TSUS Chancellor To Speak At Fall Commencement

TSUS chancellor Charles R. Matthews

Texas State University System chancellor Charles R. Matthews will be the speaker at the Dec. 17 commencement ceremonies at Sam Houston State University.

Preliminary figures from the graduation office show that approximately 1,260 students will receive degrees, with 1,006 registered to receive bachelor's degrees, 238 registered to receive master's degrees and 16 registered to receive doctoral degrees.

Matthews has served as the TSUS chancellor since Feb. 1, 2005. During his short time as chancellor of the nine-institution system, Matthews has already become an outspoken voice for Higher Education at the Capitol, through his numerous testimonies before various Legislative committees this past session.

As chancellor, he oversees one of the nation’s fastest growing university systems, which serves almost 70,000 students, employs more than 13,125 people, and has an annual operating budget of approximately $700 million.

A native Texan, Matthews has had a distinguished career in government, business and civic leadership.
He served two terms as the 40th Commissioner of the Railroad Commission of Texas, receiving the highest number of votes ever cast for a railroad commissioner in his re-election in 2000.

As railroad commissioner, Matthews began efforts to modernize computer systems updating both equipment and software with the support of his colleagues and outlined the first reorganization of the commission since its creation in 1891.

Matthews also has been active in various associations on the state and federal levels, including appointments to the Advisory Council of the Texas Hazardous Waste Research Center, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, an appointment made by Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta.

In addition, before taking office at the Railroad Commission in January 1995, Matthews was a successful entrepreneur and a civic leader in the community of Garland.

He served as mayor, leading the city in reducing the tax rate and cutting the cost of government, as well as served as president of the Texas Municipal Power Agency and was Gov. William P. Clements’ appointee to the Texas Turnpike Authority.

Matthews holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and a master’s degree in public administration from Texas State University-San Marcos and is currently completing his doctoral studies in higher education administration at the University of Texas at Austin.

Matthews and his wife, Julia, have four grown children and five grandchildren.

Degrees will be conferred at the 10 a.m. ceremony for the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration and Criminal Justice and at 2 p.m. for the Colleges of Education and Humanities and Social Sciences.

—END—

SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
Dec. 9, 2005
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.