Deborah Bordelon, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, has been appointed president of the Texas Council for Chief Academic Officers (TCCAO) for 2025-2026. The group, which numbers 35 Texas universities among its membership, is dedicated to advancing higher education.
Bordelon previously served as secretary, treasurer, and vice president of TCCAO. She credits mentors in her background for her academic success. “I’m a first-generation college graduate,” Bordelon said. “My parents never finished high school—although they did go back and get their GEDs—but I had strong mentors along the way who encouraged me to pursue my academic studies.”
Bordelon taught special and general education for nearly a decade while pursuing advanced degrees. She holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education; a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction; and a doctorate in Special Education. All were earned at the University of New Orleans.
“I taught school during the day and went to classes at night. Once I earned my doctorate, I moved into higher education,” Bordelon said.
One of the biggest challenges facing educators today is how rapidly things are changing in higher education, she believes. “We have to be nimble and constantly looking at what is happening outside of our institution,” Bordelon said. “We have to ask ourselves, ‘How do we not stay static, but continue to evolve?’ That informs everything we do.”
In her role as Provost, Dr. Bordelon is involved in all areas that touch on a student’s educational experience. “I work with the deans of our colleges, of which we have four,” Dr. Bordelon said. “We work together on academic programming, budgeting, the assessment process, and faculty development.”
Prior to her arrival at UHD, Bordelon served as Provost and Executive Vice President at Columbus State University in Georgia and Governors State University in Illinois. She began her career in higher education in 1995 at Nicholls State University, and in 1998 she joined Xavier University of Louisiana, where she eventually became Chair and Associate Professor in the Division of Education.
A native of New Orleans, she said she enjoys working with students, faculty and staff across the campus. “There’s an energy that happens in the classroom I love,” Dr. Bordelon said. “When you see students growing and becoming more confident, and faculty doing what they love to do … there’s nothing better.”
In addition to presiding over quarterly meetings, TCCAO’s president also appoints committee members and oversees agenda items. One of the offshoots of TCCAO is the Texas Academic Leadership Academy, which is a year-long program that develops academic leaders’ skills in finance, accreditation, and more.
“I’ve held various roles in the organization for several years now, so I’m looking forward to what this year holds,” Bordelon said. “It’s an opportunity for all of us in higher education to get updates on our industry, discuss issues that are coming up—including legislative updates—and share information about what works and doesn’t work on our individual campuses. It’s also a strong support network between the meetings. Because we understand each other’s roles, we can share ideas and perspectives. It’s very collegial.”