Kelly Damphousse
Canadian-born American academic administrator and sociologist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Kelly R. Damphousse | |
|---|---|
| 10th President of Texas State University | |
| Assumed office July 1, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Denise Trauth |
| 13th Chancellor of Arkansas State University | |
| In office July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2022 | |
| Succeeded by | Todd Shields |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1962 or 1963 (age 63–64) |
| Spouse | Beth Damphousse |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Sam Houston State University Texas A&M University |
Early life and education
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
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
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
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
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
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]