Maleia Torres, Associate Vice Chancellor of Treasury
University of North Texas System
University of North Texas System
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DENTON – For the first time since opening in 2011, DATCU Stadium will host a complete sellout as the North Texas Mean Green football team takes on USF on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
The sellout marks a historic milestone for UNT Athletics, underscoring the growing energy around the 5-0 Mean Green, the best start for the program since 1959. Fans in attendance are encouraged to Wear Black.
"This is a tremendous moment for our program, our fans, and the entire Mean Green family," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Jared Mosley. "The passion and support we're seeing across Denton and beyond show what's possible when our community rallies behind this team. DATCU Stadium is going to be rocking."
All available tickets, including student, season, and single-game allotments, have been claimed. […]
The sellout adds to what's shaping up to be one of the most exciting weekends in recent UNT history. With Friday afternoon classes canceled after 12:00 p.m., students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to join in pregame festivities. Tailgating on The Hill begins at 1:30 PM.
Fans attending the game are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic and enjoy pregame festivities, which begin at 1:30 p.m. in and around DATCU Stadium. Gates open at 5:00 p.m.
-- GMG --
UNT Dallas has received the largest private donation in its history, $17 million, from the Commit Partnership, on behalf of the O’Donnell Foundation. Both are Dallas-based organizations dedicated to improving education and economic opportunity.
The record-breaking contribution was announced at a special event on Oct. 6, 2025, at the Dallas Museum of Art. UNT Dallas President Warren von Eschenbach and several members of the university's cabinet attended the award presentation.
“UNT Dallas accepts this generous and transformational gift, which is the largest in the university’s history, with deep gratitude and appreciation,” said the President. “It will support expanded classroom-to-career initiatives and ensure UNT Dallas students have access to the resources they need for a successful, purpose-driven, career-ready future.”
UNT Dallas will use a significant portion of the $17 million to establish a new team of Student Success Coaches, who will support students from admission through graduation, helping them navigate college and ensuring they have the necessary resources to succeed.
The coaches are one of several university-wide initiatives announced by President von Eschenbach at the start of the 2025-26 academic year. He said they will be “the connectors” between students and resources that help them thrive – and graduate fully prepared for a competitive, evolving workforce.
The $17 million is part of a $50 million O'Donnell Foundation gift that also includes Dallas College, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Southern Methodist University, with the goal to expand opportunity and improve degree completion for Dallas County students. In conjunction with the O'Donnell Foundation’s investment of $60 million late last year to the Dallas County Promise, this collectively represents one of the largest philanthropic investments to grow postsecondary success in the history of our region and perhaps our state and country.
Dallas County Promise is an innovative, life-changing program that aims to send students in Dallas County to college tuition-free. The UNT Dallas-Dallas County Promise Scholarship covers the remaining balance on the full cost of tuition for up to four academic years or bachelor’s degree completion (whichever comes first) that is not covered by other grants, scholarships, exemptions, benefits, and/or waiver programs received by the student.
Sergio Barrera, a 2024 UNT Dallas School of Business Graduate, is among many Dallas County Promise recipients who attend UNT Dallas at a Trailblazer Elite Recognition Event is receiving an award from UNT Dallas's Dr. Kimberly Riddick, Director of Student Leadership and Success
“By aligning school districts, higher education institutions, philanthropy, and community partners, we can absolutely change the trajectory for Dallas students and our region," said Commit Partnership CEO Todd Williams. "These investments are not just in institutions—they represent investments in the lives of our young people who will fuel the future prosperity of North Texas."
The late Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr founded the O’Donnell Foundation in 1957. Its primary mission was – and still is – to support educational institutions at all levels and strengthen math, arts and science programs throughout Texas. To date, the foundation has invested approximately one billion dollars in philanthropy.
UNT Health Fort Worth is reporting strong fall enrollment growth, with preliminary numbers showing a nearly 5% increase in students compared with fall 2024.
As of Sept. 11, the institution’s unduplicated headcount stands at 2,446 students, up 4.89% from the prior fall enrollment of 2,332. This fall’s enrollment includes 959 new students and 1,487 continuing students.
“This growth reflects both the surging interest in health science careers and our university’s investment in programs that meet the state’s critical workforce needs,” said Dr. Kirk Calhoun, president of UNT Health. “We are proud to continue building a pipeline of health care professionals for Texas and beyond.”
