Texas A&M University-Central Texas Announces Retirement of Dr. Richard M. Rhodes
KILLEEN, Texas — Texas A&M University-Central Texas announced today that President Richard M. Rhodes will retire effective June 1, 2027, or when his successor is in place. Rhodes has led the university since fall 2023.
Chancellor Glenn Hegar credited Rhodes with moving the Killeen campus into a new stage of growth.
“Dr. Rhodes came to A&M-Central Texas after a career spent building colleges that serve working Texans, and he put all of that experience to work in Killeen,” Hegar said. “This fall the university welcomed its first graduate nursing students, and next year it will enroll its first doctoral students. Those are big firsts for a university that has always put students first, and we are grateful for his leadership.”
During Rhodes’ tenure, A&M-Central Texas enrolled the inaugural cohort of its Master of Science in Nursing program; prepared to launch its first doctoral programs, a Doctor of Business Administration and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership, in fall 2027; completed the CORE Building, which centralizes campus utilities and operations and makes future expansion possible; received Board of Regents approval for pre-construction planning on the university’s next phase of development, including its first residence hall; and began the process of joining the NAIA to bring intercollegiate athletics to campus.
Rhodes also widened the university’s reach across Central Texas. In November 2025, A&M-Central Texas became the sole university partner in Temple College’s new University Center, where students can complete one of seven bachelor’s degrees without leaving the Temple campus. In May 2026, regional partners gathered in Killeen to mark the start of work on the Forge Economic Development Incubator, future home of the university’s Military Talent Pipeline, which helps service members, veterans and their spouses turn military experience into civilian careers.
Before coming to A&M-Central Texas, Rhodes was the longest-serving chancellor of the Austin Community College District. He earlier served as president of El Paso Community College.
Rhodes said the university’s progress belongs to its students, half of whom are connected to the military.
“A&M-Central Texas was built for people who had every reason to put their education off and refused to,” Rhodes said. “Nearly half of our 2026 graduates were the first in their families to earn a university degree. Serving them has been a privilege, and I will keep working for them every day until the next president arrives.”
Rhodes will continue to serve as president until his successor is in place. The A&M System will share information about the presidential search at a later date.
About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest and most impactful higher education systems in the country, with an annual budget of $9.1 billion. Its statewide network includes 12 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, Texas A&M-Fort Worth and the Texas A&M-RELLIS Campus. The A&M System also plays a direct role in U.S. national security as a member of the teams that manage and operate Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Pantex Plant for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The A&M System serves approximately 184,000 students and reaches millions more through research, service and outreach programs each year. With nearly $1.6 billion in annual research expenditures, the A&M System fuels innovation, supports communities and drives Texas’ economy forward.
