Who is SMU’s new president Jay Hartzell? All we know about the former University of Texas  president

Southern Methodist University (SMU) announced on Tuesday that the current president of the University of Texas at Austin, Jay Hartzell, will leave the forty acres and become their new president. He will replace R. Gerald Turner, who will step down from the position in June.

In a statement, Hartzell said the following:

“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. 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. I look forward to building upon the University’s remarkable momentum and leading SMU into its next era.”

Hartzell has been the president of the University of Texas since 2020, and before that, he was the dean of the business school at the university. Overall, he has been with the institution since 2001. Texas was also where Hartzell studied, getting both his master's degree and doctorate from the university.

During his tenure, Hartzell oversaw the University’s response to the global pandemic, as well as improved the school's facilities in both academic departments and housing for students.

He also, somewhat controversially, opened an investigation into one of the school's fight songs, "The Eyes of Texas." The investigation found that the song had no racial intent.

Jay Hartzell and his contribution to the Texas Longhorns

Hartzell also oversaw a historic moment in the history of the Texas Longhorns. During his four years in charge, the Longhorns won 11 national championships in a range of sports.

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian (Image Source: Getty)

However, this is overshadowed by the move to the SEC, which Hartzell was a key figure in. This allowed the program to play in one of the biggest athletic conferences in college sports.

This move was mostly for the football program, which made the CFP semi-finals and could be the national champions for the first time since 2005. Hartzell's impact on this team has been felt, as he was involved in the hiring of Steve Sarkisian, who has revived the team and is now a constant contender for championships.