Key highlights include:
Enrollment in the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy remained steady, underscoring strong student retention. Although some graduate programs were flat or dipped slightly due to accreditation limits and competitive admissions, UNT Health continues to enroll at capacity across its clinical offerings.
University leaders credited the increase to a combination of new program launches, expanded cohorts, targeted recruitment and strengthened student retention efforts.
“UNT Health’s recent growth is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Enrollment Management team, including Financial Aid, Registrar and Student Records, and Admissions and Recruitment,” said Darrius Douglas, Ed.D., vice provost of enrollment management. “These teams have worked tirelessly to support and drive this growth through intentional collaboration, strategic initiatives and creative approaches to recruiting new students.”
During the 2024-25 admissions cycle, UNT Health’s Admissions and Recruitment engaged with more than 4,600 prospects in virtual information sessions, had a presence at more than 600 college fairs and events, hosted more than 1,500 admissions interviews, and processed nearly 10,000 applications.
“As Texas faces growing demand for health care providers, UNT Health is answering the call,” said Christopher Ray, Ph.D., senior vice president and provost. “Through innovative new programs and continued excellence in our established offerings, we are preparing students to serve patients and communities with skill and compassion.”
The momentum also comes as UNT Health Fort Worth launched a major rebranding effort in July. The initiative highlights that UNT Health is an integral part of the UNT System and is focused on educating the next generation of health leaders, delivering hands-on care through its clinics, and advancing world-class research.
Since December, UNT Health’s Marketing & Communications team has partnered with The Harris Poll to track brand perception among prospective students ages 18 to 30. The university’s average monthly brand equity score and awareness about the university are increasing, signaling early progress from the rebranding effort, said Andy North, vice president of Marketing & Communications.
“A strong brand is one piece of the puzzle in reaching prospective students and continuing our enrollment growth,” North said.
Dr. Kirk Calhoun and Dr. Warren von Eschenbach have been named the sole finalists for the UNT Health Science Center and UNT Dallas presidency, respectively, following a unanimous vote by the UNT System Board of Regents.
[…] This decision reflects the pivotal leadership they have demonstrated as interim presidents.
[…] “We are pleased to have selected two exceptional sole finalists for UNT Dallas and UNT Health Science Center,” said Board of Regents Chair Laura Wright. “Both have provided sturdy leadership as interim presidents, demonstrating a deep commitment to student success and a clear vision for the future of their institutions. The Board is confident in their ability to advance the mission and impact of these universities.”
Dr. Calhoun brings over 30 years of experience in academic medicine, clinical practice, and university leadership to UNTHSC. He accepted the role of interim UNTHSC president in January 2025 after retiring as president of The University of Texas at Tyler in May 2024. He has led integrated healthcare enterprises at a significant scale, spanning hospitals, clinics, academic medical practices, and critical community services such as emergency transport and home health. Dr. Calhoun’s dedication to healthcare, public health, higher education, and community service led to his induction into the prestigious Doctor Luke Society in 2021.
Dr. von Eschenbach was appointed interim president of UNT Dallas in April 2024 after serving as UNT System vice chancellor for academic affairs. Since then, he has led transformative efforts, launching the university’s first Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, and investing in bold strategies to grow enrollment, advance student success, and strengthen community impact. He previously served over 15 years in various leadership roles, most notably as associate vice president and assistant provost at the University of Notre Dame overseeing the university’s 11 international locations.
University leaders got their closest look yet at the new, state-of-the-art STEM Building that will transform the UNT Dallas campus, as it nears completion and prepares to welcome students in January 2026.
Friday's tour included President Warren von Eschenbach, faculty members and State Sen. Royce West, who pushed hard in the Texas Legislature for the funding needed to build the $100 million facility.
For 21 months, faculty, staff and students have watched as the four story, 140,000 square foot structure rose from the dirt. Timelapse photography showed its early progress. A topping-off ceremony in 2024 marked the placement of the final steel beam. A flyover in January 2025 showed a bird's eye view of the project. And a previous walk-through in March gave the first glimpse of the amazing teaching and learning spaces coming together inside.
