UH Clear Lake

By Mary Alys Cherry

University of Houston Vice Chancellor Richard Walker has been appointed interim president of the University of Houston-Clear Lake by Chancellor Renu

Khator, replacing Dr. Ira K. Blake.

The change became effective Oct. 9 as Dr. Blake accepted the Dr. Khator’s invitation to serve as special assistant to the chancellor, assisting her “in developing new initiatives toward student success at our four institutions.”

Dr. Walker, who also serves as vice president for student affairs and enrollment services at both UH and the UH System, brings nearly four decades of experience in higher education, at both public and private institutions.

“His many leadership roles, as a skilled administrator and stalwart educator, reflect his commitment to students and to higher education,” the chancellor said. “I am confident he will provide a steady hand at UHCL and continue the growth and progress the university has been enjoying.”

She also named Dr. Daniel Maxwell, associate vice chancellor and associate vice president for student affairs for the UH System and UH, as the interim vice president and vice chancellor of that division. He joined UH in 2012 and during the 2018-2019 academic year served as interim vice president for student affairs at UHCL. “He has great depth and strength to provide leadership and administrative oversight in this interim role,” the chancellor said.

Dr. Walker earned his Doctor of Education degree at the University of Miami after graduating from

Harvard Graduate School of Education and earning his Master of Education at Memphis State

Dr. Richard Walker

University and B.S. in History at Middle Tennessee State University.

To accept this challenging new assignment, Dr. Blake plans to draw on her extensive background in higher education and personal interest in students to inform and shape system-wide initiatives that bridge the gap between dreams and opportunity, tackling pressing issues ranging from improving access and degree attainment to creating innovative new programs that better prepare students for their future careers, she said.

“This is not a decision she had made lightly,” Dr. Khator said. “Since being named UHCL’s fifth president in 2017, she has forged many lasting relationships on campus and off while leading the university to gains in enrollment, increased diversity and inclusion and expanded civic and corporate partnerships.”

Blake grew UHCL in size, reaching record enrollment in 2019. She also expanded the footprint of the university with the opening of four new

Dr. Daniel Maxwell

buildings that create more space for learning and engagement.

She led the university's strategic plan implementation "Impact 2025 and Beyond," which focuses on opening doors to accessible education and was launched in spring 2020. She joined UHCL after serving as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania since 2009. She holds a master's degree in educational psychology from San Francisco State University and a second master's degree and a doctorate in developmental psychology from Columbia University. “I want to offer my deep appreciation to President Blake for the energy and dedication she brought to UHCL, and I look forward to working with her as she undertakes this new assignment,” Khator said.

A national search for a new president of UH-Clear Lake will begin in November.