John Sharp, Chancellor of the TAMU System, has spent four decades in public service, and as this career comes to a close–his last day as Chancellor is the end of June 2025–the Texas Tribune was present to record Sharp’s perspectives for posterity.
Over 40-plus years, Sharp has served in the TX House, TX Senate, as a Railroad Commissioner, and as Texas Comptroller.
He has spent the last 14 years, however, as the TAMU System Chancellor, and it was this that Texas Tribune Editor Mathew Watkins focused on during the hour-long interview.
Prompted by Watkins, Sharp reflected on his largest accomplishments as Chancellor, which included drastically expanding the System’s physical presence across Texas (the System has 11 Universities or Centers), gaining support from the Texas Legislature in terms of funding, and, after purchasing fourth-tier Wesleyan Law School in Fort Worth, transformed it into a top-25 program.
In the next five years, Sharp noted, “it will be the top law school in Texas.”
Watkins also pushed Sharp on legislative and other political influence in the University’s undertakings. In one case, an offer to a prospective University administrator was rescinded following controversy related to her research interests. In another case, a professor was investigated following reports that she made negative comments about Lt. Governor Dan Patrick during a public presentation.
Sharp noted the peculiarities of those situations, while boiling down the “scrutiny” to a simple rule: If faculty say something in the classroom that’s related to the classroom, then it’s probably protected. If faculty are discussing things that aren’t class related, it’s less likely to be protected.
Noting that politics is increasingly encroaching on higher-education, Watkins asked Sharp how he was able to dispel faculty doubts that he, being a long-time elected official, could come into the TAMU system and serve as a buffer between faculty/staff and the politics of the moment.
Sharp recalled that just before he arrived at TAMU, Governor Perry created and filled a position with a long-time friend to “essentially spy on” the TAMU System.
Sharp fired him and noted that, when you fire the Governor’s best friend to protect your faculty and staff, it gives you some credibility. Unfortunately, not all administrators are willing to take such steps.
Of course, Sharp is known as much for his humor (sometimes earthy humor) as his public service, and this trait was also on display. When the discussion moved to questions from the audience–facilitated by Matt Ewalt–he was asked about the cut on his forehead.
Sharp indicated that he has peacocks on one of his properties to help with snake mitigation.
They are loud creatures, but this doesn’t bother him, because he wears hearing aids, which he simply takes out at night. When guests come over, however, the peacocks can be a sleep deterrent. So, in the middle of the night, Sharp ventured out to quiet the peacocks’ clamor, and as he put it, “one of them pecked the shit out of me.” As a coda, he assured the audience that the peacock “was in a better place” now.
Although Sharp’s last day as Chancellor is Monday, he is not fully retiring. He will be starting a consulting firm and not, he assured everyone, be “wearing sandals and black socks.” And what, Watkins asked, will he be doing in his consulting firm? “Consulting,” responded Sharp.
To watch Texas Tribune’s interview with John Sharp, you can visit this link.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 