Ground was broken nearly two years ago and work has continued non-stop to construct the innovative, collaborative space that will house classrooms, research labs, group study areas, meeting rooms and an event venue with lots of green space and natural light. Unique STEM-focused design elements have been infused into the building's DNA - a constant visual reminder of its purpose to provide multiple pathways to healthcare careers and other science- and math-related professions.
The facility will dramatically alter the UNT Dallas campus - physically, academically, and socially - a sign of accelerating growth and enormous progress in this region of southern Dallas. As an economic catalyst, the university contributes to the pipeline of highly-qualified and career-ready graduates entering the DFW workforce.
Teams from Vaughn Construction have been working diligently to complete the project on time and on budget. Two firms, Stantec and Harrison Kornberg, designed the building to reflect the university’s mission and achieve its STEM goals. They include empowering students by providing upward mobility to a diverse community of learners through STEM education; transforming lives through STEM programs that will improve the vitality of students and their families; and creating a sense of place and belonging, which is student-centered, inclusive, welcoming, accessible and flexible.
We can't wait to see students in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences explore, discover and thrive in this amazing facility when the Spring semester begins on Jan. 12, 2026!
The University of North Texas System Board of Regents officially appointed Dr. Harrison Keller to lead the University of North Texas – the system’s flagship campus and the third-largest university in Texas. Today’s unanimous vote comes after Texas’ mandatory 21-day waiting period for a presidential appointment.
Dr. Keller, who currently serves as the commissioner and chief executive officer of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, will become the 17th president in UNT’s history, effective Aug. 1. He will succeed Dr. Neal Smatresk who became president of UNT in 2014.
"Having spent his career committed to elevating Texas higher education, Harrison Keller is a natural leader and innovator who is uniquely qualified to lead UNT through new levels of excellence,” Chancellor Michael R. Williams said. “Dr. Keller will bring new opportunities and national awareness to UNT that will help advance the university to its next tier of success, and he has the experience and strategic vision to strengthen UNT as a Tier One research university that puts students first.
“Dr. Keller is committed to collaborative leadership and has a deep passion for student success, and I am excited to see what UNT will accomplish next.”
Since 2019, Dr. Keller has provided statewide leadership and coordination of higher education budget and policy for the world’s eighth largest economy, and he is responsible for overhauling Texas’s strategic plan for higher education and overseeing an annual budget of more than $1.7 billion. Under his visionary leadership, he has advanced policy and programs that improve college readiness and student success — especially for low-income and first-generation students.
“I am honored by the opportunity to lead the state’s third-largest and fastest-growing university and am inspired by the openness to innovation and commitment to students among UNT System leadership, faculty and staff,” Dr. Keller said. “I look forward to engaging with the UNT community and advancing the rich history, values-centered leadership, and amazing capabilities of the University of North Texas.”
The UNT Presidential Search Advisory Committee was led by UNT System Board of Regents Chair Laura Wright, with Chancellor Williams serving as vice chair. “Dr. Keller is a leader who will build strategic partnerships, recruit world-class talent, and advance UNT’s role in meeting the demands of our region, state and nation,” Chair Wright said. “I am certain he will advance the university while remaining committed to student success, academic excellence, and growing our presence as a Tier One research university.”
Appointed by the UNT System Board of Regents and reporting to the UNT System Chancellor, the president serves as the chief executive officer of the university. The president oversees university administration and operations and sets the institution’s vision and strategic objectives, including enhancing the university’s academic excellence, strengthening its portfolio of research, scholarship, and creative activity, and fostering the university’s student-focused identity.
More about Dr. Keller
Dr. Harrison Keller is currently commissioner and chief executive officer for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. He is a sixth-generation Texan with more than 25 years of experience in state budget and policy, university administration, fundraising, and building coalitions among higher education institutions, school districts, and policymakers to expand opportunity through education.
Since becoming commissioner in October 2019, Dr. Keller has led major initiatives and innovations, including working with higher education leaders, employers, and policymakers to develop the state’s current strategic plan for higher education, Building a Talent Strong Texas.
With adoption of this plan in January 2022, Texas became the first state to condition its goals for awarding higher education credentials on the economic value of those credentials to students. Dr. Keller also has worked with the governor, legislators, and higher education leaders to accelerate innovation and increase state support for student financial aid, transfer, workforce education, and research and development.
