Jerrod KingeryUniversity of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell is stepping down to become the next president of Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Hartzell made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday.
“Today, I am writing to let you know that I am following my own advice, which has led to my decision that this semester will be my last as the president of The University of Texas at Austin,” Hartzell wrote. “The Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University has offered me the opportunity to serve as that institution’s next president starting June 1, 2025, and I have accepted their offer.”
The SMU Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name Hartzell the next president of SMU. His formal installation as SMU’s 11th president is tentatively scheduled for next fall.
SMU’s current president, R. Gerald Turner, will transition to a president emeritus role.
Hartzell was named president of UT Austin in September 2020. There is no word yet on who will lead UT Austin after Hartzell’s departure.
Photo courtesy Moody College of Communication, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
