University of Texas at Arlington President Jennifer Cowley will step down after more than four years of leading Tarrant County’s largest four-year college with plans to now focus on teaching and research.
Cowley announced the decision Aug. 31 in an email to students, faculty and staff. She said she told UT System Chancellor John Zerwas that she wants to return to teaching, research and service. The university has not announced on what date her exit will be official.
“After much reflection, I feel this is the right time to return to the work that first drew me to higher education,” Cowley wrote.
Cowley said she remains fully engaged in the work ahead as Zerwas appoints an interim president and UTA moves through the transition. Her email did not identify an interim leader.
Her presidency includes record enrollment and growth in UTA’s research enterprise as well as recent financial pressures, employee buyouts and changes to academic programs.
Cowley’s administration laid the groundwork for UTA West, a new campus straddling the Parker-Tarrant county line, expected to welcome its first students in fall 2028.
In an email to UTA students, faculty and staff, Zerwas credited Cowley’s vision with UTA West and praised the university’s growth under her leadership. He said he would share succession plans soon.
“We have much to celebrate about UT Arlington and Dr. Cowley,” he said. “The Board of Regents and I have never been more optimistic about the university’s future, thanks in great part to Dr. Cowley’s leadership.”
An Arlington native, Cowley became UTA’s 10th president and the first woman to lead the university April 28, 2022. She is also a professor of public affairs and planning in UTA’s College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs.
Before UTA, she spent almost five years as provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of North Texas and 16 years in faculty and administrative roles at the Ohio State University.
Cowley said returning to Arlington to lead UTA was especially meaningful.
“What I will treasure most about my time as president is all of the people who have worked to accomplish what we imagined for our future,” she wrote. “Together, we have worked to turn our shared dreams into reality.”
During Cowley’s tenure, UTA reached a record enrollment of 42,710 students in fall 2025, including its largest freshman class. The university also expanded Blaze Forward, which covers tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying Texas students from families with an annual income of less than $100,000.
Under her leadership, UTA launched RISE 100, a $60 million initiative to hire 100 tenure-system faculty and expand the university’s research capacity. The university maintained its national Carnegie Research 1 designation as research spending continued to grow.
The university also expanded its physical footprint. The School of Social Work and Smart Hospital building, Maverick residence hall and Greek Life Community Center opened during Cowley’s time as president, and construction began on the Life Sciences Building and University Center.
Despite its growth, UTA spent the past year navigating tighter finances.
Cowley pointed to declining international enrollment, uncertainty around federal funding and limits on tuition increases as financial challenges. UTA expects net tuition revenue to decline in fiscal 2027 even as its overall budget grows.
Last academic year, more than 200 faculty and staff accepted buyouts as the university sought to cut costs. The university also cut or consolidated several academic programs.
Cowley did not cite those financial or academic changes as reasons for stepping down. In her message, she acknowledged periods of both challenge and opportunity and thanked employees for asking difficult questions and helping to solve problems.
Cowley said she is looking forward to mentoring students again.
“Although my role at UTA is changing, my connection to this university is not ending,” she wrote.
Editor's note: The story was updated 2:48 p.m. Aug. 31, 2026, to add Zerwas' statement.
Dang Le is the higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at dang.le@fortworthreport.org.
The Fort Worth Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.
The Report’s higher education coverage is supported in part by major higher education institutions in Tarrant County, including Tarleton State University, Tarrant County College, Texas A&M-Fort Worth Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, the University of Texas at Arlington and UNT Health Fort Worth.
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