Dr. Keller is a recognized innovator in policy and programs to improve college readiness and student success, especially for low-income and first-generation students. He is the founder of the OnRamps dual enrollment initiative that provides college-level courses to tens of thousands of high school students across Texas each year. He also founded Texas OnCourse, which supports thousands of college and career advisors across the state.
Dr. Keller came to the coordinating board from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was deputy to the president for strategy and policy and a professor of practice. At UT Austin, Dr. Keller also served as vice provost for higher education policy and research and executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. Earlier in his career, Dr. Keller was a legislative aide in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, director of research for the Texas House, and senior education advisor for the Speaker of the Texas House.
Dr. Keller has taught at Georgetown University, St. Edward’s University, and the University of Texas at Austin. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s and Ph.D. in philosophy from Georgetown University. From 2005 to 2015, he served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve. He and his wife, Gena Nivens Keller, currently live in Austin with their three children.
About the UNT Presidential Search Advisory Committee
The UNT Presidential Search Advisory Committee was led by UNT System Board of Regents Chair Laura Wright, with Chancellor Williams serving as vice chair. The committee also convened a series of listening sessions to solicit feedback across a spectrum of internal and external UNT stakeholders, whose input was fundamental to the development of guiding principles that helped set the aim for the committee.
The Advisory Committee members were:
Staff supporting the Advisory Committee included:
The UNT Dallas College of Law Community Lawyering Centers have received $500,000 in new funding, as part of a spending package signed by President Joe Biden over the weekend. The legislation totaled $460 billion, including $10,476,031 for various projects in Texas's 30th Congressional District, represented by Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
“The Community Project Funding will pay for 11 transformational projects for the people of TX-30,” said Rep. Crockett.
The Community Lawyering Centers provide free legal services to eligible residents. Students from UNT Dallas College of Law handle cases, which are supervised by faculty from UNT Dallas College of Law and experienced attorneys from Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, Dallas Public Defender’s Office, and other qualified attorneys.
“This funding will support a critical part of the UNT Dallas College of Law curriculum. The Community Lawyering Centers allow us to provide valuable practical experience to our students and much-needed legal services to our community while meeting ABA standards that require experiential education. I am grateful to Rep. Crockett for her advocacy,” said UNT Dallas College of Law Dean Felicia Epps.
Legal matters handled by the CLC include:
“We are very grateful to Congresswoman Crockett for her work to secure this funding for our Community Lawyering Centers. The crown jewels of the law school, the centers reflect the intentional integration of innovative education and community service that are foundational pillars of the school. With these funds, we will be able to expand our outreach as we begin a new phase of delivering legal assistance while continuing our neighborhood-based program,” said UNT Dallas College of Law Professor Cheryl B. Wattley.
Through the CLCs, UNT Dallas law students:
The Community Lawyering Centers were founded in 2016 and offer day and evening appointments during the week, and Saturday appointments.
4716 Elsie Faye Heggins Street
Dallas, Texas 75210
469-351-0024
469-351-0025
511 North Akard St., Suite 102
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-855-7892
The Community Lawyering Centers have strong relationships with other local organizations. These partnerships allow the CLC to broaden the resources it offers to residents and businesses. Legal services are provided by:
Others offering services to the centers or to residents of the community through the centers include:
UNT Dallas Urban SERCH Institute DISD
In addition to the federal funding just announced, UNT Dallas College of Law gratefully acknowledges generous donations to the Community Lawyering Centers program from:
The combined funding from donations, the federal government, and other sources ensures the continuous operation of the Community Lawyering Centers and the important services they provide to Dallas area residents in need of legal assistance.
New York, October 23, 2023 -- Moody's Investors Service announces that an increase in authorization for University of North Texas System, TX's (Aa2 stable) Commercial Paper Notes program has no credit impact.
Please see below for the full news release from Moody's.
Enrollment climbs for five years running, as work-ready Mean Green grads drive the North Texas economy
DENTON (UNT), Texas — The largest-ever student body — numbering 46,940 — enrolled for the Fall 2023 semester at the University of North Texas. The more than 5% growth in enrollment comes from first-time-in-college freshmen, graduate students and those studying at UNT at Frisco, the university’s campus serving Collin County.
