Texas Tech President Guy Bailey Leaving for Alabama

The board of trustees of the University of Alabama on Wednesday approved Guy Bailey as its new president. That means Texas Tech University, where Bailey is currently president, will have to find a new one.

Bailey is an Alabama native and an alumnus of the institution over which he will soon preside. According to an Associated Press report of the trustees meeting, he said of the new post, "This is my home. I’m proud to be from Alabama. I’m proud to be from this institution."

Bailey took over the presidency at Texas Tech in 2008. He has overseen a period of significant growth, culminating in the institution's recent qualification for the Texas' National Research University Fund, a pot of bonus money set aside for universities that were successful in meeting the state's criteria for "tier one" status.

With Bailey's imminent departure, that leaves two of Texas schools classified as "emerging research" institutions — a group of schools vying to be the next major public research university in Texas — with openings for a new leader. University of Texas at Arlington President Jim Spaniolo recently announced that he would step down as soon as a replacement could be found.

A spokesman for the Texas Tech University System was not immediately available for comment.