your award-winning Veterans Administration Hospital are vital partners. So is the University Health System — and, Jeff Turner, you are a valuable partner and I appreciate all that you do as the leader of one of our primary teaching hospitals. We also have great partners in the military and the private physicians. In the Valley and in Laredo. And you are all a part of our success.

I have given a lot of thought to how I define success and what goals I would set for my presidency. My over-arching goal can be stated rather simply: to take this Health Science Center to the top tier of academic health centers in the nation. We are already taking some important steps toward reaching that goal.

One of those steps is an MD/PhD program.

There will be no great academic health center in this century that does not have a formalized MD/PhD program. Through the generosity of Dr. Palmaz, we are starting that initiative.

And we will increase our research on the diseases and conditions most prevalent in this region: diabetes and its ravages of the heart and eyes; environmental concerns, infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, which is decreasing across most of America, but rapidly increasing in the Border region.

These diseases do not worry about ‘green cards’ — and these diseases are not a problem for Texas alone — or even for the Border area. They are a threat to the entire United States — and that threat brings a sense of urgency about our research mission. It is urgent because our parents are at risk. It is urgent because our children are at risk. And it is urgent because we are so close to breakthroughs on so many fronts.

To continue to attract the best minds … we must have adequate lab space for our researchers, and we will have! New buildings are coming on line already - the new Barshop Center at the Texas Research Park and another new research building at Edinburg. But there’s more. Today I want to share with you what I told the Board of Regents a few weeks ago. I am committing us to build a major new research tower - right here in the Medical Center - to allow our researchers on both our Central Campus and our North Campus to have space and equipment that will allow them to do what they do best: create new knowledge.

I want more of that ‘new knowledge’ created right here. Just as Thomas Edison came into a world without light and power — and left it illuminated and electrified - I want our faculty to change people’s lives. And you are already doing so. Our own Dr. Julio Palmaz came into a world without stents — and now — because of his invention - there are 2 million stent procedures every year, saving millions of lives.

Dr. Susan Naylor, professor of cellular and structural biology, has had a leading role in the Human Genome Project. When they write the book about the scientists who unraveled that great mystery, Sue Naylor’s name will be in it.

It is said that scientists often have quiet careers — with occasional exciting breakthroughs. My pledge to you today is that we will provide the resources to allow our talented scientists to have more of those breakthroughs.

And when those breakthroughs occur, I want our faculty to share in the commercial success of their intellectual property. To that end, I have restructured the Office of Technology Ventures to give you guidance and assistance —— and - very importantly — to provide it rapidly and with a minimum of red tape! Joe Krier, that means new businesses for our cities. And new jobs for our region!

One of the things I enjoy most is taking an hour or so once a week and just walking around the campus. Or, as Charlie Mullins describes it … "management by walking the halls." I’ll admit, a few people have been taken by surprise when they look up and see the president walking into their office. But I have learned so much. I visited with new dental students getting ready to have their first interaction with a patient. I’ve talked to researchers, clinicians and secretaries and learn about both their successes and their problems. Many of those I am able to fix — sometimes right on the spot. After all, I am a surgeon! Other problems — which may take a bit longer to solve - at least are brought to my attention, and I am committed to taking action to correct problems — wherever I find them.

And we are addressing another challenge: the nursing shortage.

It is not a local issue — or even a state issue. It is a national issue. And let me be blunt. It is not a problem. It is a crisis.

Let me give you a very personal example:

As many of you know, I still practice surgery — and am frequently on call. We recently had a near-crisis right here in San Antonio because of the nursing shortage. I had a patient in liver failure; we had a match with an organ; but for a critical few moments, it appeared as if we couldn’t save this patient’s life — because there were not enough nurses available to support the operation. That is totally unacceptable. I am aggressively working with United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison to find an innovative federal intervention to address this problem.

And we face another shortage -- of a different kind -- here in South Texas. The medical needs are great in our region -- and we have plenty of qualified medical residents who could provide outstanding health care — but we are hindered by a residency cap that no longer makes sense in an underserved area. I recently returned from Washington, where I addressed a solution to this problem with Congressman Bonilla, Congressman Ortiz, and our other representatives. Yesterday’s solutions will not work. I am committed to finding today’s solutions to today’s problems.

I have another commitment to the future, too. It can best be described by a phrase I use a lot: No Closed Doors! Not for the young people who are the future of this region — and of this state.

In a grammar school somewhere, there is a young person who can become tomorrow’s great surgeon. We must reach that young person.

Somewhere, in a small bedroom, a child is staying up past the bedtime hour, reading about Jonas Salk or Marie Curie. I may not know these children’s names, but I know they are out there, and I know we must help them achieve their goals. A dedicated and talented young person should never miss the opportunity of coming to this Health Science Center because of a lack of finances.

I will increase our scholarship funding. And I have great partners in that endeavor. Two of them are with us today — two of the most generous people I have had the privilege of knowing, Joe and Teresa Lozano Long. They are educating — and will be educating in perpetuity — medical students from throughout this region -- right here at our university. Dr. Wartman, their generosity will help you build this medical school to an even greater one than we are today. They are also helping in other ways that will become evident in the future. It is hard for me to express how much I appreciate you.