“This is a clear demonstration that students and their families see UNT as an exceptional educational value,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said. “Our commitment to a real-world, affordable education along with nationally ranked programs are bringing record numbers to UNT. We are providing more and more students the opportunity to attend college and earn a degree that prepares them for a successful career with top employers.”
Since 2019, UNT has been instrumental in shaping higher education across Texas — accounting for 52.3% of the growth in new enrollees at state public universities.Notably, UNT’s record-breaking enrollment numbers for the past five consecutive years are coupled with a rising number of degrees conferred. In the past two years alone, UNT has awarded nearly 24,000 new degrees.
As the university serves more students and awards more degrees than ever —particularly in business, information science, and computer science and engineering, it is bolstering the North Texas region’s workforce and helping drive the state’s economy. Since 2012, UNT has produced more than 105,000 degree holders equating to an economic impact of $5.4 billion in potential annual earnings.
“Education is a key that unlocks opportunity and economic mobility,” said Kirsten Kuykendoll, Head of Talent Acquisition at Fidelity Investments. “We’re proud to have many University of North Texas alums and recent graduates working on behalf of our customers, clients and community organizations. Fidelity is committed to providing opportunities to the next generation and investing in our community here in North Texas.”
This fall, the Mean Green Family welcomed 7,049 first-time college students and saw an increase in the graduate student population of more than 15% from 2022. The university’s focus on career readiness leverages innovative curriculum that allows students to design their own degrees and prepare for future careers through the UNT Career Center with the help of embedded career coaches in every college.
“We are being proactive with our services, providing required courses in the first two years for students — that’s the cutting-edge piece,” said Eileen Buecher, assistant vice president of the UNT Career Center. “Other universities are headed in this direction, but UNT is getting there first, and we’re doing it on a large scale.”
At the UNT Career Center, dedicated career coaches specialize in career development and employer relations as they work with industry partners in North Texas and around the globe.
UNT’s commitment to prepare students to make a difference in the workforce recently expanded with a $3 million gift from Satish and Yasmin Gupta to establish a new career center at UNT at Frisco. And later this month, UNT will officially dedicate The Wilson Jones Career Center in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, which was established with a $5 million gift from the alumnus and his wife, Jane.
Enrollment at UNT at Frisco continues to grow with more than 3,140 students at Frisco Landing, the first permanent building that opened earlier this year at the branch campus in Collin County.
“UNT at Frisco is a dream fulfilled for the city and our employers, offering the majors and curriculum needed to educate a future-ready workforce,” City of Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said. “The learning environment at Frisco Landing is key to preparing a pipeline of talent for tomorrow’s jobs. Frisco companies are looking to hire those who are ready to innovate and work collaboratively.”
The University of North Texas is celebrating the fourth consecutive record-breaking fall census day with 19% growth in new freshmen, 19% growth in graduate students, and nearly 4% growth in newly minted degree holders that will change the lives of students, families, and communities throughout the North Texas region and Texas.
While schools around the country have lost enrollment, UNT has seen unprecedented growth, increasing 13.5% since 2019. UNT’s growth through and after the pandemic means 44,532 students — an increase of 5.6% or 2,364 new students — enrolled at Texas’ most comprehensive Tier One research university serving the North Texas region, according to UNT’s latest 12th class day enrollment report.
This makes UNT one of the fastest growing universities in Texas and the nation, UNT President Neal Smatresk said.
“We are committed to helping our students succeed and to thrive beyond graduation in our complex and ever-changing world,” Smatresk said. “UNT continues to be the university of choice for more students than ever before, and UNT remains one of the top producers in awarding degrees in the North Texas region, which speaks to our desire to help our students be successful and to help Texas meet the workforce demands of the future. No other university system in the region does more than UNT to drive Texas’ progress.”
This year’s record-breaking class of new freshmen includes 6,708 students (up 19% from 2021) who come from all over Texas, the nation and the globe. This freshmen class is far bigger than any other group of new freshmen in the region. In addition, UNT has record growth (19%) in graduate students, with 11,567 students seeking advanced degrees to improve their futures.
“UNT is the preferred destination in North Texas for high school seniors,” Smatresk said. “It’s incredible to have 19% — or 1,064 — more new freshmen on campus this year. To also have 19% growth in graduate students, after several years of fast-paced growth at that level, is incredible, and I am proud that UNT can serve students, families and Texas.”
