Eric D. Bentley Named Vice Chancellor and General Counsel for TTU System
Bentley arrives in Lubbock after serving as the senior associate general counsel at the University of Houston System.
August 17, 2018 | Contact: Scott Lacefield
Following a 15-year career at the University of Houston System, Eric D. Bentley has been named vice chancellor and general counsel for the Texas Tech University System, the system administration announced Friday. Bentley will begin his appointment Sept. 10.
Eric BentleyBentley spent the previous 15 years in the Office of the General Counsel at the UH System serving in four positions, most recently as the senior associate general counsel. In this role he provided legal advice and assistance for the UH System, which includes more than 70,000 students, 15,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $1.7 billion.
“We are extremely pleased with the selection of Eric Bentley to serve as the vice chancellor and general counsel of the Texas Tech University System,” TTU System Board of Regents Vice Chairman Tim Lancaster said. “Eric immediately stood out in an extensive pool of qualified candidates during the interview process. He comes highly recommended and will be an extremely valuable addition to our executive cabinet and component institutions.”
In this role, Bentley will provide legal counsel to the system and its component institutions, coordinate institutional compliance and oversee legal teams at each university.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as Vice Chancellor and General Counsel of the Texas Tech University System and join a first-class university system,” Bentley said. “I am truly grateful to the system administration and the Board of Regents for putting their confidence in me to serve in this important role. I look forward to working with the dynamic leadership at all four universities and the system administration, along with a talented team in the Office of General Counsel. I extend my appreciation to Mr. John Huffaker for his outstanding service during his tenure. My wife, children and I are excited to call Lubbock home and be part of the Texas Tech University System family.”
Bentley was among the senior members of the UH System Office of the General Counsel while providing high-level legal support to the president, vice chancellors, vice presidents and deans. He also served as the public information officer which supervised the attorneys and support staffs that handled subpoenas and public information act requests.
“We are excited to welcome Eric and his family to the Lubbock community and to the Texas Tech University System,” TTU System Chancellor Robert Duncan said. “Eric has an impressive legal background and has provided counsel to numerous organizations throughout the University of Houston System. Eric will do a tremendous job working closely with the system administration team and legal professionals across the system.”
His experience with the UH System also includes providing legal expertise to the flagship’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Human Resources, Risk Management, Police Department, Student Affairs and assisting the Office of the Attorney General of Texas with defending lawsuits. He also provided legal counsel for health care related issues.
In addition, Bentley designed course content and taught an undergraduate sports law course for the University of Houston’s Department of Health and Human Performance as an adjunct professor. He also developed course content and taught a doctoral level higher education law course for the UH College of Education.
Bentley earned a bachelor’s degree in justice administration from Hawaii Pacific University.
He received a master’s degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy in 2003 and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center the following year.
Eric and his wife, Mandy, have two children, daughter, Avery, and son, Camden.
Bentley replaces John Huffaker who announced his retirement after serving as vice chancellor and general counsel since February 2012. Huffaker was also a member of the TTU System Board of Regents from 2009-2012.
About the Texas Tech University System
Established in 1996, the Texas Tech University System is one of the top public university systems in the state of Texas and nation, consisting of four universities—Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.
Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the TTU System is a $2 billion enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and outreach with approximately 20,000 employees, nearly 53,000 students, more than 335,000 alumni and an endowment over $1.2 billion.
In its short history, the TTU System has grown tremendously and is nationally acclaimed, operating on 17 campuses statewide and internationally. The TTU System has set forth a bold vision of excellence, collaboration and innovation and continues to prove that from here, it’s possible.