Editor’s note: From a former UT quarterback to the new UT System student regent, these are among our favorite quotes from the past several days.
“Funny, I thought the taxpayers of Texas had already paid not inconsiderable sums to support a large and highly regarded law school at the University of Texas, a law school whose constitutional lawyers are no doubt well schooled in all the loopholes of anti-discrimination law.”
— John S. Rosenberg on UT’s decision to hire the Los Angeles-based global law firm, Latham and Watkins, for almost $1 million to defend it in its upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case regarding its admissions policy, according to The Wall Street Journal. The case, Fisher v. University of Texas, calls into question the constitutionality of the University’s top 10 percent admissions policy.
“I’m getting to know everybody, so I’m excited about it. … I got to hang out with them today and then a lot of the guys on the team, especially the offensive guys, just asking them questions and stuff.”
— Garrett Gilbert, former UT quarterback, on getting accustomed to the SMU football team, according to FoxSportsSouthwest.com. Gilbert was the starter for the Longhorns in 2010, when the team finished 5-7. He won the starting job to begin 2011 but after two dismal performances, he was benched and took a medical redshirt to get surgery on his shoulder. Gilbert plans to transfer to SMU this fall, but not before graduating early from UT with a degree in sports management.
“I definitely have much to learn from [former regent John Davis Rutkauskas] because he has been very effective in his role. … It’s always important that you do bring your own dynamic, but I think it will be important to honor the past student regents.”
— Ashley Purgason, newly appointed student regent for the UT System, on how she will serve differently than her predecessor Rutkauskas, according to The Daily Texan.
“One natural unit that would be interested in this is the business school. That’s to be determined.”
— Kevin Hegarty, executive vice president and chief financial officer of UT, on the University’s acquisition of Players restaurant on the corner of Whitis and MLK streets, according to the Texan. Though any official action will have to be approved by the UT System Board of Regents, it has long been rumored that Dean Thomas Gilligan of the McCombs School of Business is interested in expanding the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center — which is operated by the business school — into the area Players currently resides.
