COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Glenn Hegar, the new chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, is setting his sights on expanding the university system to accommodate Texas' rapid population growth and strengthen its economic impact.
"If you want to really meet the needs of this state with 1,500 new people a day in the state, we're going to have to do that across the system — it all can't be here in College Station," Hegar said.
The Texas A&M University System includes 170,000 students across 12 universities and eight state agencies, with College Station's campus housing half of the student body.
"We are the system of the future of this state and we are serving the country every single day and that makes me excited to be here in this position," Hegar said.
Hegar, who previously served 10 years as Texas Comptroller, oversaw the state's economy grow from the 12th largest in the world to the 8th during his tenure.
15 ABC asked Hegar about the challenges of managing such a large system.
"Well, first, one of the things that I started doing last month is I start traveling across to all of our universities…what are we doing really well and what's the next opportunity that we could take for the community, for the university, as well as more importantly, who? The students," Hegar said.
The new chancellor is making student interaction a priority in his leadership approach.
"Getting out across the campuses, talking to the students, that's one of the things I've done when I've been on these campuses," Hegar said. "I see students, I stop, I talk to them. I kind of want to hear what's going on and, you know, they may not know exactly who's the chancellor, what does that person do, but the fact is you can ask questions and get feedback."
Hegar sees the university system as a key driver of economic development for Texas.
"We're trying to make sure the economy is moving forward through higher education. Where? At the Texas A&M University System," Hegar said.
Beyond education, Hegar emphasized the system's broader impact through research and innovation.
"Each university is obviously first and foremost about educating our students and giving them those opportunities — the opportunity that they didn't have before they stepped into that degree plan and they stepped into the workforce," Hegar said. "But beyond that, the research capabilities, the things that we're moving and advancing the ball technologically — not just in the state — but serving the nation."
Hegar plans to visit with the state agencies next as he continues his teamwork-focused approach to leading the university system.
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