Within an hour on Thursday afternoon at Texas Tech, an alert went out to evacuate the campus, notice went out that the alert was sent in error, a new finalist for chancellor of the entire Tech System was named and the chairman of the board of regents resigned as leader of the board, but will remain as a regent.

The board met for a little over an hour and a half Thursday morning before heading into executive session to discuss consultation with attorneys, deliberations on real property, deliberations on prospective gifts, personnel matters and deliberations regarding security devices.

When they came back into the board room, their mood seemed more solemn than usual. Regent Tim Lancaster was the last back into the room, and because he was the vice chairman, Chairman Rick Francis waited for him because the vice chairman always reads motions made from the executive session for a vote.

Lancaster read the first four motions from the executive session, including authorization to conclude negotiations with University Medical Center regarding conveyance of real property, the naming of a chapel to be constructed at Angelo State University as the Stephens Chapel, an agreement regarding a gift of real property in Midland, and an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a cotton classing facility to be located on Tech land.

But Francis stopped Lancaster from reading a fifth motion before voting on the first four, which were all approved.

"I move that the board name Dr. Tedd Mitchell as the finalist for the position of chancellor and chief executive officer of the Texas Tech University System," Lancaster said of the final motion.

The board voted unanimously to approve Mitchell, and the room exploded in applause, with ASU President Brian May and Tech President Lawrence Schovanec being among the first to rise to their feet to lead the room in a standing ovation for Mitchell, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center president who has been serving as interim chancellor since August.

After the applause died, Francis began an announcement.

"The final item of business is chairman's announcements. It has been an honor to serve as the chairman of the board of regents. It is time for a change in leadership. The nominating committee will be formed, to put forward a slate of candidates in consideration of chairman and vice chairman for election at our next meeting," Francis said, pausing briefly. "I move we adjourn."

"Second," eight voices of the other regents said.

Francis slammed the gavel.

"We're adjourned," he said.

An hour and a half later, eight regents lined up behind Lancaster in the Regents' board room as he addressed the media and took questions.

Francis was not present.

A number of questions immediately following Francis' announcement were answered. Francis officially resigned as chair, and the board accepted his resignation, Lancaster said. But he remains on the board of regents through at least January, when his term is up. It is Gov. Greg Abbott's decision on whether to reappoint him, Lancaster said.

"As it is with all of us," Lancaster said with a smile.

Lancaster has served on the board since 2013 and was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry. He is from Abilene and has served as president and CEO Hendrick Health System.

Lancaster is officially the chairman, he said, noting that as soon as Francis resigned, the vice chairman is moved into that role. A committee will be named in the next week to talk about which regent should be vice chairman now.

"We'll be naming the vice chair next week," he said.

Lancaster declined to clarify what happened at the regents' last meeting in August, before former Chancellor Robert Duncan resigned.

"Everything that happens in executive session should stay in executive session," Lancaster said.

But he said there was no formal vote taken about Duncan's contract, which was a subject on the agenda for discussion in August. Regents go around the room and express their opinions, he said.

"Our discussions centered around Duncan's contract," Lancaster said. "That's as far as I can go."

He said Duncan, like former Chancellor Kent Hance, could still be used by the university system.

"We're very fortunate to have some other chancellors who are still around and still involved," Lancaster said.

Asked if Duncan were forced to resign, Lancaster said Duncan submitted his resignation and wanted to retire. He said he has spoken to Duncan several times since, and the former chancellor is happy being retired, but is also seeking a new role.

Lancaster said he did not want to speak for Francis on his reasons for resigning as chair of the regents. But he said he is sure Francis did so because he felt it was in the best interests of Tech.

"I would think he felt like he had become a distraction," Lancaster said of Francis.

In the aftermath of Duncan's departure, multiple sources said the chancellor's retirement came after five of the nine regents, including Francis, expressed no confidence in Duncan. The move was seen as political and stemming in part from Duncan's push for a proposed school of veterinary medicine in Amarillo - a claim Francis has denied.

An Op-Ed submitted to the Avalanche-Journal and Globe News by Francis in the days following Duncan's departure was solely from Francis, Lancaster said.

"We want to always make sure that we have a unified message," Lancaster said. "I'd say sometimes we're not as good as we should be about communicating."

Lancaster said he hopes the board does better in the future in that area.

Asked about whether the board considered anyone else besides Mitchell as the new chancellor, Lancaster said regents felt that Mitchell has done "a tremendous job" as the president of the TTU Health Sciences Center.

"We talked about having a national search to do that," Lancaster said. "He just seemed like such a natural. The discussions came down to, could we ever do better than Tedd Mitchell?"

He conceded that the past few chancellors at the Tech System have been former politicians.

"That's not the skill set that he (Mitchell) brings, but there's no one way to be a chancellor," Lancaster said. "I think you'll see him reach out to find someone else to help him on a part-time basis that has experience in the legislative session. I don't want to speak for him. I think he's still formulating all of those things that he wants to do."

Lancaster said Mitchell wants to continue in his role as president of the Tech Health Sciences Center, and the board wishes him success in doing both jobs.

Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said after Mitchell was named as the finalist for chancellor that everyone respected and appreciated Duncan, but they are also "exceedingly excited" about the opportunity to work with Mitchell.

"Having worked with him as a president, he has superb organizational skills and personal skills. He understands what an important and crucial time this is for Texas Tech. And he is an excellent, excellent choice," Schovanec said.

Mitchell will bring a different perspective, Schovanec said, noting they've already had a number of meetings related to new initiatives and scrutiny of certain functions and operations of the system.

"He's already demonstrated the kind of leadership that gives you the confidence that he's going to do a fabulous job. The Texas Tech University community and family needs to come together and give him their full support, because it won't be misplaced," Schovanec said.

Mitchell was unavailable for comment following the regents' meeting.

Before taking questions, Lancaster said the board is reaffirming its commitment to seek state funding for a veterinary school in Amarillo, to build a dental school in El Paso and to build up a new initiative, the Mental Health Institute, in Lubbock. He thanked the Amarillo community for its support in seeking a veterinary school.

"I would ask all of the Raider Nation to join us as we continue to move forward," Lancaster said.