Jay Hartzell didn’t set out to leave the University of Texas’ flagship campus for a smaller private college near downtown Dallas. But after SMU board members began aggressively recruiting him for their soon-to-be-vacant president job, Hartzell became excited. He listened to Southern Methodist University leaders tout the institution’s upward trajectory. The booming research. The ascending football program. The passionate alumni base.
“They painted this idea of a university that is going places and has aspirations to be truly one of the great private universities in the country,” said Hartzell, 55. “That’s an exciting thing.”
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He told the trustees: The more aspirational they are, the more inspired he is.
Those conversations culminated Tuesday, when the SMU Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name Hartzell the university’s next president. He will take over in June, capping the 30-year tenure of R. Gerald Turner.
Hartzell’s departure opens up a hugely influential role at the University of Texas at Austin, which will search for its next leader during a tumultuous time for higher education.
Under Hartzell’s leadership, the university last year laid off dozens of staffers to comply with Texas’ DEI ban. The prohibition on diversity, equity, and inclusion programming touched off several other ripple effects on campus.
The GOP-controlled Legislature is keeping a close eye on the state flagship, specifically related to how it complies with the DEI ban, faculty tenure regulations, and free speech rules – an especially resonant issue after many pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at UT Austin last year.
SMU, unlike UT, is a private university. That distinction shields it from certain legislative restrictions, as well as some transparency requirements. University officials, for example, did not share what Hartzell’s salary will be at SMU. He is paid about $1.5 million at UT, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
In Hartzell’s first sit-down interview after the announcement, he talked to The Dallas Morning News about his excitement around SMU’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference, its burgeoning research work, and where he wants to see the university go next.
Conversely, Hartzell’s departure has left a significant hole at UT, which will search for its next leader during a tumultuous time for higher education. Hartzell has been a vocal advocate for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus, but his departure has raised concerns about the future of these initiatives.
Hartzell said he wouldn’t say that he’s experienced a growing concern about the influence of politics on higher education, and that he doesn’t subscribe to the idea that the current time is particularly rough. He also expressed his excitement about the university’s research trajectory and its move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
One specific point of interest for Hartzell is the university’s athletic move. “Athletics, done well, is such a complementary part of a university like SMU,” he said. “That move, I think, is a tremendous investment by the university – time, effort, and resources – but it’s something that changes the conversation around its position on the national stage.”
Hartzell is also enthusiastic about the university’s research growth and its potential to accelerate that growth in the future. “The hope is now to accelerate that growth and continue to make an impact there,” he said.
As for fulfilling the mission of making SMU a university for Dallas, Hartzell believes that could involve a range of initiatives, from job and internship opportunities to volunteer opportunities. “Ultimately, when they graduate, many will choose to stay in the city,” he said.
Regarding the difference between running a private and a public university, Hartzell noted that there may be more flexibility in terms of being able to adapt and respond to changing circumstances. “Because of the scale and size of the place, there’s a different ability to connect to students, to shape their experience, to be a little more bespoke,” he said.
Hartzell also expressed his commitment to maintaining the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion office. “I don’t have any expectations of anything changing that domain,” he said.
Finally, Hartzell offered some parting advice for his successor at UT, urging them to focus on moving the institution forward in a way that has a positive impact. “My hope for the next person in that chair is that they continue to think about how to move that great institution forward in a way that has a big impact in a positive way,” he said.
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Conversely, Hartzell’s departure has left a significant hole at UT, which will search for its next leader during a tumultuous time for higher education. Hartzell has been a vocal advocate for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus, but his departure has raised concerns about the future of these initiatives.
Hartzell said he wouldn’t say that he’s experienced a growing concern about the influence of politics on higher education, and that he doesn’t subscribe to the idea that the current time is particularly rough. He also expressed his excitement about the university’s research trajectory and its move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
One specific point of interest for Hartzell is the university’s athletic move. “Athletics, done well, is such a complementary part of a university like SMU,” he said. “That move, I think, is a tremendous investment by the university – time, effort, and resources – but it’s something that changes the conversation around its position on the national stage.”
Hartzell is also enthusiastic about the university’s research growth and its potential to accelerate that growth in the future. “The hope is now to accelerate that growth and continue to make an impact there,” he said.
As for fulfilling the mission of making SMU a university for Dallas, Hartzell believes that could involve a range of initiatives, from job and internship opportunities to volunteer opportunities. “Ultimately, when they graduate, many will choose to stay in the city,” he said.
Regarding the difference between running a private and a public university, Hartzell noted that there may be more flexibility in terms of being able to adapt and respond to changing circumstances. “Because of the scale and size of the place, there’s a different ability to connect to students, to shape their experience, to be a little more bespoke,” he said.
Hartzell also expressed his commitment to maintaining the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion office. “I don’t have any expectations of anything changing that domain,” he said.
Finally, Hartzell offered some parting advice for his successor at UT, urging them to focus on moving the institution forward in a way that has a positive impact. “My hope for the next person in that chair is that they continue to think about how to move that great institution forward in a way that has a big impact in a positive way,” he said.
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FAQs:
Q: What are your thoughts on the influence of politics on higher education?
A: I wouldn’t say that I’ve experienced a growing concern about the influence of politics on higher education, and that I don’t subscribe to the idea that the current time is particularly rough.
Q: What are you excited about in terms of SMU’s future?
A: I’m excited about the university’s research growth and its potential to accelerate that growth in the future. I’m also enthusiastic about the university’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference and its potential to change the conversation around its position on the national stage.
Q: How do you plan to fulfill the mission of making SMU a university for Dallas?
A: I believe that could involve a range of initiatives, from job and internship opportunities to volunteer opportunities. Ultimately, when they graduate, many will choose to stay in the city.
Q: What are your thoughts on running a private university compared to a public university?
A: There may be more flexibility in terms of being able to adapt and respond to changing circumstances. Because of the scale and size of the place, there’s a different ability to connect to students, to shape their experience, to be a little more bespoke.
Q: What are your thoughts on maintaining the diversity, equity, and inclusion office at SMU?
A: I don’t have any expectations of anything changing that domain.
Q: What advice do you have for your successor at UT?
A: My hope for the next person in that chair is that they continue to think about how to move that great institution forward in a way that has a big impact in a positive way.
