Photo illustration by Jordan Johnson
As of fall 2024, UTA recorded over 41,000 students enrolled on campus.
Keeping a university of that scale functioning daily takes a lot of work behind the scenes. The Shorthorn selected six key leaders from across campus to speak about their day-to-day work, beyond their titles.
Lowell Davis has been the vice president of Student Affairs since 2023. Davis was previously the vice chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Lowell Davis
Davis became the vice president of Student Affairs in 2023.
In his role, he is responsible for leading Student Affairs, which focuses on student life and engagement, health and wellness, student success and housing, he said.
“Oftentimes, Student Affairs is viewed as the unit to deal with students who are causing problems, and I want to change that narrative,” Davis said. “The Division of Student Affairs is here to support the classroom activities with cocurricular experiences.”
Before UTA, Davis served as vice chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He also held positions at The University of Alabama, Indiana University and Hampton University.
Having gone to high school in South Dallas, Davis said working at UTA feels personal for him.
“I feel like I am helping students who may not be the richest, they may not be the poorest, but they want to get a college education, and they too want to be difference makers,” he said.
Nursing junior Effua Jordan is UTA’s Student Body president. Jordan was previously the chief of staff.
Effua Jordan
Jordan, nursing junior and former Student Body chief of staff, now serves as the Student Body president for the 2025–26 academic year.
Jordan primarily acts as the main liaison between Student Government and university administration. She works to implement resolutions, manage the Student Government branches and assist the Student Body vice president with recruitment.
She also helps coordinate events such as Cookies with Cowley, where UTA President Jennifer Cowley discusses university matters with students, and the President’s Roundtable, a private forum for student leaders to engage with the administration.
Jordan said the work behind the organization is complex but rewarding, pointing to the successful resolution for the new University Center as an example of this effort paying off.
“I hope that in the future, we’ll be able to have a solid group of student leaders who are all fighting for the same thing and all working together to uplift each other’s communities,” she said.
Jon Fagg became the Athletics director in 2022. In Fagg’s first year as director, UTA won three Western Athletic Conference championships.
Jon Fagg
Fagg has served as UTA’s Athletics director since 2022.
Fagg supports the coaching staff and student-athletes on the field and in the classroom. He handles media relations, game operations and communications throughout the Athletics department, he said.
During Fagg’s first year as director, UTA won three Western Athletic Conference championships: men’s tennis regular season and tournament, and women’s tennis regular season. Additionally, 19 Mavericks earned WAC all-conference honors, with four receiving player or coach of the year recognitions.
Fagg said he wants to give every student a meaningful education and athletic opportunities, and that he enjoys working in higher education because students are at a fun stage in their lives.
“It never gets old walking out on campus and just watching all of you walk around,” Fagg said. “I love graduation, and I certainly love winning championships.”
Kim Lemaux has been UTA’s chief of police for 12 years. Lemaux was the first female to become chief of police at UTA.
Kim Lemaux
Lemaux became UTA’s first female chief of police in July 2013.
She started her police journey at the Arlington Police Department and worked her way up to deputy chief. She studied business at UTA, and when she saw that the university was looking for a new chief of police, she applied.
In this role, Lemaux is tasked with providing a safe environment for faculty, staff and students on campus, according to the UT System website. She manages patrol and security, police communications, emergency management, parking, transportation and key control operations.
“I think that I have the best job in the world,” Lemaux said. “I get to come to work and interact with just amazing people. I mean that from the employees we have here at the [police department], but [also] our students, our faculty and staff.”
She said what motivates her is wanting to make a difference, better the community and give back.
“I don’t know that you can get into this profession and not have people motivate you and not enjoy working with people because that’s inherently our job,” she said.
Courtesy of UTA
Tamara Brown
Since 2022, Brown has served UTA as the provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs.
Brown said her role is split into two parts. Her first responsibility is overseeing all of Academic Affairs, from hiring faculty and helping them prepare students to managing curricula and degree programs. The second is mainly helping UTA President Jennifer Cowley implement her strategic plan for the university.
Describing her approach to leadership as being a problem solver, Brown said she looks into challenges students are facing and does whatever she can to implement a solution.
Brown has held executive dean, dean and interim dean positions at the University of North Texas and Prairie View A&M University. Her passion for higher education comes from her background as a first-generation college student, she said.
“I just have a deep desire to help students to succeed here and even after they leave here, and that’s what motivates me every day,” Brown said.
Courtesy of UTA
Jennifer Cowley
Cowley became UTA’s first female and 10th overall president in 2022.
The UTA president is the head of the university. She stays in touch with the community and finds ways to benefit the students, develops a strategic plan, guides the campus to meet its initiatives and navigates UTA through any changing state and federal higher education policies, Cowley said.
Cowley has routine meetings with student organization leaders to address any concerns the community may have.
The president’s work varies from day to day, she said.
Before becoming a Maverick, Cowley served the University of North Texas for five years as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. She also spent 16 years at Ohio State University. When it was time for her to move into a new leadership position, UTA stood out as a perfect fit.
“I grew up here in Arlington, so it’s kind of like a dream come true getting to lead this amazing university and it being in my hometown,” Cowley said.
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