Jay Hartzell

Jay C. Hartzell is president of SMU and holds a tenured appointment as professor of finance in the Cox School of Business. He has spent his career exploring what makes complex organizations work, with research focused on the decisions that drive organizational performance, including executive incentives, shareholder oversight, and the role of governance in shaping organizational outcomes.

He has published extensively in leading journals, including The Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, The Review of Financial Studies, The Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Labor Economics and Real Estate Economics. He also shares his perspectives on higher education, leadership and public policy through interviews, podcast appearances and commentary in publications such as The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle and the Austin American-Statesman.

Hartzell earned a Ph.D. in finance from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science in business administration and economics (cum laude) from Trinity University. He loves to teach and values the opportunity to work directly with students, bringing real-world perspective into the classroom to help them think critically and navigate challenges with integrity and confidence.

After beginning his academic career as an assistant professor of finance at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Hartzell joined the faculty at UT Austin. Over more than 20 years, he held a series of academic leadership roles, including executive director of the Real Estate Finance and Investment Center, chair of the Finance Department and senior associate dean for Academic Affairs, prior to being named dean of the McCombs School of Business.

As dean, Hartzell focused on attracting elite talent to the business school while expanding its national reach through both national recruiting efforts and pathways for students to connect with leading employers and professional opportunities in the major cities beyond Texas. He strengthened the school’s academic offerings and research profile and expanded interdisciplinary collaboration across the university, including partnerships with the Dell Medical School and other colleges. He also established key organizational structures to support faculty and student success.

Hartzell went on to serve as president of UT Austin, where he led the flagship public university to record highs in applications, enrollment and graduation rates, as well as significant gains in national rankings; oversaw its transition to the Southeastern Conference; increased research expenditures to more than $1 billion annually; and advanced major innovations in academic programming along with substantial investments in housing and campus infrastructure.

He leads SMU during a period of substantial growth, with a focus on expanding transformative teaching and programs, elevating the student and campus experience, advancing high-impact research, amplifying athletic excellence, developing principled leaders and strengthening engagement across Dallas.

Hartzell serves on the Dallas Citizens Council, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas CEO Advisory Council, and the boards of MGIC Investment Corporation and Susser Bank. He previously served on the boards of Austin Habitat for Humanity and the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, and earlier in his career worked as a consultant with Hewitt Associates.