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Southern Methodist University President Jay Hartzell outlined his vision for the school’s next decade in his “State of the University” address on Thursday afternoon at SMU’s McFarlin Memorial Auditorium.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of Southern Methodist University, Kim Leeson<\/p>\n
Silicon Valley has Stanford University. Southern Methodist University<\/a> must be the equivalent for North Texas, said its president, Jay Hartzell<\/a>, on Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n During his first \u201cState of the University\u201d address, Hartzell revealed his strategic plan, which will guide the school through the next decade. He shared his vision to tap into the opportunities aflush in the region, invest in signature programs, and prepare students to be leaders in a changing world.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: Exclusive interview: Why did Jay Hartzell leave UT job to become SMU president?<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cDallas needs us, or at least we can benefit Dallas,\u201d he told a crowd at the McFarlin Memorial Auditorium.<\/p>\n Then comes the question: how can SMU help?<\/p>\n \u201cWe bring the scholars to the problem,\u201d he said. \u201cWe also have a way to convene people from different sectors together in a way that I think is special.\u201d<\/p>\n Eyes are on Hartzell to see how he will steer the region\u2019s top university<\/a> in the coming years. He came into the job last year, after R. Gerald Turner led the school for three decades. Before landing at the small private university, Hartzell served as president of the University of Texas at Austin.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last school year, more than 12,500 students attended one of SMU\u2019s eight degree-granting schools. The school employs about 1,740 staff members and administrators and boasts an endowment of $2.3 billion. Tuition is currently priced at more than $31,800 for a semester, which doesn’t include the costs for housing or meals.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n On Thursday, Hartzell acknowledged that the future holds unknowns. The advent of artificial intelligence poses a big question, he said, as anxieties about the job market have intensified.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: More universities want to be neutral. Will it work at SMU?<\/a><\/p>\n But he remains \u201coptimistic.\u201d SMU students can easily adapt to change, if they master the fundamental skills<\/a>, like critical thinking. Amid the explosive growth of technology, liberal arts \u2014 which he analogized to the \u201cbread and butter\u201d of an education \u2014 will experience a \u201crenaissance moment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThat kind of an education lets you have the flexibility to pursue something that today is unknown,\u201d he said. \u201cIt gives you a chance to distinguish truth from falsehood. It gives you a chance to disentangle conviction from arrogance.\u201d<\/p>\n But students still must be fluent in new technology, he said. That\u2019s why the school is rolling out a campus-wide partnership with Anthropic, he announced. By next spring, Claude will be available to all students and faculty.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n SMU will also invest in interdisciplinary programs to provide the kind of specialized education that no other university can match, Hartzell said. School leaders are weighing which classes, fields and majors can be combined.\u00a0<\/p>\n He pointed to the new energy studies program as an example. The program, funded by a $60 million donation, draws upon various disciplines to prepare students for careers in the energy industry. North Texas is uniquely positioned to offer it, school leaders previously said, because it\u2019s home to automotive companies, oil and gas businesses and major financial institutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n