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Kelly Damphousse

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Kelly R. Damphousse
10th President of Texas State University
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 1, 2022
Preceded byDenise Trauth
13th Chancellor of Arkansas State University
In office
July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2022
Succeeded byTodd Shields
Personal details
Born1962 or 1963 (age 63–64)
SpouseBeth Damphousse
Children2
EducationSam Houston State University
Texas A&M University

Kelly R. Damphousse (born 1962 or 1963[1]) is a Canadian-born American academic administrator and sociologist who is the 10th president of Texas State University. Previously, Damphousse was chancellor at Arkansas State University.

Early life and education

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Damphousse grew up in Northern Canada,[2] the first of two adopted children.[1] In 1985, Damphousse left Canada to attend Sam Houston State University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.[3] He also holds a doctorate in sociology from Texas A&M University.[2]

Academic career

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Damphousse began his academic career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and later taught at Sam Houston State.[4][3] Damphousse held several dean-level positions at the University of Oklahoma from 2004 to 2017,[2] including as NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative.[5] In July 2017, Damphousse became the third appointed chancellor of Arkansas State University.[2][6] While serving in that position, he was also elected president of the Sun Belt Conference.[5] From January 2022 to August 2025, he represented Division I on the NCAA Board of Governors.[5]

Texas State University

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On March 31, 2022, Damphousse was announced as the sole finalist for president of Texas State University, and resigned from Arkansas State.[2][6] Following a statutory 21-day waiting period, the Texas State University System Board of Regents confirmed his appointment as Texas State's 10th president, succeeding Denise Trauth.[2]

In November 2023, Texas State was announced by the Commission on Presidential Debates to be the host for a 2024 United States presidential election debate.[7] However, the commission called off its debate schedule in June 2024 when president Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump agreed to a separate debate plan.[8][7] Damphousse quoted Texas State alumnus and former president Lyndon Baines Johnson as saying, "Let no one ever think for a moment that national debate means national division."[8]

In September 2025, Damphousse fired associate history professor Thomas Alter over comments made at an online socialism conference.[9] Alter filed a lawsuit against the university, and following a court-ordered review, the university upheld the firing in October 2025.[10]

Enrollment and expansion

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Enrollment grew from about 38,000 students at the start of Damphousse's term to a record 47,500 in fall 2026.[2][11]

In 2024, Texas State and Austin Community College announced a guaranteed transfer program, called Bats to Cats, with a $1,000 scholarship for transfer students.[12]

In May 2025, the Texas State University System approved a new campus master plan, plus seven new degree programs. The plan includes 30 new construction projects, and a goal of 50,000 enrolled students across Texas State campuses, including an expansion of the Round Rock campus.[13][14]

Following two years of planning, in 2025 Texas State opened a campus in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico. Damphousse called it Texas State's "first entry into international locations", with other locations in planning stages, including Costa Rica, Scotland, and Italy.[15]

Athletics

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Under Damphousse, Texas State signed a $23 million, 15-year naming rights deal with University Federal Credit Union to rename Bobcat Stadium to UFCU Stadium.[16] The university described it as the largest corporate sponsorship for a Sun Belt football stadium.[16]

On June 30, 2025, Texas State accepted an invitation to join the Pac-12 Conference.[17] The Texas State board of regents approved a $5 million payment to exit the Sun Belt Conference, and the university remained in the conference for the duration of the 2025–26 season.[17] Damphousse called the move a "declaration of our rising national profile" and "readiness to compete and collaborate" with other major research universities.[17] Texas State officially became a full Pac-12 member in all sports on July 1, 2026.[17][18] In September 2026, Damphousse was named chair of the Pac-12's executive committee.[19]

In June 2026, Damphousse announced that Texas State would add women's gymnastics, the first NCAA Division I program in the sport in Texas, with competition set to begin in 2028.[20]

Personal life

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Damphousse has been married to Beth Damphousse since 1988. They have two daughters, Kayleigh and Kristen.[3] The Damphousses fund a Foster Educational Support Endowment at Texas State, providing financial assistance to students who spent time in the foster care system.[1] The Damphousses gifted a sculpture by Nathan Mabry, "States Up", to Texas State University. It was unveiled in a public ceremony in April 2026.[21]

Damphousse was named 2024 Citizen of the Year by the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce.[22]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 West, Shannon (February 5, 2025). "Damphousses get support from Rotary for foster students". San Marcos Daily Record.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Beeferman, Jason (March 31, 2022). "Texas State University names sole finalist in new president search". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Seidel, Sydney (February 11, 2025). "Damphousses reflect on 37 years of love". The University Star. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  4. ↑ Hicks, Maya (August 24, 2022). "Meet Kelly Damphousse". The University Star. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "A-State Chancellor appointed to NCAA governing board". KASU. December 3, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "A-State chancellor resigning". KAIT. March 31, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Guo, Kayla (June 24, 2024). "Texas State released from contract to host debate, as Biden and Trump sidestep tradition". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Texas State University will no longer host 2024 Presidential Debate". FOX 7 Austin. June 24, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  9. ↑ Menchaca, Megan (September 10, 2025). "Texas State University fires associate professor for 'controversial statements,' inciting violence". The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  10. ↑ Clark, John (October 17, 2025). "TXST confirms Alter firing after due process hearing". San Marcos Daily Record.
  11. ↑ Milliorn, Michael (September 8, 2026). "Texas State University sets new records with 7% enrollment increase". Community Impact. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
  12. ↑ Manno, Melissa (April 21, 2024). "New 'Bats to Cats' program to make it easier for students to transfer to Texas State". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  13. ↑ DiChristina, Arabella (May 4, 2025). "TXST Campus Master Plan approved". The University Star. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  14. ↑ Crawford, Grant (August 6, 2025). "10K enrollment in sight: Texas State University Round Rock sets plan to accommodate student growth". Community Impact. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  15. ↑ Martin, Sierra (September 23, 2024). "Texas State University establishes campus in Mexico". Community Impact. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  16. 1 2 Van Leeuwen, Amira (May 21, 2024). "Texas State University announces $23M stadium naming rights deal with UFCU". Community Impact. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Pac-12 welcomes Texas State ahead of 2026 relaunch". ESPN. June 30, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  18. ↑ Yum, Caleb (July 1, 2026). "'Now is our opportunity': Texas State officially joins Pac-12, eyeing loftier heights". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  19. ↑ Wilner, Jon (September 3, 2026). "Pac-12 reveals new bowl lineup, plus other developments". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
  20. ↑ Associated Press (June 2, 2026). "Texas State to become first Division I school in the Lone Star State to offer women's gymnastics". Spectrum News. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
  21. ↑ "'States Up' statue unveiled on Texas State campus". San Marcos Daily Record. May 10, 2026.
  22. ↑ Kulchytska, Elizabeth (December 1, 2024). "Kelly Damphousse honored as Citizen of the Year". San Marcos Daily Record.
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