Kelly R. Damphousse, Ph.D., was confirmed as the 10th president of Texas State University on Thursday.
The Texas State University System Board of Regents made the decision during a special called meeting. Damphousse, who was named the sole finalist in March, will begin his position on July 1.
Prior to his confirmation, Damphousse said he was humbled to be considered for the Texas State University presidency.
“To be able to build on the tremendous trajectory that President Trauth has established would be a great honor,” Damphousse said in a statement on March 31. “My wife, Beth, and I are excited about the possibility of returning home to Texas, and the opportunity to serve the faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of Texas State University.”
Damphousse has served as the president of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark since 2017. Prior to his time at Arkansas State, Damphousse served as Associate Dean, Interim Dean and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. He also served as OU’s faculty athletics representative from 2012-17, where he provided oversight on NCAA and Big 12 conference compliance issues.
Damphousse began his academic career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an assistant professor and at Sam Houston State University. He later joined the OU faculty in 1997.
TSUS described Damphousse as an accomplished scholar who has conducted extensive research on terrorism and substance abuse while risking through the faculty ranks to become a tenured Presidential Professor of Sociology.
Damphousse will succeed Dr. Denise Trauth who will retire on June 30 after 20 years at Texas State.
