In this moment of tumult spawned by extremist legislators' ill intentions in the form of Senate Bill 37, Interim UT President Jim Davis' words are encouraging:"If we will hold our values and act through those values, then we will maintain those values," Davis said. "How we adapt (to new laws) and how we don't lose faith and hope that this can be a good place, that's important to me."
"My essence is of this place, and I love this place as you do," Davis said. "I care about its future. I care about how we can steward it through the time we're in a positive, constructive, optimistic way."
He also told the Austin American-Statesman that he intends to be a "champion for UT." This is undoubtedly music to all of our ears. This is exactly what we need—music, not more discord, division, or destructive policymaking that undermines the very foundation of our academic community.
That is exactly the message that we, as students, staff, and faculty, need to hear—especially given the reckless and unnecessary harm already inflicted by the Texas State Legislature.
Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, and bill author Senator Creighton should never have bought into the anti-DEI rhetoric, as doing so has severely undermined our educational mission in higher education. Rather than seeking a balanced, constructive approach—one of reforming and strengthening DEI initiatives—they have opted for outright dismantling, showing no willingness to find a middle ground that fosters progress and uplift instead of outright destruction and regression.
Their actions have not only stifled innovation and inclusivity in higher education but have also set a troubling precedent that prioritizes their anti-intellectual political ideology over academic integrity, equity, and the broader societal benefits that diversity brings.
The governor and the legislature must step back and allow us to fulfill our roles without unwarranted interference. Instead of persistently undermining and berating faculty, they should be directing their attention to far more pressing and constructive matters that genuinely benefit our state and its citizens. If they can't do this, these leaders need to move on and make room for those that really do want to serve Texas.
Thank you, President Davis for standing up. We need other state leaders who actually understand and care about Texas higher education to do so, as well.
-Angela Valenzuela
UT interim President Jim Davis vows to advocate for faculty, adhere to state policies
Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman | March 26, 2025
A month into his new role, interim University of Texas President Jim Davis addressed the institution's Faculty Council, touching on the scrutiny state lawmakers have placed on such groups and on controversial higher education proposals coming down from the federal and state governments.
In his first address to the monthly meeting of elected professors, Davis addressed the intensity of the current moment, when higher education is under scrutiny on a federal and state level.
"You may feel like you're under siege from all fronts," Davis told the council of elected professors at their monthly meeting Monday. "Well, let's go take the message back."
Davis took the reins of UT after the UT System's board of regents met in February to appoint him to the top spot after President Jay Hartzell announced in January that he would be leaving at the end of the spring semester to lead Southern Methodist University, a smaller, private university near Dallas.
Davis, who does not have experience teaching but is a Longhorn alum and former UT chief operating officer and vice president of legal affairs, also took his time at the podium to explain his history with and his love of the university. He stressed how his life has been shaped by and deeply intertwined with UT, his alma mater where his father taught when he was a kid, the school his son attends and his mother graduated from, and where his daughter works.
More: Texas senators propose faculty senate limits, curricula reviews. Professors want answers.
In an interview with the American-Statesman after the meeting, Davis emphasized how his first month on the job has been marked by leadership meetings ― from student government, the Dean's Council, Faculty Council's executive committee, Staff Council and Faculty Council to lawmakers and alumni.
"This is a place of learning, and (I spent) a month deeply listening trying to understand the subtlety and nuance of all the issues," he said in an interview. "In the modern era, you can get caught into a moment of thinking that you know the answer because you read it some place on Twitter or whatever else. But to really pause and listen and be attentive first, that's been my first 30 days; it's been a lot of that. But it's been great, almost like reconnecting back with my university in a whole new way."
'Do not think I'm not out there'
When asked by faculty members about how to stand up and rebut the perception of UT and faculty as foes, Davis echoed Hartzell's persistent call to emphasize the university's uncontroversial merit, in its research, labs and classrooms, and rally stakeholders around that messaging.
"Sometimes we are defined by myth, sometimes defined by rumor, or by outlier behavior, but our character is different," Davis said. "Do not think that I'm not out there talking about this university, promoting the university, expressing the quality that we all experienced and learned and understand and love, and how we do that collectively matters as well."
-Angela Valenzuela
UT interim President Jim Davis vows to advocate for faculty, adhere to state policies
Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman | March 26, 2025
A month into his new role, interim University of Texas President Jim Davis addressed the institution's Faculty Council, touching on the scrutiny state lawmakers have placed on such groups and on controversial higher education proposals coming down from the federal and state governments.
In his first address to the monthly meeting of elected professors, Davis addressed the intensity of the current moment, when higher education is under scrutiny on a federal and state level.
"You may feel like you're under siege from all fronts," Davis told the council of elected professors at their monthly meeting Monday. "Well, let's go take the message back."
Davis took the reins of UT after the UT System's board of regents met in February to appoint him to the top spot after President Jay Hartzell announced in January that he would be leaving at the end of the spring semester to lead Southern Methodist University, a smaller, private university near Dallas.
Davis is taking UT's high office at a time when state lawmakers are seeking to increase oversight of university curriculum and hiring; to withhold funding from public institutions of higher education that don't comply with Texas' 2023 anti-diversity, equity and inclusion law in "spirit" and letter; and to restrict millions in institutional funding.
