After a unanimous vote Crawford will take the
helm on June 1, 2024
HOUSTON, May 16, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Southern
University (TSU) Board of Regents on Thursday unanimously approved
James W. Crawford III as the
University's 14th president. Crawford will begin his appointment on
June 1, 2024, succeeding interim
president Dr. Mary Evans Sias. This
appointment comes after he was chosen as the sole
finalist for the position by the TSU Board of Regents on April 25,
2024.
"James Crawford comes to
Texas Southern University with a
breadth of leadership experience not often seen in a university
president," said TSU Board of Regents
Chairman Brandon L. Simmons. "He has
served students as both a university president and trustee. He has
served in global leadership roles under six U.S. Presidents in
peacetime and wartime. He is a husband, a father of twin sons, and
a former college basketball player who was drawn to Texas Southern by our students because they remind
him of a younger version of himself. Our board concludes the
presidential search as we began it: united in serving our
extraordinary Texas Southern
students."
Crawford, who previously served as president of Felician
University in New Jersey, was
selected after a national search led by James Benham, Board of Regents Vice Chair, two distinguished alumni, Dr.
Edieth Wu, Thurgood Marshall School of Law professor,
Michael Strahan, Host of Good
Morning America and NFL Hall of Famer, and a 15-member
committee.
Crawford's instrumental leadership at Felician University was
marked by numerous contributions including overseeing the
completion of the Wellness and Recreation Center and other
infrastructure projects, including the creation of the STEM Center
in Kirby Hall on the Lodi campus,
to expand learning delivery and the learning environment of the
University. Crawford also serves on the Board of Trustees of his
alma mater, Belmont Abbey College.
An experienced leader, Crawford served in the United States Navy for more than 30 years,
retiring as a Vice Admiral and its 43rd Judge Advocate General
(JAG). He has served as the head of the Naval Legal Service
Command, legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, and commander of NATO Rule of Law Field Support,
Afghanistan. Crawford served under
six Presidents and was Lead Counsel for the principal military
advisor to Presidents George W. Bush
and Barack Obama. He was a trusted
voice for the National Security Council, the Homeland Security
Council, and Secretaries of Defense Robert M. Gates and
Leon Panetta. As the Judge Advocate
General of the Navy, Crawford led
nearly 2,400 judge advocates, enlisted employees, and civilian
employees of the Navy's global legal
organization. He is the recipient of numerous military awards,
including two Distinguished Service Medals.
"It is an honor and privilege to serve as Texas Southern University's 14th
president, and I thank the Board of Regents for entrusting me with this momentous
responsibility," said Crawford. "As I step into this role, I am
eager to further the University's mission of ensuring our students
are prepared for their next chapters as lifelong learners, engaged
citizens and creative leaders in their communities. TSU has all the
tools necessary to be a powerful force in Texas higher education and beyond, and I look
forward to leading the charge toward the University's next
chapter."
Crawford holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina, a Master of Laws
degree in ocean and coastal law from the University of Miami, a Master of Arts in National
Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval
War College, and a bachelor's degree from Belmont Abbey College. He and his wife, Elizabeth,
have 16-year-old twin sons.
ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN
UNIVERSITY
Texas Southern
University (TSU) honors our designation as a special-purpose
institution for urban programming and research. As such, TSU is a
comprehensive university providing higher education access to the
nation's underserved communities with academic and research
programs that address critical urban issues and prepares its
diverse student population to become a force for positive change in
a global society. A distinguished educational pioneer since 1927,
the University has become one of the most diverse and respected
institutions in Texas.
CONTACTS:
Deanna
Werner, Pierpont Communications
231-288-3700
dwerner@piercom.com
Tracy Clemons, TSU
713-313-7371
832-986-9101 [cell]
tracy.clemons@tsu.edu
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SOURCE Texas Southern University