Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune
The University of Texas at Arlington campus.
Jennifer Evans-Cowley has been officially named the next president of UT Arlington, Chancellor James B. Milliken said in a letter to alumni on Tuesday.
Evans-Crowley had been named the lone finalist on Jan. 7 by the University of Texas Board of Regents, which was required to wait a state-mandated 21 days before making the hire official.
She will begin her job as the 10th president of UTA on April 28, the chancellor said. Evans-Crowley will be the first female president at the university.
UTA, with an enrollment of more than 48,000 students, joined the UT system in 1965.
Evans-Cowley, an Arlington native, returns home after having served as provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of North Texas.
“I offer my congratulations to Dr. Cowley, and my thanks to Interim President Lim, who has helped propel UT Arlington forward over the last two years,” Milliken wrote in his letter. “The entire UT System community looks forward to ever-greater achievement and success at UT Arlington in the future.”
Evans-Cowley succeeds Teik Lim, who was appointed temporary president in May 2020 after the pandemic caused the search for Vistasp Karbhari's successor to be paused. Karbhari resigned amid allegations of misconduct, bullying, and relatiation.
In January, Lim was appointed president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
“Dr. Cowley is an accomplished leader in academia, research and industry partnerships, and her experiences align well with UT Arlington’s mission and growth aspirations,” Board of Regents Chair Kevin Eltife said at the time of Evans-Crowley’s being named lone finalist. “Throughout her career, she has remained focused on student success, faculty collaborations, and external partnerships—all essential elements needed to advance a top public research university.”
In addition to her tenure at North Texas, Evans-Cowley served as the vice provost for capital planning and regional campuses at Ohio State University. Evans-Cowley has also worked in city government in College Station and Amarillo.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to return my hometown to play a leadership role in shaping the future at UT Arlington, and I enthusiastically accept this opportunity and responsibility,” Cowley said in January. “I am eager to begin working with faculty, staff, students, alumni, the UT System, and the broader metroplex and statewide communities to help UTA achieve its full potential as it serves the people of Texas through education and discovery.”