The UT System Board of Regents named Jim Davis as the sole candidate for UT president on Monday, bypassing the typical nationwide presidential search process for the second consecutive time.
His appointment cannot be finalized formally until after Aug. 11, under UT System rules. During this time, a special committee, including faculty and students, will review Davis’ candidacy.
Davis, who has served as interim president since February, will continue to oversee University operations, including managing faculty, deans and administrative staff. Davis has no formal teaching experience but has held various leadership roles within the University, including vice president for legal affairs and business strategy, as well as chief operating officer. During his tenure at the University, he managed the launch of the West Campus Ambassadors program and assisted with UT’s 2024 transition to the Southeastern Conference.
“The regents have worked directly with Jim Davis over the past seven years on some of the largest and most transformational and complex initiatives ever undertaken by UT Austin,” said Kevin Eltife, the UT System Board of Regents chairman, in a
news release
. “His understanding of almost every facet of UT Austin’s opportunities and challenges is remarkable, and his versatility in being able to navigate them, all the way from conception to successful execution, has served UT very well.”
Davis, who also
worked
for Attorney General Ken Paxton as a deputy attorney general for civil litigation, was appointed interim president following the departure of Jay Hartzell, who left UT to lead Southern Methodist University in
June
. Since taking on the interim role, Davis has focused on safeguarding government research funding and managing increased oversight from the state Legislature. He has also made leadership changes, including appointing
William Inboden
as executive vice president and provost and elevating the office of the vice president of research to his cabinet.
“I am grateful for the trust of Chairman Eltife and the Board of Regents and am honored to be considered to serve as our University’s president,” Davis said in the news release.
