Omar Syed, an attorney with 15 years of experience in higher education, has been named Rice University’s vice president and general counsel.
Syed currently serves as associate vice chancellor and deputy general counsel for the University of Texas System, representing and counseling the 13-campus university system’s governing board, chancellor, presidents and senior officials on a full range of legal matters. He also leads a 31-attorney office that represents a diverse group of R1 institutions, academic medical centers, Hispanic-serving institutions and regional institutions.
As vice president and general counsel for Rice, Syed will serve as a key advisor to President Reginald DesRoches and his administrative team on policies and strategies. He will guide the university on the best legal course to successfully execute its mission, including the unique legal challenges Rice will face while expanding its research programs.
Syed will assume the position Aug. 22. He will succeed Richard Zansitis, who served as vice president and general counsel for two decades.
“Omar is a passionate lawyer and an enthusiastic believer in the power of higher education,” DesRoches said. “He is a great addition to Rice and will confidently and effectively address and manage the legal challenges that arise out of an ever-shifting landscape in higher education.”
Syed is a first-generation American, the son of an Ecuadorian mother and Pakistani...
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