UT President Jay Hartzell To Become SMU's New Leader

Exchanging his role as president of Texas’ leading public university for the top post of an historic—and increasingly prominent—private one in Dallas, UT Austin President Jay Hartzell has been named as the new president of Southern Methodist University.

Newly named SMU President Jay Hartzell, shown in a 2019 UT System photo by Lauren Gerson

The SMU board of trustees unanimously voted Tuesday to name Dr. Hartzell as SMU’s new president, effective June 1, 2025. He will replace R. Gerald Turner, who has spent three decades in the post and will be transitioning to the role of president emeritus.

Hartzell, a national leader in business education and real estate finance, has served as president of the University of Texas at Austin since September 2020. He previously served as the dean of UT’s McCombs School of Business and has been a UT Austin faculty member since 2001.

SMU currently enrolls over 12,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs across eight schools. It operates with an $861 million budget and a $2.2 billion endowment.

‘Leading SMU into its next era’

“I’m 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 a statement.

“SMU’s stellar—and rising—national reputation, decades of extraordinary internal and external leadership, strong board of trustees, accomplished alumni, and impressively strong and diverse students and faculty made this an opportunity that Kara and I could not pass up,” he added, mentioning his wife, a licensed clinical social worker with a private practice in Austin. “I look forward to building upon the university’s remarkable momentum and leading SMU into its next era.”

SMU said that during his last five academic years as president of UT Austin, Hartzell oversaw all-time highs in applications, enrollment, graduation rates, research expenditures and philanthropic support. He also “advanced new, innovative academic programs and increased impact in key research areas, including advanced computing, energy and artificial intelligence.”

“Dr. Hartzell is a well-respected academician and higher education leader with a strong track record of accomplishments that make him the ideal candidate to build upon the tremendous energy and momentum we are experiencing here on the Hilltop,” David B. Miller, chair of the SMU board of trustees and co-chair of SMU’s presidential search committee, said in a statement. “His 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. He also understands the vital role Texas and its universities play in the nation’s vibrant economy. The board of trustees looks forward to welcoming him, his wife, Kara, and their family to the Hilltop and Dallas.”

Elevated business school’s profile at UT Austin

Before he became UT’s president, Hartzell helped lead the university’s McCombs School of Business to new heights of national recognition. By the end of his tenure as dean, all 13 of McCombs’ undergraduate business specialties ranked in the top 10 nationally, SMU noted. While at McCombs, he launched the Goff Real Estate Labs, elevated the Canfield Business Honors program and opened Rowling Hall, the home of UT’s MBA program. He also created significant partnerships with other colleges and schools across the UT campus, including the Dell Medical School, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Natural Sciences and the Moody College of Communication, SMU added.

Among his achievements as UT president was the 2022 launch of Change Starts Here, a 10-year strategic plan to make UT Austin “the world’s highest-impact public research university.” He also initiated a capital campaign that holds a tie for the largest ever launched by a public university.

In the all-important world of collegiate sports, Dr. Hartzell was a key player in UT’s move to the Southeastern Conference, beginning in 2024.

Hartzell is a board member of MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) and Austin Habitat for Humanity. He’s also been a board member for Texas Exes and the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, and previously served as a consultant with Hewitt Associates.

Replaces longtime SMU leader R. Gerald Turner

Last August, longtime SMU President R. Gerald Turner announced that after 30 years of leadership at the university, he intended to leave his role at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. He is transition to the role of president emeritus.

SMU’s board of trustees then partnered with Boston-based Isaacson, Miller to conduct a national search for the university’s next president. The 15-member search committee, co-chaired by Miller and Board Vice Chair Richard K. Templeton, included representatives from across the campus community and was guided by input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters through listening sessions and online feedback, SMU said.

“This is a unique leadership opportunity to oversee several impactful accomplishments in the coming years and lead SMU at an exciting time in its history,” Templeton said. “The board looks forward to working with Dr. Hartzell and supporting his efforts to enhance education and research vital to the success and growth of Dallas and the region.”

From semiconductors to sports, SMU has been in the news

An NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD helped SMU bring “world-leading AI supercomputing capabilities” to Dallas.[Image: NVIDIA]

SMU has made lots of headlines recently, from its selection to the 2024 College Football Playoff to its $1.5 billion SMU Ignited gifts campaign to its leadership role in helping bring the federal Texoma Semiconductor Hub to Dallas.

SMU’s research expenditures exceed $50 million annually. With 148 endowed faculty positions and 168 major academic initiatives, the university says it’s advancing its mission to become “a premier research university with global impact.”

For instance, in 2021, SMU announced it was investing $11.5 million in hardware, software, and training to crank up the school’s AI infrastructure with an NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD—bringing “world-leading AI supercomputing capabilities” to Dallas.

And just last June, Klyne Smith, clinical associate professor of computer science at SMU Lyle, and SENTRIQS, a cybersecurity company, were awarded a $110,000 grant from the U.S. Air Force to address cybersecurity challenges posed by quantum computers.

‘SMU’s future is secure’

“As SMU continues into its second century, it’s important to identify a leader who can follow in the footsteps of Gerald Turner and former presidents who also made an indelible mark on our university community, including Umphrey Lee and Willis M. Tate,” Ray L. Hunt, a search committee member, former board chair, and longtime SMU trustee, said in a statement. “Dr. Hartzell is that person, and SMU’s future is secure in his hands.”

Beginning this summer, current SMU President R. Gerald Turner will transition to the full-time role of president emeritus, supporting the new president and the university’s development and external affairs, the university said.

“With Dr. Hartzell taking the reins, I’m confident that SMU will continue building on a generation of remarkable success,” Turner said. “Gail and I are excited to support Jay and Kara to continue SMU’s prominence and impact at the national level.”