Arleigh B. Templeton
Arleigh Brantley Templeton (April 18, 1916 – October 28, 2006) was an American academic administrator who led several Texas universities. He was the 8th president of Sam Houston State University (1964–1970), the first president of the University of Texas at San Antonio (1970–1972), and the 16th president of the University of Texas at El Paso (1972–1980). He also headed Alvin Junior College (1954–1964) and later served as president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Templeton was born in New Waverly, Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1936 and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Houston. At 19, he became a principal and taught English, Spanish, and algebra at Willow Hole High School. From 1937 to 1940, he was principal and a teacher at League City High School. After World War II and a period in the oil business, he worked as an assistant superintendent for several Houston-area school districts.
As president of Sam Houston State University, Templeton emphasized higher standards for faculty and students, and helped expand research. The school’s name changed to Sam Houston State University in 1969, and the university started its criminal justice programs, including its first doctoral degree.
Templeton then became the first president of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and served there from 1970 to 1972. He moved on to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and led the campus for several years, including during a period of student protests. He retired from UTEP in 1980.
After retirement, Templeton and his wife, Maxi Groce Templeton, moved to San Antonio. He ran a job training center there until his 1999 retirement. He was named a Distinguished Alumnus by Sam Houston State University in 1977. Templeton also served as president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, was appointed to Texas Governor John B. Connally’s Committee on Education Beyond the High School, and spent about 30 years on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Templeton and Maxi had one adopted son, Earl Wayne Templeton. He passed away in San Antonio, Texas, in 2006 at the age of 90.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:17 (CET).