Jim Davis (university administrator)
Jim Davis | |
|---|---|
| 31st President of the University of Texas at Austin | |
| Assumed office February 19, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jay Hartzell |
| Personal details | |
| Alma mater | |
James E. Davis[1] is an American university administrator. He has served as the 31st president of the University of Texas at Austin since 2025.
Davis started his career as a cryptologist for the United States Navy before earning degrees from UT Austin and Harvard Law School. He worked as a briefing attorney for Alberto Gonzales on the Supreme Court of Texas and spent 14 years practicing law for Locke Lord.[2] He worked for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as a deputy attorney general for civil litigation before joining UT Austin as vice president for legal affairs in 2018.[3] He was later promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer in 2023.[2]
Following the announcement of Jay Hartzell's departure to become president of Southern Methodist University, Davis was named the university's interim president in February 2025, several months before Hartzell's planned departure.[2][4] He was named the sole finalist for the full-time position in July and became the university's president in August.[5][6] Davis is the first president at UT Austin in over 100 years to come from a non-academic path.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "President James E. Davis". Office of the President. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ a b c Priest, Jessica; McGee, Kate (February 19, 2025). "UT System names Jim Davis as UT-Austin's interim president". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ "AG Paxton Announces Senior Staff Promotions". Texas Attorney General. November 9, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ McGee, Kate (February 21, 2025). "In first full day leading UT-Austin, Jim Davis replaces chief academic officer". Open Campus. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ "UT System names John Zerwas as chancellor, Jim Davis as UT-Austin president". The Texas Tribune. August 20, 2025 [July 21, 2025]. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ Ketterer, Samantha (August 20, 2025). "UT System officially selects new Chancellor John Zerwas, UT-Austin president James Davis". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ Kepner, Lily (August 20, 2025). "Regents vote to name Jim Davis as UT Austin president, John Zerwas as chancellor". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
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