Faculty, Staff and Students of UHD –
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Antonio Tillis as interim president of the University of Houston-Downtown, effective July 2.
Tillis is the dean of the University of Houston’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) and M. D. Anderson Professor in Hispanic Studies. His admirable track record leading UH’s largest college, with more than 12,000 students, clearly demonstrates his ability to take on this challenge and succeed. I believe his passion for student success, coupled with his administrative experience and scholarly accomplishments, establish him as one of the rising stars in higher education. Tillis has presided over UH’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences since 2017, when he joined the University from the College of Charleston, where he was dean of the School of Languages, Culture and World Affairs. He earned a doctorate in Latin American Literature from the University of Missouri in 2000 and has held academic positions at Purdue and Dartmouth before his arrival at UH.
A national search for the next president of UHD will begin this summer. I will appoint a search committee representing faculty, staff, students and alumni of UHD to assist me in this very important decision. A more detailed process and timeline will be prepared by the search committee and distributed to you.
I appreciate all your efforts in making UHD a premier university in the city of Houston, where all students are engaged in high-impact educational experiences and graduate with 21st century skills.
Renu Khator
