Hired
James E. Davis, University of Texas at Austin
James Davis has been named president of the University of Texas at Austin. He has served as the university’s interim president since February and was previously senior vice president and chief operating officer.
University of Texas at Austin credits Davis with developing an innovation center and an investment fund for startup companies focused on research. He also moved the athletics programs to the Southeastern Conference.
Kathleen Poorman, Marietta College (Ohio)
The Marietta College of Board of Trustees has named Kathleen Poorman the school’s next president and CEO. She has served as interim president since January.
Prior to her role as executive leader, Poorman was provost and dean of the faculty. Her work with campus and regional stakeholders has helped shape Marietta’s strategic plan, which launches later this month, according to the college.
John M. Zerwas, The University of Texas System
The University of Texas has selected interim chancellor John Zerwas to permanently oversee the state system’s nine universities and five health institutions. Before becoming interim leader in June, Zerwas served as the system’s executive vice chancellor for health affairs for six years.
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Zerwas previously served seven terms as a state representative and held leadership roles on two house committees. Zerwas is a physician with four decades of experience, including as chief medical officer of a southeast Texas hospital system.
Retiring
Heidi Macpherson, SUNY Brockport
Heidi Macpherson announced her plans to retire from SUNY Brockport at the end of the current academic year. Brockport’s first female president, Macpherson has led the institution since 2015.
Under Macpherson’s leadership, SUNY Brockport launched a school of nursing and became the only SUNY comprehensive university to offer doctoral degrees. Additionally, undergraduate enrollment has grown over the past three years, thanks partly to a new scholarship that benefits three out of four students.
Macpherson’s accomplishments mark a resurgence at SUNY Brockport following declining enrollment and a $10 million budget deficit brought on by the pandemic, Rochester Business Journal reports.
Stepping down
Ben Vinson III, Howard University (D.C.)
Ben Vinson III has stepped down from Howard University, a month shy of completing his second year as president.
The university has not offered a reason for Vinson’s departure. However, the HBCU faced backlash last month for threatening to refer students’ unpaid account balances to collection agencies unless they paid back on a limited timeline, FOX reports.
Howard, the only federally chartered HBCU in the nation, also faces a $64 million budget cut proposal. President Donald Trump argued the university no longer needs the money for the construction of a university hospital since the project has been completed, The Hill reports. The budget cut would drop Howard’s funding to 2021 levels.
