Hired
Jay Hartzell – Southern Methodist University (Texas)
Southern Methodist University has chosen Jay Hartzell as its next president, effective in June. In the meantime, Hartzell will be closing up some loose ends as the active president of the University of Texas at Austin, a position he’s held since 2020.
The state flagship university earned some strong accolades under Hartzell, strengthening its applications, enrollment, graduation rates, research expenditures and philanthropic support. His 10-year strategic plan enacted in 2022 aimed to make it the world’s highest-impact public research university.
However, Hartzell and UT Austin became a central figure during the raucous protests that erupted across university campuses last spring over the Israel-Hamas war. An organized student walkout led to the arrest of 34 people and two journalists, The Texas Tribune reports.
While Gov. Gregg Abbott and other GOP leaders supported the institution’s strict response to protestors, Hartzell’s reputation with staff began to sour. About 600 faculty members signed a letter of “no confidence” in the president over the use of campus police, KVUE reports.
Dr. Harry Moon – Nova Southeastern University (Fla.)
Dr. Harry Moon officially stepped into Nova Southeastern University’s executive position on Jan. 1, completing a succession plan implemented in September 2023 in which he was designed to replace Dr. George Hanbury, who has served the private research university for the past 14 years.
Dr. Moon has served as Nova’s chief operating officer since 2018, overseeing administrative and clinical health operations. “Just as physicians pledge to uphold the highest standards in medicine, I pledge to uphold the highest standards in leading our university,” he said in a statement.
Edward Feser – Saint Louis University (Mo.)
Edward Feser will take the helm of Saint Louis University on July 1. Over the past eight years as provost of Oregon State University, Feser’s won acclaim for his initiatives diversifying faculty and championing equity and inclusion across institutional operations.
Mayme Hostetter – Hamline University (Minn.)
Mayme Hostetter has been announced as the next president of Hamline University beginning in July. A Minnesota native, Hostetter has made a career out of academia in which she first began as a middle and high school teacher before attaining her master’s and doing research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
More from UB: These 3 big campus movements will falter under new administration
Since 2011, she has worked for the Relay Graduate School of Education, which she founded and presides over as president.
“I had not looked at another job in 17 years because I am very proud of Relay, but Hamline is special,” the president-elect said in a statement. “Hamline is bringing me back home to the Twin Cities, and I feel at home among this community because our values align.
Resigned
Joe Shepard – Western New Mexico University
Joe Shepard is stepping down from Western New Mexico University following allegations of “wasteful” and “improper” use of university funds, a report from the state auditor revealed.
Between 2018 and 2023, Shepard allegedly spent over $200,000 in domestic and international travel and lodging that was not compliant with university regulations and nearly $150,000 on a company credit card. Some of the expenses included over $20,000 for a staff event at the Ritz-Carlton in Rancho Mirage, California, and several high-end furnishings for the president’s official residence.
The Board of Regents agreed to pay $1.9 million for Shepard’s severance package. However, the state attorney general has since filed suit against university leadership and asked a judge to block the buyout, Searchlight New Mexico reports.
Kyle Farmbry – Guilford College (N.C.)
Kyle Farmbry is stepping away from Guilford College after taking over the college in 2022. This is the second year Guilford is on probation following a financial crisis announced in 2020, FOX 8 reports. The outgoing president’s decision to step down follows a conversation with the board about the institution’s “strategic path forward,” according to a statement.
Mark Wilson – Mitchell Technical College (S.D.)
Mark Wilson, president of Mitchell Technical College since 2015, decided to step down at the end of the fall semester citing “personal reasons,” the Mitchell Republic reports.
