President Maestas Out at Sul Ross State University

Updated, Nov. 25, 11:50 a.m.:

The Texas State University System released a statement on Monday confirming that Ricardo Maestas has officially resigned as president of Sul Ross State University in Alpine.

Maestas has been reassigned to a new position as special assistant to Chancellor Brian McCall. Meanwhile, the university's provost and vice president for academic and student affairs, Quint Thurman, has taken over as interim president while a national search gets underway for a permanent replacement.

"I appreciate Dr. Maestas' service to Sul Ross State University and his leadership in stabilizing the university's enrollment and garnering financial support for the university from the state and private donors," McCall said in a statement, "and I wish him well."

Original Story:

Ricardo Maestas is out as the president of Sul Ross State University in Alpine effective immediately, according to sources close to the university.

"An announcement will be made Monday regarding a transition in leadership at Sul Ross State University," said Texas State University System spokesman Mike Wintemute, who declined to provide further details.

Maestas, who had previously been an administrator at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, joined Sul Ross as its 11th president in 2009. 

A rift had appeared to grow between Maestas' administration and certain segments of the small Alpine community. In 2012, following a drop in enrollment, a group of community leaders attempted to launch an effort to have the university moved from the Texas State University System to another university system.

Ultimately, the push did not amount to much, and Sul Ross remains a part of the Texas State system. Preliminary data from this fall also indicates that enrollment has begun to rise.

However, parents and community members have continued to raise concerns about Maestas' leadership, particularly his lack of responsiveness to questions about the treatment of student athletes and financial management within the athletic department. This week, Maestas let the entire football coaching staff go.

With Maestas gone, a source said Quint Thurman, the current provost and vice president for academic and student affairs, has been installed as interim president.