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Jim Davis named sole finalist for role of UT-Austin president

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook07/21/25josephcook89
Jim Davis
Jim Davis (Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Interim University of Texas president Jim Davis, who stepped up when former president Jay Hartzell announced his decision to leave Austin for the SMU president role, has been named the sole finalist for the permanent president position. The University of Texas Board of Regents announced the decision on Monday.

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The Board of Regents also named John M. Zerwas, MD as the sole finalist for the position of UT System chancellor.

“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,” UT System chairman Kevin Eltife said in a statement. “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.”

Said Davis, “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, a Texas graduate who attended Harvard Law School, has held various roles with UT-Austin since 2018. Prior to his rise to interim president, Davis was senior vice president and chief operating officer. Before that, Davis was vice president for legal affairs and business strategies. 

According to a release, the board’s final action to approve Davis will be subject to a 21-day waiting period. In accordance with Regents Rule 20201, Section 1.9, Chairman Eltife will appoint a special committee composed of faculty, staff, student, alumni and community representation, along with two UT presidents. The committee will be asked to offer the regents advice and an evaluation on Davis, consistent with a review usually provided by a presidential search advisory committee, although no regents will participate on the committee. 

Prior to joining UT-Austin, Davis worked in the Texas Attorney General’s office as the deputy attorney general for civil litigation. He was a partner and head of regulatory and administrative litigation with Locke Lord from 2000 to 2014, according to his LinkedIn page. Locke Lord eventually became Troutman Pepper Locke.

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Davis also served as a cryptographer in the United States Navy prior to attending UT. He attended Austin High School.

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