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.

University of Texas President Jay Hartzell is leaving UT to become the next president of Southern Methodist University, the private university announced Tuesday.

UT Austin president Jay Hartzell has accepted a new job as president of Southern Methodist University starting this summer.

As regents prepare to replace the top leader, faculty ask to be involved in the process and students say they hope a new leader will prioritize them.

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,

Jay Hartzell, the 30th president of the University of Texas, announced his departure today. Hartzell will leave the Texas Longhorns and Austin to lead SMU. “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,