And to my fellow university presidents in front of me, thank you for providing that pipeline of well educated undergraduate students. We will welcome them; we will educate them, and they will change this region forever.

A few moments ago, I introduced some of our donors. While many are quite young, some come from what has become known, in Tom Brokaw’s words, as …"The Greatest Generation." Governor Briscoe, that is your generation. It is great not only because they fought a war at an incredible price in human life — but they left us a legacy of freedom.

My generation can leave a legacy of freedom that is equally lasting. Freedom from diabetes. Freedom from cancer. Freedom from blindness. Freedom from living in an area with inadequate health care.

If our goals seem large, it is because we are Texans, and we are not afraid to dream Texas-sized dreams.

I am also inspired by other leaders — national leaders — who had great vision.

In 1960 a young president put a challenge before the nation to send a man to the moon and return him safely in one decade. Although he didn’t live to see that success, he gave us that vision and made us believe we could do it. Twenty years after this nation elected its youngest president, John F. Kennedy, we elected our most senior president - Ronald Reagan. President Reagan kept a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that read:

It CAN be done.

Let me digress a moment, but speaking of President Reagan, we all remember that horrible day when he was shot. You probably remember that he was taken to George Washington Hospital. What you probably don’t know is that his surgeon that day --- is someone on this stage: Dr. Paul Colombani. The President was in good hands that day!

Both these Presidents — the youngest and the oldest - shared a boundless optimism and inspired a nation. So if we, as a nation, put a man on the moon with the amount of computer power that is now in the hands of any school child … and if we could adopt a strategy that would eventually bring down the Berlin Wall … surely we, as a nation, can marshal the same commitment and the same resources to find cures for these diseases that take such a toll on us.

We should take a page from the playbooks of both these great leaders -- and set extremely high goals, as in the legacy of JFK -- and have the optimism that says we can reach them - as in the legacy of President Reagan.

We are so close on so many fronts.

Dr. Glenn Halff and his team have made our liver transplant program one of the seven largest in the nation. Our cancer center has received the highest designation that can be given by the National Cancer Institute. And that is of more than passing interest to me. I am a cancer survivor.

We have the nation’s leading dental school, led by Dr. Ken Kalkwarf, and one of the top ranked nursing schools, led by Dr. Janet Allan. Our School of Allied Health Sciences, led by Dr. Marilyn Harrington, is also one of the top ranked, and with our Physician Assistants program, is destined to be even more valuable in the years ahead. And I’m so proud of Dr. Merle Olson, who is leading the Graduate School to such great success.

What we are doing in the field of biomedical engineering is truly impressive:

Dr. Mary MacDougall and her team in our dental school are growing new teeth, which will revolutionize dental care.

Scientists have long known how to implant something artificial to repair a defective part in the body, but Dr.Mauli Agrawal is investigating how your body can grow its own part and repair itself!

Because of these achievements — and much, much more - we can proudly say that right here in our own Health Science Center, "Our work is making a major difference in the health of this state, nation and world."

And with your continued support, your dedication to this great institution, and our shared commitment to excellence, I ask you today to join me as we build a promising future. And let us remember those who have been here before us: our past presidents, our donors, those early scientists who built this school … so that some thirty years from now — when many more presidents have stood in this same place — a new faculty, a new staff, and a new student body will look back at our generation of leadership, and say, "They have left us a grand legacy upon which to build, and we will not let them down."

At that point, you and I will know with certainty, that together, we were a great success.

God bless you for all that you are doing for this great university — and for giving me the privilege of being your President.

Thank you.

 

Dr. Cigarroa returns to seat.

 

Judy Wolf returns to lectern.

 

Mrs. Wolf:

As we conclude today’s ceremony, I want to express our appreciation to all our distinguished guests who have participated in this Investiture. I also want to express our appreciation to our campus staffs who have put this ceremony together — and thank them for all that they have done to illustrate to this community our pride in - and affection for - this president and this wonderful institution.

Immediately following the ceremony, a reception will be held in the courtyard, where you will have an opportunity to greet President and Mrs. Cigarroa.

Will you please rise for the Benediction, which will be given by Rabbi Barry H. Block of Temple Beth-El.

Afterward, please remain standing for the Recessional. Dr. Steven Wartman will retire the Mace and lead the Recessional immediately after the Benediction.

Rabbi Block....

Judy Wolf returns to seat.

Rabbi Block comes to lectern.

Rabbi Block: Delivers Benediction

 

Rabbi Block comes forward from seat on front row and gives Benediction.

 

After the Benediction, Rabbi Block returns to his seat and the Recessional music begins. Dr. Wartman picks up the Mace and begins the Recessional. Regent Krier is next. Then Regent Oxford. Then President Cigarroa. Then the first person on the far left of the front line, Dr. Timothy Wolff, leads the Presidential Party off stage. Following the last person on the front row, Dr. Bauerle, the Platform Party (second row) falls in, starting with Dr. Frank Harrison.

 

As they pass, the person in the first seat on the Academic Rows falls in — and the other rows also fall in.

 

After the last person in recessional has walked toward the back — staff will indicate to all others that it is time to stand and leave. Recorded music is faded out.

 

Immediately after the recessional has exited the auditorium, Dr. Guerra and Mr. Yunes return to the stage and provide the Postlude while the rest of the audience leaves.

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