May 20th 2024.
On May 16, 2024, the Board of Regents at Texas Southern University announced their decision to appoint U.S. Navy Vice Adm. James W. Crawford III as the university's 14th president. This comes after Crawford's successful tenure as the president of Felician University and his current position as a trustee at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. With over 30 years of military service in the Navy, including his retirement as the judge advocate general, Crawford brings a wealth of experience and leadership to his new role.
As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Crawford will officially begin his term on June 1, taking over from interim president Dr. Mary Evans Sias. The university has been under intense scrutiny in recent years due to various scandals involving its leadership, leading to a need for stability and strong leadership. Despite some controversy surrounding Crawford's military career, which ended amidst allegations of tampering with a Navy SEAL's rape case, officials at Texas Southern University are confident in their decision to appoint him as their new president.
Crawford was the sole finalist for the position, which was previously filled by Mary Sias in an interim role. In an interview with the Chronicle in April, Crawford expressed his excitement and gratitude for being chosen for the role, saying, "I was taught that the most significant gift one can ever receive or give is the gift of service. To be selected as the finalist for the presidency of Texas Southern University, a proud and accomplished HBCU, is an honor beyond measure."
This appointment follows the retirement of TSU's last president, Lesia Crumpton-Young, in May 2023 amidst multiple lawsuits. One of these lawsuits alleges that the university's former police chief, Mary Young, was wrongfully terminated for intervening in a relationship between Crumpton-Young and an officer on her security detail.
Like many other historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Texas Southern University has been fighting for equal funding from the state. Despite the creation of the Texas University Fund, which provides support for universities outside of the UT and Texas A&M Systems' Permanent University Fund, TSU has been excluded due to high entry requirements. Unlike Prairie View A&M, which is part of the Texas A&M System, TSU has expressed a desire to remain independent.
In an effort to secure more funding and resources, TSU is aiming to become the first HBCU to be granted "Research 1" status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This would allow them to receive a larger share of federal grants and offset the lack of funding from the State of Texas. In a press release, TSU Board of Regents Chairman Brandon L. Simmons expressed his confidence in Crawford's ability to lead the university, stating, "James Crawford brings with him a breadth of leadership experience rarely seen in a university president." He went on to say, "He has served as both a university president and trustee, and has held global leadership roles under six U.S. Presidents during both 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, who remind him of a younger version of himself. Our board is united in our commitment to serving our extraordinary Texas Southern students."
In addition to his impressive background and qualifications, Crawford's appointment is also a significant milestone for TSU's aviation program, which is quickly becoming one of the top programs in the country. With Crawford at the helm, it is clear that Texas Southern University is headed towards a bright and successful future.
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