Dr. James R. Anderson
Chancellor, Central Texas College
Killeen, Texas
Dr. James R. Anderson served as Chancellor of Central
Texas College in Killeen from July 1988 until February
2012.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the
Air Force following graduation from high school, and
ended his career as a Colonel serving as a Professor of
Economics at the Air University and technical Director of
the HQ USAF Cost Center.
In 1987 Dr. Anderson joined CTC as the Deputy Chancellor for college programs. He
was appointed chancellor in 1988 and has led CTC in expanding its involvement in
military voluntary education while branching out into innovative programs using the
newest technologies to deliver education services. His leadership and achievements
earned him the William Kennedy Award of the Council of College and Military
Educators (CCME) in 2001.
Under his guidance, CTC established dedicated academic facilities at Fort Hood in 1989.
In 2001 the new CTC Fort Hood Administration Building was constructed on Fort Hood,
thus becoming the first college-owned building on a military installation. An adjacent
classroom/laboratory building was opened for business in the spring 2010 term.
Dr. Anderson was also the driving force behind other significant achievements including
the reorganization of CTC from the American Educational Complex District to the
Central Texas College District; adopting the college’s first five-year strategic plan;
establishing the CTC Foundation; establishing the Faculty Senate; and dedicating several
new campus facilities such as the Nursing and Science building, the Physical Education
Center and Natatorium, the Technology building which houses the Mayborn Planetarium
and Space Theater and most recently the Campus Center which has been names in his
honor.
Dr. Anderson was also instrumental in CTC being awarded the first-ever FORSCOM
foreign language contract in 2002 and renewing two Worldwide Army Educational
Support subcontracts for the Pacific and European Theaters in 2006. He has also steered
the college through tremendous growth in distance learning programs which include the
Navy PACE contract serving all sailors at sea.
In addition to serving CTC, Dr. Anderson is active in the community. He has served on
the National Board of Directors of the Military Officers’ Association of America and has
served as president of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce, chairperson of the
United Way of the Greater Fort Hood area, chairperson of the Leon Valley District of
Boy Scouts of America, chairperson of the American Heart Association Heart Walk, on
the Board of Directors for the March of Dimes, and is past president of the Central Texas
Fort Hood Chapter of the Association of the United States Army(AUSA).
Currently, Dr. Anderson is on the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of
Community Colleges, the local Armed Forces YMCA Board, the Central Texas
Workforce Board, and the CTC Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Visitors
of the Air University.
Recently, Dr. Anderson was one of five CTC staff members recognized in the
commemorative Department of Defense book, “Remembering Those Who Have Made a
Difference in the United States Military Voluntary Education. The book contains profiles
of those educators who have contributed significantly to adult and continuing education
and Military Voluntary Education in many different ways within the Armed Services. He
was selected for induction into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of
Fame as a member of the class of 2007. And in 2007, Dr. Anderson was awarded the
CCME Institution Award in recognition of 20 years of service in the advancement of
military education. In 2008 he was selected by the American Association for Adult and
continuing Education to receive the Major General (MG) Kathryn G. Frost Award for
Exceptional and Innovative Leadership in Continuing Education Award. In 2010 the
Longhorn council of the Boy Scouts of America made him the 3rd recipient of the coveted
Silver Eagle Award. In February 2012 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award
by CCME.
Dr. Anderson holds a Ph.D. in labor economics from Florida State University, a Bachelor
of Arts degree from Michigan State University (management) and a Master of Science
degree from Florida State University (money and banking).
Dr. Anderson has two daughters, Starr and Vicki, one granddaughter, Kathryn and two
grandsons, Ryan and Dustin (both Drs.)