AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife announced today that the Board has named UT Austin Interim President Jay Hartzell as the sole finalist for the permanent post. Hartzell, the former dean of the UT Austin McCombs School of Business, has been serving as interim president since June.
The motion to consider Regents Rule 20201 was made by Vice Chairman Rad Weaver, who is chairman of the Regents’ Academic Affairs Committee.The Board of Regents typically conducts a national search and appoints a presidential search advisory committee to select a president of an institution, but the Board can also invoke Regents’ Rule 20201, Section 1.9, which allows for an alternative presidential selection process. The Rule allows the Regents’ Chairman to appoint a committee to offer advice and evaluation on the sole finalist. Eltife plans to name the committee soon.
“These are unprecedented times for everyone, and it’s certainly true for higher education. As one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious and complex universities, UT Austin needs strong continuity, stability and innovation from its senior leadership, especially as UT provides education in a variety of in-person and remote ways to 50,000 students,” Eltife said. “Jay Hartzell has performed admirably since being named interim president. The regents, chancellor and I have received countless votes of confidence in his abilities from faculty, staff, students and the Longhorn nation. We will look forward to additional input from the committee on all the ways we can support Dr. Hartzell as he leads UT Austin.
“Moreover, we are gearing up for a legislative session that will require significant attention on the budget,” Eltife added. “Now, more than ever, we must have leadership in place that understands the full depth and scope of UT Austin’s operations across the academic, research and athletics enterprises. Interim President Hartzell has been immersed in all those matters. We are grateful for his strong leadership to date and enthusiastically look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”
Hartzell responded to the Board’s action after the meeting.
“Leading The University of Texas as interim president has been an incredible honor, and I am equally honored to be named the sole finalist to lead this great university into the future,” Hartzell said. “I look forward to serving my alma mater any way I can as we seek to overcome today’s challenges. I thank Chairman Eltife, Chancellor Milliken and the Board of Regents for their partnership and support.”
This article was originally published on The University of Texas System website.
