UTSA’s six presidents have each built on a history of excellence.
The Chiefs
An impressive array of academic leaders has helped to shape UTSA
Since it was created in 1969, UTSA has been overseen by six university presidents. Each made important, purposeful contributions to the university’s growth during their tenures.
ARLEIGH B. TEMPLETON, who was president of Sam Houston State University, becomes the first president of UTSA on May 10, 1970. He serves until December 21, 1972, when he becomes the president of UT El Paso.
Templeton helps to establish the early academic vision for UTSA. He hires or oversees onboarding of the first administrators, deans, and faculty. During his tenure, the university breaks ground on a permanent campus.
PETER T. FLAWN, a vice president at UT Austin, is appointed acting president on December 26, 1972, and becomes the second president of UTSA on January 6, 1973. He serves until December 31, 1977, when he becomes the president of UT Austin.
Under Flawn, UTSA begins offering classes and graduates its first cohorts of students, takes control of the Institute of Texan Cultures, and fully opens its campus. The university also begins to create research centers, launches an athletics curriculum, and names a university mascot.
JAMES W. WAGENER, a dean at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, is named acting president on January 1, 1978. He becomes the third president of UTSA on February 8, 1979, and serves until August 31, 1989.
Under Wagener, UTSA’s campus life begins to take shape with the launch of Fiesta UTSA, creation of student organizations, and the creation of campus housing. Additionally, academic programs expand and the university joins the NCAA.
SAMUEL A. KIRKPATRICK is named fourth president of UTSA on February 8, 1990. He serves until May 16, 1999.
Under Kirkpatrick, the university begins offering courses in downtown San Antonio and the first full Ph.D. program launches. UTSA also celebrates its 25th anniversary and breaks ground on the future site of its Downtown Campus.
RICARDO ROMO is named fifth president of UTSA on May 17, 1999. He is the first Latino president of the Hispanic-majority university in its 30-year history. He serves until March 2, 2017.
During Romo’s tenure, UTSA reaches a record enrollment in the UT System and sets a goal for achieving National Research University Fund inclusion. The university also acquires its largest single bequest during its inaugural capital campaign, and it launches an NCAA football program with record-setting achievements.
Romo oversees UTSA’s opening of its Downtown and Park West campuses. UTSA also receives top recognition for its cybersecurity program, launches its Open Cloud Institute, and receives prestigious acknowledgment for its community engagement program.
T. TAYLOR EIGHMY, vice chancellor for research and engagement at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, is named sixth president of UTSA on September 1, 2017.
Eighmy launches an ambitious set of initiatives soon after he enters office that puts the university on a trajectory to achieve prestigious “very high research activity” status.
Eighmy also acquires funding and commitments to launch a major expansion of the Downtown Campus, adding a National Security Collaboration Center and a School of Data Science.