UT President Jay Hartzell will be leaving the university after the spring semester, he announced in an email to the UT community. Hartzell was named the 11th president of Southern Methodist University beginning June 1, SMU announced Tuesday.
The announcement comes after a unanimous vote by the SMU board of trustees. Hartzell has served as UT’s president for five academic years.
“I am honored to serve as the next president of an exceptional institution like SMU in one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing cities in the nation, and excited to see how I can make the greatest impact as a leader,” Hartzell said in an SMU press release.
The announcement also follows numerous leadership changes at the university over the past year. On Monday, Hartzell announced Rachel Davis Mersey would be taking over as provost and executive vice president after serving as interim provost since Aug. 27.
Hartzell’s time as president of UT was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, campus protests and record application rates. He also oversaw new research and the expansion of research expenditures, steps toward making housing more accessible at UT and the beginning of the Tower renovation.
“I am very grateful to Chairman Kevin Eltife and the UT System Board of Regents for the incredible opportunity they provided me to serve UT Austin in this role,” Hartzell said in a message to the UT community. “As I look back on the last five academic years, with their support, our University has accomplished a great deal.”
Hartzell has been at UT for 29 years and served as dean of the McCombs School of Business prior to his appointment as president.
“(Hartzell’s) leadership at UT Austin and commitment to advancing programs across diverse disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, arts, education, business, law, student life, and intercollegiate athletics, make him an excellent choice as SMU’s eleventh president,” David B. Miller, ’72, ’73, chair of the SMU Board of Trustees and co-chair of the presidential search committee, said in a press release. “He also understands the vital role Texas and its universities play in the nation’s vibrant economy.”