2021
Messages &
Speeches

We have been hearing from so many of you about how great it is to be back on campus, and we agree – it has lifted our spirits to have so many students back on the Forty Acres.

As we begin the fourth week of the fall semester, we wanted to thank all of you for your tremendous efforts during this challenging time. We continue to hear from many students who are thrilled to be back on campus enjoying a near-normal college experience.

As the semester gets underway, we are mindful as campus leaders that all of us are experiencing a difficult start of the semester, made tougher by the case numbers in our surrounding community. We hear and feel these concerns ourselves, and we deeply appreciate the thought and concern members of our community are putting toward the start of a successful academic year.

Mental health is one of the most challenging issues facing society at large and our university community in particular. We’ve all been touched by it in some way as individuals, but we don’t have to deal with it alone.

As the fall semester approaches, welcome back to another school year on the Forty Acres. Clearly, we had all hoped that the launch of the year would have been very close to normal, but, as with many of our late summer and fall plans, things have become more complicated and stressful as the delta variant has spread throughout Austin and Texas

I am sure many of you have been inundated with news and speculation about the future of UT athletics throughout this long week…

As the fall semester approaches, I have a feeling of déjà vu, albeit an unwelcome one…

Last week, we announced that Clay Johnston was stepping down from his roles as Dean of the Dell Medical School and Vice President for Medical Affairs at UT.

Today, I’m writing to share that Clay is stepping down from his roles after more than seven years at the helm.

I hope your summer is off to a good start. It’s always a special time on campus — when we get to take a breath, gear up for the fall semester, and welcome our incoming students to Longhorn life. Today, I want to update you on a few things that affect us all: this year’s merit pool, a leadership addition, a legislative review, and a note about our strategic planning process.

First, thank you for helping the university close on another successful semester. I hope you enjoyed some well-earned rest during the Memorial Day weekend! I’m writing to share an update on the fall 2021 semester, specifically in regard to flexible work arrangements (FWA.)

Congratulations — it’s official … you are graduates of the University of Texas at Austin. Graduates, this is a joyous moment at the end of a tough journey. But also a beginning.

During the past 14 months, our actions together have helped stem the tide of COVID-19 cases on our campus and in the greater Austin community.

You’ve nearly done it! Again! Like last semester and the one before, you’re pushing through and persevering during a(nother) one-of-a-kind academic year. I couldn’t be prouder!

Yesterday, UT Health Austin administered its 100,000^th vaccine shot. There are many people to thank as we mark this significant milestone.

One of the most critical positions in the university is clearly the Executive Vice President and Provost. We have been very fortunate to have our Vice President for Research, Dan Jaffe, serving as our Interim Provost, but I have heard several questions regarding our search for the person who will fill the position. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with an update.

Since I became president in September, one of my primary goals has been putting together a leadership team that can help our entire campus strive for greater levels of excellence. We want to be the very best in all we do, and our athletics program is no different.

Anti-Asian violence is distressing and unacceptable. Here at UT, we believe that no one should live in fear of racial violence, and we have no tolerance for bigotry, intimidation or bias.

It was exactly one year ago this week that COVID-19 forced The University of Texas to pivot into new teaching and research modalities. Obviously, we’re not through with the pandemic yet. Nevertheless, it’s time for us to begin planning our transition to what we hope will be a near normal fall.

Everything we do at UT Austin comes back to three things: research, teaching and changing the world. Our work around “The Eyes of Texas” is no different. In particular, the work of the history committee focused on research. Next, we will focus on teaching and changing the world. In part, that means fostering an inclusive campus where all Longhorns belong and are welcome.

I understand that for many of us this has been an upsetting week. In the run up to the Eyes of Texas History Committee’s report (to be released Tuesday), articles in the media have pushed a narrative that university donors are dismissive of our students’ concerns and have exerted undue influence over campus decision making.

We have been safely delivering on our teaching and research missions so far this year, and our protocols have been working. As a result, those policies — including requiring masks in our buildings, classrooms and labs — will remain in place.

Tonight…We light the Tower orange to signify our ability to persevere, return to creating and disseminating knowledge, and to say thank you to our tremendous Longhorn community — students, staff, faculty, parents and alumni — for their tireless efforts to help one another during the crisis and to restore our university to the pursuit of its core missions.

We will resume classes tomorrow at 8 a.m., whether online, hybrid or in person. Please know that the university’s leadership is actively working with faculty members to restructure the rest of the semester so we can catch up on lost time, while also keeping spring break and not extending the semester.

The campus will remain closed through at least Wednesday, February 24, at 8 a.m. We will monitor the situation and announce a reopening when conditions are determined to be safe.

The campus will remain closed through at least Monday, February 22, at 8 a.m. We will monitor the situation and announce a reopening when conditions are determined to be safe.

The campus will remain closed through at least Friday, February 19, at 8 a.m. We will monitor the situation and announce a reopening when conditions are determined to be safe.

The campus will remain closed through at least Thursday, February 18, at 8 a.m. We will monitor the situation and announce a reopening when conditions are determined to be safe.

The campus will close at 4 p.m. Sunday, February 14 and remain closed through at least Wednesday, February 17, at 8 a.m. We will monitor the situation and announce a reopening when conditions are determined to be safe.

Last week, I had the honor of delivering my first State of the University Address…

Greetings, Longhorn Nation! I’m Jay Hartzell, and since last September, I’ve had the incredible honor of serving as the 30^th president of The University of Texas at Austin. Each year, the president reports to the faculty on the state of the university….

Welcome back! I trust you had a relaxing and meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. That weekend is the typical kickoff for our spring semester, and as we’ve communicated, for the time being, the spring will look much like the fall…

On March 8, 1962, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to our campus…