In late April of 2022, Kelly Damphousse was unanimously voted to serve as Texas State University’s tenth president. He was succeeding Dr. Denisse Trauth, who had been harshly criticized for her lack of involvement with student affairs and clearly did not want to follow in her footsteps.
On his own, Damphousse brought a unique charm to the school – he’s Canadian, for starters, a former prison guard, and had a name few students could pronounce. That summer, Damphousse focused on building a relationship with the incoming freshmen during NSO sessions. Offering golf cart rides, posting these interactions to social media, and teaching the student body how to pronounce his name. He was a hit. Endlessly charismatic, he showed genuine care for student life, and it helped that he was Instagram savvy. Overnight, it became every student’s goal to get a selfie with KDamp – a goal that has stuck.
His involvement did not end with the summer; in fact, he grew more involved during the school year. Particularly with football game attendance. During TXST’s 2022 season, and arguably seasons prior to that, our football team was treated like a well-known joke. Students barely attended tailgates because morale was so low, but KDamp was having none of that. He targeted homecoming and all its traditions, making sure to attend each and every event. After all, everyone needs a selfie! With his efforts, students cared about the homecoming game for the first time in a long time. We lost, of course, but that’s not his fault.
As the fall semester came to an end, Damphousse’s popularity was soaring. His presence at student involvement fairs, fine arts performances, and even at local San Marcos businesses showed that he genuinely cared about the university and the community surrounding it. With the announcement of G. J. Kinne becoming the new head coach in December of 2022, it seemed like KDamp had secured his spot in the hearts of students and locals.
That is, of course, before TXST’s YDSA chapter began demanding higher wages for student workers. This campaign began in the Spring of 2023, KDamp’s second semester as president. In much of their promotional materials for this campaign, KDamp’s face was attached. Some posters mimicked Gerwig’s Barbie posters, making claims like “This Ken is not paying student workers a living wage”. Damphousse and the Board of Regents were not happy with this campaign but made zero public statements; instead, KDamp quietly unfollowed the chapter’s Instagram page. An unprecedented move towards a registered student organization.
First card down.
KDamp’s third semester as president went off with a bang, or rather – a rev. Kelly and Beth Damphousse entered UFCU Stadium’s field on a motorcycle to kick off the first home game of the season. Brand new season, brand new coach, brand new tactics for KDamp’s popularity, and boy, were they working. Students and alumni alike backed the Bobcats and their winning streak. Thanks to Kinne, we had something to root for, and KDamp was right behind him – win after win all the way to our first bowl game and win! Bobcats were on top of the world and wondered where we’d be going next.
Court documents are where we went next. In January of 2024, Texas State signed Jayden De Laura as our new quarterback for the upcoming season. KDamp and Kinne rallied behind him, excited for this new chapter in Bobcat football… until people began digging. Allegedly, in 2018, De Laura and then high school teammate Kamoi Latu admitted to second-degree sexual assault. The victim then filed a civil lawsuit in 2021, which was finally settled mere days before TXST Football announced De Laura’s signing. Despite student concern and outrage, KDamp remained silent once again. De Laura later unenrolled from the university.
Second card down.
Within two years, KDamp went from a shiny new toy to a topic of debate. He had established himself as someone who cares for the student body, yet repeatedly remained silent when students needed him. Entering his fifth semester, his popularity was rocky but otherwise still high.
Wednesday, November 6th, one day after the 2024 election, men visited campus branding signs with homophobic and misogynistic statements – women are property, women pursuing higher education are getting degrees in “prostitution”, and more. This time, KDamp made a statement via email, emphasizing that their presence is outside the university’s – and thus his – control. In the aftermath of the election and De Laura controversy, students were disappointed.
Third card down.
As more and more conservative ideals infiltrate our campus, more and more students are growing disillusioned with KDamp. For a man who claims to prioritize student safety and happiness, it seems over and over that he chooses silence and justification instead of standing up for us. Damphousse’s fall from grace is fascinating – like a train that just keeps going. As I enter my senior year at TXST, I worry more and more about the future that KDamp will create and that I will be leaving behind.