The Faculty Council, which lawmakers have proposed to codify and restrict to an advisory nature alone, is the home of shared governance at a higher education institution. At UT, the council's monthly meeting begins with a report from the president, who then takes questions from the council's elected members on university operations, decisions or updates.
Davis, who does not have experience teaching but is a Longhorn alum and former UT chief operating officer and vice president of legal affairs, also took his time at the podium to explain his history with and his love of the university. He stressed how his life has been shaped by and deeply intertwined with UT, his alma mater where his father taught when he was a kid, the school his son attends and his mother graduated from, and where his daughter works.
More: Texas senators propose faculty senate limits, curricula reviews. Professors want answers.
In an interview with the American-Statesman after the meeting, Davis emphasized how his first month on the job has been marked by leadership meetings ― from student government, the Dean's Council, Faculty Council's executive committee, Staff Council and Faculty Council to lawmakers and alumni.
"This is a place of learning, and (I spent) a month deeply listening trying to understand the subtlety and nuance of all the issues," he said in an interview. "In the modern era, you can get caught into a moment of thinking that you know the answer because you read it some place on Twitter or whatever else. But to really pause and listen and be attentive first, that's been my first 30 days; it's been a lot of that. But it's been great, almost like reconnecting back with my university in a whole new way."
'Issues and concerns and fears'
To the faculty, Davis promised that "we haven't forgotten about you," emphasizing their importance to the university and its success.
Davis pointed to challenges faculty members are facing, including federal government changes to education structure and research funding, and, more vaguely, what he said are perceived and real "issues and concerns and fears and challenges and threats" from the Legislature.
To the faculty, Davis promised that "we haven't forgotten about you," emphasizing their importance to the university and its success.
Davis pointed to challenges faculty members are facing, including federal government changes to education structure and research funding, and, more vaguely, what he said are perceived and real "issues and concerns and fears and challenges and threats" from the Legislature.
More: UT-Austin researchers told to halt work on $6.1M worth of projects due to Trump orders
Faculty members pressed him on proposals such as Senate Bill 37, which would legislate faculty senates and restrict faculty voices. Davis said he "can be a reporter back" about the faculty council and its merit, but he neither gave a value judgement on the bill nor said he will support or oppose it. When it comes to advocacy about the university, Davis said he does not want to ever say anything that would hurt UT's future. But he said he knows from UT's history that the institution has weathered ideological clashes and funding gaps while also holding true to its values and complying with the state and federal laws.
"If we will hold our values and act through those values, then we will maintain those values," Davis said. "How we adapt (to new laws) and how we don't lose faith and hope that this can be a good place, that's important to me."
Faculty members pressed him on proposals such as Senate Bill 37, which would legislate faculty senates and restrict faculty voices. Davis said he "can be a reporter back" about the faculty council and its merit, but he neither gave a value judgement on the bill nor said he will support or oppose it. When it comes to advocacy about the university, Davis said he does not want to ever say anything that would hurt UT's future. But he said he knows from UT's history that the institution has weathered ideological clashes and funding gaps while also holding true to its values and complying with the state and federal laws.
"If we will hold our values and act through those values, then we will maintain those values," Davis said. "How we adapt (to new laws) and how we don't lose faith and hope that this can be a good place, that's important to me."
'Do not think I'm not out there'
When asked by faculty members about how to stand up and rebut the perception of UT and faculty as foes, Davis echoed Hartzell's persistent call to emphasize the university's uncontroversial merit, in its research, labs and classrooms, and rally stakeholders around that messaging.
"Sometimes we are defined by myth, sometimes defined by rumor, or by outlier behavior, but our character is different," Davis said. "Do not think that I'm not out there talking about this university, promoting the university, expressing the quality that we all experienced and learned and understand and love, and how we do that collectively matters as well."
More: Texas House bill proposes to ban DEI in required university curriculum
His priorities at UT, as per what regents charged him with, will be to invest in faculty, sustain UT's aging infrastructure and improve UT's operational efficiency, he said.
But he will also be a champion for UT, he said. In the interview ― the Statesman's first brief conversation with him about his appointment since he initially declined to comment until he was settled in the role ― Davis stressed that the message he wants to share is about UT's excellence both in higher education and in Texas.
What he's learning now is how that excellence is and should be defined, he said.
"The idea of excellence that everyone in this room agrees with — we don't always agree on how to define it, and that's the thing I'm going to try to really understand, the various facets of excellence," he said.
He told faculty members that communication with them will be a priority, and that he is honored to represent their voice.
"My essence is of this place, and I love this place as you do," Davis said. "I care about its future. I care about how we can steward it through the time we're in a positive, constructive, optimistic way."
His priorities at UT, as per what regents charged him with, will be to invest in faculty, sustain UT's aging infrastructure and improve UT's operational efficiency, he said.
But he will also be a champion for UT, he said. In the interview ― the Statesman's first brief conversation with him about his appointment since he initially declined to comment until he was settled in the role ― Davis stressed that the message he wants to share is about UT's excellence both in higher education and in Texas.
What he's learning now is how that excellence is and should be defined, he said.
"The idea of excellence that everyone in this room agrees with — we don't always agree on how to define it, and that's the thing I'm going to try to really understand, the various facets of excellence," he said.
He told faculty members that communication with them will be a priority, and that he is honored to represent their voice.
"My essence is of this place, and I love this place as you do," Davis said. "I care about its future. I care about how we can steward it through the time we're in a positive, constructive, optimistic way."
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