The University of Texas, Austin seeks to establish an endowed Chair in Pakistan Studies, and to name this Chair after Representative Charlie Wilson in recognition of his service to the people of Texas, the United States, and Pakistan.
Such a Chair will, by the terms of its establishments, commit the University of Texas (UT) to offering Pakistan Studies in perpetuity.
• The price for a Chair at UT is US $1 million.
• The University has in hand a challenge grant for this purpose from the Temple Foundation of Lufkin-Texas in the amount of $500,000. Thus we require a matching amount of an additional $500,000 to complete the Chair.
The Structure of funding for a Chair at UT is as follows:
• The basic salary is paid for by state funds. For a holder of such a chair, the salary would be, minimally, $100,000.
• The payout on a $1 million endowment is approximately $50,000/year.
• These funds are used:
1. to support research in Pakistan studies by the holder,
2. to pay for conferences on Pakistan studies,
3. to bring distinguished scholars, policy-makers, and others from Pakistan
4. to support travel for students and scholars to Pakistan for research and
conferences
In effect, the state of Texas, then, matches the $1 million endowment with funds that are equal to the payout on a $2 million endowment. Thus, there is a two-for-one match on the entire endowment and given the fact that there is a challenge grant for the first $500,000 of the endowment, there is the equivalent of a three-to-one match for the second $500,000 gift to this Chair.
This is a permanent arrangement. Once the endowment is established and funded (a total of $1 million), the University will seek to appoint a distinguished scholar to the Chair and insure that the Chair is held by a distinguished scholar in perpetuity.
The value of such an appointment is obvious to those who wish to see Pakistan represented in one of the world’s largest and best South Asia programs- the South Asia Institute at the University of Texas. Established in 1960, the programs at UT is recognized by scholars throughout the world as the leading South Asia programs in the U.S.
Most South Asia programs are small and dominated by Indian studies. The program at Texas is the largest in the United States with month 60 full-time faculty dedicated to the study of South Asian languages, cultures, history, anthropology, public policy, international relations, politics, sociology, demography, religion, business, economics, and more are all regularly taught at UT. It is essential, in our view, that Pakistan be represented permanently and securely in the program through an endowed Chair.
Establishing a Chair in Pakistan Studies will insure that there is balance in the South Asia offerings. The holder of this Chair will attract graduate students and other scholars to the University.
Perhaps most importantly, the existence of a Chair in Pakistan Studies will validate for all of the thousands of second and third generations Pakistan-American students who attend the University of Texas that their traditions, their identities, their culture is valued and affirmed by the existence of such an endowment. Perhaps only a teacher can understand the impact and the enduring power of such validation.
We trust that with the establishment of this Chair not only Pakistan would be represented in the curriculum of one of America’s largest and greatest public universities, but Mr. Wilson’s service would also be honoured with this enduring monument.
All Pakistanis are invited to support the Chair. Pakistanis’ contribution would ensure that Pakistan is a focal area of study in the coming years at the world-renowned South Asia Institute at The University of Texas.
For further information regarding the Chair, you can contact either Consulate of Pakistan, Houston or Kathleen Aronson, Assistant Dean at 512-475-9763 or at mcaronson@mail.utexas.edu.
Contributions and pledges can be mailed to:
Office of Resource Development
College of Liberal Arts
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station, G-6300
Austin, Texas 78712
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