Photo courtesy of USF
By Alisha Durosier
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg might be in search of a new chancellor as soon as next month after Regional Chancellor Christian Hardigree was announced as the sole finalist for Texas A&M’s presidential search for its newly acquired Victoria campus.
“Christian Hardigree brings a builder’s mindset — growing programs, aligning with workforce needs, and delivering for students and communities,” Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Chairman Robert L. Albritton said in a Sept. 18 press release. “She’s exactly the kind of leader who can help Texas A&M-Victoria thrive along the Coastal Bend and Crossroads.”
Now one of Texas A&M’s 12 campuses, the Victoria campus moved from the University of Houston System to Texas A&M on Sept. 1.
The campus also has roughly the same student population as USF St. Petersburg, with approximately 3,500 enrolled students.
“Serving as a university president has always been an aspiration, and just as I encourage our students to follow their passions, I believe in leading by example,” Hardigree told The Crow’s Nest.
The chancellor gave The Crow’s Nest a similar statement last spring when Murray State — a university in Kentucky — announced Hardigree as one of four finalists in their 15th presidential search.
Texas A&M touted Hardigree as a “seasoned higher education leader and attorney,” citing her background in law and her roles as a founding dean of the School of Hospitality at Metropolitan State University and a founding director and professor at the Michael A. Leven School of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality at Kennesaw State University.
In May 2022, Hardigree subsequently started her tenure as the second regional chancellor of the St. Petersburg campus, succeeding Martin Tadlock.
In compliance with Texas law, the Texas A&M Board of Regents must wait 21 days after announcing its finalist(s) to officially appoint a president. Oct. 9 is the Board of Regents’ deadline to finalize and announce its decision.
