Robert Vela, President of San Antonio College, will leave SAC to become the 21st President of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp recommended Vela to the system’s board of regents, which approved the choice at a special meeting late last month.
“Dr. Vela knows and loves Texas A&M University-Kingsville. It will be a sweet homecoming,” Sharp said, according to an A&M System announcement. “With his vast experience, I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes for his alma mater.” Vela earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at A&M Kingsville, which named him as a distinguished alumnus in 2015.
Vela has been president of San Antonio College since 2014, after serving as its dean of student affairs since 2008. Last year, SAC was named the top community college in the country when it was awarded the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence under Vela’s leadership.
Francisco “Franc” Solis, will serve as interim president, and a national search for the next SAC president will begin in the fall, with the goal of naming a new president by January of 2023.