Bill Kibler, Mississippi State University vice president for student affairs, is expected to take over as president of Texas-based Sul Ross State University before fall semester after he was recently named the position’s sole finalist.
Kibler competed against two other finalists and 40 overall candidates for the position. By law, a candidate for president of a Texas public college or university must remain the lone finalist or preferred candidate for 21 days before a governing board can confirm the new appointment.
The university’s main Alpine, Texas, campus serves a 19-county area in West Texas, while its Rio Grande system also offers studies in Del Rio, Uvalde and Eagle Pass, Texas.
Combined, nearly 3,000 students are enrolled at Sul Ross. The university reported a $37.69 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2013.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the sole finalist to serve as the 12th president of Sul Ross State University,” Kibler said in a SRSU release. “Pam (his wife) and I were so warmly welcomed by everyone we met during our visit to Sul Ross and Rio Grande College. Our family looks forward to joining the Alpine community and becoming frequent visitors to the Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Uvalde communities. There is so much to be proud of at Sul Ross State University and Rio Grande College, and I look forward to working closely with the faculty, staff and students as we move together into an exciting future.”
Kibler became MSU’s student affairs leader in 2004, succeeding long-serving administrator Roy Ruby. He received a bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degree from the University of Florida and completed a doctorate at Texas A&M University. At TAMU, Kibler served for nine years as an associate vice president and was vice president for student affairs.
“Dr. Kibler has a passion for students, a deep appreciation for faculty and a vision for Sul Ross that is grounded in excellence,” said Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall in a release. “I am confident that Bill will lead the university into a new era and help instill an even greater sense of pride among Sul Ross students, faculty, staff and alumni.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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