UT-AUSTIN PRESIDENT JAY HARTZELL TO BECOME SMU’S NEXT PRESIDENT
University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell is departing UT to take on the role of president at Southern Methodist University.
(courtesy University of Texas at Austin)
SMU on Tuesday announced that its board of trustees unanimously named Hartzell as the next president, effective June 1st. Hartzell will complete the spring semester at UT-Austin.
The current president of SMU, R. Gerald Turner, is stepping down after 30 years of leadership.
Hartzell has served as president at UT-Austin since 2020. Prior to that, he was dean of the McCombs School of Business. He has been a member of the UT-Austin faculty since 2001.
Hartzell said the opportunity to serve as SMU’s next president was one he “could not pass up” and looks forward to “building upon the university’s remarkable momentum and leading SMU into its next era.”
In a statement, the UT System Board of Regents congratulated Hartzell and said it appreciates his service as president and as a faculty member. It also said it will work with Hartzell in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.
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