Hartzell became president at UT-Austin in 2020. In 2022, he launched a 10-year strategic plan to make it the world's highest-impact public research university. Starting this summe

After five academic years as the president of the University of Texas, Jay Hartzell is stepping down to become the next leader at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Hartzell leaves UT-Austin after four years of tense political battles and legislative efforts to implement a more conservative vision of public higher ed.