Texas A&M’s new vice president of student affairs announces his first major hiring.
A&M’s new director of residence life is a promotion for Kyle McCracken, who is in his 14th year at the university and has moved up from a coordinator’s position to assistant director to senior associate director to spending the last six months as interim director.
More than 11,000 A&M students live on campus and the department has 60 full time employees and 445 student employees.
News release from Texas A&M:
Dr. Kyle McCracken was named the director of Residence Life, a department within the Texas A&M Division of Student Affairs.
McCracken has been serving as the interim director since the retirement of long-time executive director Chareny Rydl earlier this year.
“Texas A&M has a rich tradition of providing high-quality, on-campus living experiences,” McCracken said. “I look forward to the future of Residence Life at Texas A&M and building on the already caring and student-centered communities we have on our campus.”
The Department of Residence Life oversees the operation of 37 residence halls, along with the Gardens and White Creek apartments, accommodating more than 11,000 Texas A&M students. In addition, the department supports six living-learning communities and a variety of academic initiatives such as tutoring, technology and study spaces.
“Kyle is uniquely positioned to lead our Residence Life Department through an anticipated time of adding residence halls on campus in the relatively near future,” said Texas A&M Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Bill Kibler. “He is a dynamic leader who always keeps the needs and well-being of our students at the forefront of his daily operations.”
With more than 15 years of experience in student affairs and residence life, McCracken oversees a team of 505 employees, including 60 full-time staff and 445 student staff, and provides strategic leadership for departmental planning, budgeting, crisis management and student engagement initiatives. He also provides oversight for all on-campus student organizations within Residence Life and their advising teams.
Before his role as the interim director, McCracken held positions as senior associate director, assistant director and coordinator within Residence Life, leading efforts in assessment, leadership development, student conduct and retention.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in psychology from Southern Arkansas University, a master’s in College Student Personnel Services and Administration from the University of Central Arkansas, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University in 2020.
He and his wife, Keeli, have four children: Ava (10), twins Leevi and Olivia (4) and Luke (1).
Kyle McCracken’s job history is courtesy of the Texas A&M division of student affairs:
Interim Director, Department of Residence Life (DRL)
June 2025- December 2025
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Senior Associate Director, Department of Residence Life (DRL)
January 2022- May 2025
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Assistant Director, Department of Residence Life (DRL)
August 2018- December 2022
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Coordinator, Department of Residence Life
July 2012-August 2018
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Area Coordinator, Department of Residence Life
June 2010-July 2012
Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas