| Edwin
R. Sharpe University of Texas at Austin |
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Dr. Edwin R. Sharpe has been associated professionally with the University of Texas for more than 30 years. Currently at the University of Texas at Austin, he is Clinical Professor in the Department of Educational Administration, Senior Advisor to the Provost, and Chairman of the University of Texas Elementary Charter School Management Board.
In 1998, Dr. Sharpe was appointed Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas System, then promoted to Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 1999, and served in that position until fall 2002. The nine universities which are part of the U. T. System reported to the Executive Vice Chancellor. In this role Dr. Sharpe worked closely with the U. T. System Board of Regents, the U. T. System Chancellor and administrative staff, the presidents and provosts of the nine U. T. System universities as well as various state agencies, legislators, and legislative committees. From fall 2002 through 2003 he served as U. T. System Vice Chancellor of Education System Alignment.
Prior to joining the University of Texas System, Dr. Sharpe was employed at U. T. Austin as Vice President for Administration and Public Affairs (1994-1998) and Vice President for Administration (1984-1994). During this time he served with and reported to U. T. Presidents Peter Flawn, Bill Cunningham, and Robert Berdahl. From 1974 through 1984, Dr. Sharpe held administrative positions including Executive Director of the Office of the Chancellor for U. T. System and Associate Vice President for Administrative Services at U. T. Austin.
In January 1992, Dr. Sharpe was selected to serve as the Interim President of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Taking a leave of absence from U. T. Austin, he completed this assignment in May 1993.
Dr. Sharpe also served as an officer in the United States Army from 1971-1973. During a tour of duty in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Dr. Sharpe holds a B.A. with Honors in Economics, a Master of Business Administration, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Sharpe’s scholarly and teaching interests include organizational theory particularly as applied to colleges and universities, ethics and values, and the interaction and alignment of educational systems from preschool through postsecondary institutions (an approach or concept now commonly called “P-16”). He has taught in the Colleges of Education and Business Administration as well as the Freshman Seminar Program at U. T. Austin.
During the past decade, Dr. Sharpe has focused considerable attention on P-16 issues. He was instrumental in the development of the U. T. System P-16 plan approved by the Board of Regents in 2002 and called Every Child,
Every Advantage. He worked with the National Association of System Heads (NASH) and the Education Trust on advancing efforts to increase the national college-going rate of students especially those from lower socioeconomic and minority families. Similar concerns were addressed at the state level through his participation with groups including the State of Texas P-16 Council, the Academic Officers Council comprised of senior administrators of the six university systems in Texas, and the Texas Business and Education Council. He is currently chairman of the committee in the U. T. Austin Department of Educational Administration which is identifying ways to integrate P-16 concepts into the curriculum of graduate programs in public education, community college, and university leadership.
In 2002, he was selected by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) to serve on the National Commission on NAEP 12th Grade Assessment and Reporting which issued its final report in February 2004. The commission was created to assess and recommend improvements to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 12th grade test which is administered to a sample of high school seniors biennially under the auspice of NAGB and the U. S. Department of Education. The test is called the “Nation’s Report Card” and is used to measure the educational performance and achievement of American students.
Dr. Sharpe has a strong personal commitment to public and community service. Over the years, he served as chairman or president of several nonprofit organizations including the United Way/Capital Area, the Greater Austin Quality Council, the Austin Public Education Foundation (supporting the Austin Independent School District), Child and Family Service, Inc. (now Lifeworks) and the Austin High School Football Boosters Club. He has also served or is serving on the boards of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Austin Area Research Organization (AARO), the Brackenridge Hospital Foundation, Quality Texas Foundation, Inroads Central Texas, University of Texas Ex-Students Association, Neighborhood Longhorns Program, Knights of the Austin Symphony, and the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest.
The Ex-Students Association of U.T. Austin presented him its Top Hand Award in 1996, and he was selected Educator of the Year by Inroads-Central Texas in 1997.
An active member of St. David's Episcopal Church, he has served on the Vestry and the St. David's Endowment Board. He is married to Molly Hawkins Sharpe, and they have two sons.