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Dr. James Hurley, the 16th President of Tarleton State University, is leading the institution to unprecedented heights.
He oversaw the creation and launch of Tarleton Forward 2030: Our Future-Focused Strategic Plan, a blueprint for becoming the premier comprehensive regional university in the nation, with a keen focus on student success, teaching and research.
His signature initiatives include strategic enrollment growth, innovative student funding models, degree completion, vigorous partnerships with high schools and community colleges, enhancing research and innovation, improving operational efficiency, strengthening partnerships with businesses and community stakeholders, and uniting the campus on a bold trajectory featuring the university’s largest-ever capital campaign.
Tarleton State is one of the fastest growing public universities in the nation. President Hurley’s cultivation of broad and deep connections across Texas has resulted in a student body with the third highest number of Texas counties represented, only behind the two Lone Star flagship institutions. He spearheads efforts to address the rapid growth in the state’s workforce needs and serves on several governing boards pertaining to economic development and public policy.
The university is celebrating all-time-high enrollment, both undergraduate and graduate students, and the Class of 2024 is its largest, most diverse group of incoming first-time students. To undergird the academic quality of these students, Dr. Hurley created the Distinguished High School Partners Program and Distinguished College Partnership Program, significantly increased funding for the President’s Guaranteed Award and started the President’s List to honor 4.0 GPA scholars.
In 2019 he advanced Tarleton State to NCAA Division I status as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. He was instrumental in the league’s expansion and in re-establishing championship subdivision (FCS) football in the WAC.
President Hurley challenges the university to innovate, discover and deliver exceptional experiences leading to student success. During his tenure, Tarleton has increased research and scholarship opportunities for faculty and students. He established and secured funding to launch the Center for Research, Innovation and Economic Development and the Texas Rural Research and Innovation Alliance.
A lifetime educator, Dr. Hurley has served as instructor, professor, dean, vice president and president, with extensive experience at comprehensive higher education institutions. Prior to joining Tarleton, he was President at Tusculum University in Greeneville, Tenn. Under his leadership, Tusculum added its University Health Center; College of Health Sciences; College of Science, Technology and Math; and Niswonger College of Optometry.
He holds a doctorate in education from Morehead State University, a master’s degree from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Ky. He completed the Institute for Presidential Leadership at Harvard University and received a certificate of higher education management from Vanderbilt University.
He and his wife, Kindall, are the proud parents of sons Drew and Carter and daughters Blayklee and Brooklyn.