UNT students benefit from a challenging education as well as a diverse and supportive community committed to their success. UNT is proud to be designated a Minority-Serving Institution and one of only 21 Carnegie Tier One research universities designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, joining in with the others to form the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities. More importantly, UNT is proud to have the highest four-year graduation rate in the North Texas region for Hispanic students.
UNT continues to offer and grow in much needed degree programs such as data analytics, biomedical engineering, and a complete suite of business options at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level.
UNT is also teaching 2,579 students at its locations in Frisco. In January 2023, the new branch campus will open its first building on the 100-acres donated by the City of Frisco to establish convenient access to the opportunities that a UNT education provides for those in Collin County and beyond.
There are more than 10,000 UNT alumni leading businesses as executives in North Texas, and more than 324,000 alumni work in the region, which is home to 24 of the state’s 53 Fortune 500 companies. State demographers predict that the Dallas-Fort Worth area will surpass Chicago as the United States’ third-largest metropolitan area in the next 10 years. UNT is committed to continue meeting the unprecedented workforce demands of this growth to ensure Texas meets its higher education graduation goals and remains attractive to business.
Note: Until the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board verifies enrollment numbers and makes them official later in the fall, all enrollment statistics are unofficial, 12th class day numbers.
DALLAS – The UNT System Board of Regents unanimously approved the FY23 annual UNT System consolidated budget during the August meeting, which included no raises in tuition.
“We are thrilled to announce that for the seventh consecutive year, the UNT System will not raise tuition,” said Dr. Michael R. Williams, UNT System Chancellor. “During a time when inflation is at an all-time high, the entire UNT System remains committed to providing an education of great value that is accessible and affordable for all students.”
Chancellor Williams reiterated his commitment to judicious fiscal management, saying, “the UNT System will continue to demonstrate fiscal stewardship by identifying cost-savings to ensure no unnecessary financial burden is being passed on to our students and their families.”
The last time any UNT campus raised tuition was in 2016. Between May 2016 and May of this year, the price of milk has increased 33 percent and the cost of eggs has increased 70 percent, while the price of UNT’s tuition has stayed flat.
Chancellor Williams continued, “The UNT System is dedicated to transforming the value proposition of higher education and is laser-focused on our students and their families, their experience, learning, and lifetime success.”
UNT Dallas is proud to be among the most successful colleges in the country to advance social mobility by enrolling and graduating a high number of students who face economic challenges and by elevating its low-income graduates to a higher standard of living. Among Regional Universities West, UNT Dallas is ranked #11 in Texas and #52 overall.
The U.S. News and World Report ranking specifically looks at the proportional number of students awarded Pell grants. During the 2020-21 academic year, 56% of students enrolled at UNT Dallas were awarded Pell grants as compared to the national average of around 30% of all students enrolled in undergraduate programs.
Social and economic mobility rankings reflect a new approach to assessing institutions of higher education that examines their proportion of enrollment for students from low- and moderate-backgrounds and how well they provide them with a strong return on their educational investment.
In the recently published article, Out With the Old, In With the New: Rating Higher Ed by Economic Mobility, UNT Dallas ranked number 3 in Texas and 15 in the nation on the Economic Mobility Index.
“UNT Dallas is committed to enhancing the economic mobility of its current and future students,” said UNT Dallas President Bob Mong. “We believe that parents’ income should not dictate whether students get a college degree! Our vision is to offer a pathway to a meaningful and prosperous future.”
Making higher education available to all dedicated, hardworking students, regardless of background and circumstance is just one of the ways that UNT Dallas lives its mission to empower students, transform lives, and strengthen communities. The university boasts a student body that is around 85% minority and 70% first-generation college students and has focused on serving local underserved populations, concentrating recruiting efforts in southern Dallas communities. The university is committed to keeping tuition rates low and offers the most affordable tuition among four-year universities in the DFW metroplex.
Dr. Michael R. Williams, Chancellor of the University of North Texas System, today announced a new organizational structure based on goals to better meet the distinct needs of each of the system’s campuses in Denton, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco.
"As a system we can better support the work of our staff, faculty, and students on each campus, and this new structure will allow us to meet that objective," says Dr. Williams. "We will gain greater clarity in responsibilities, with greater accountability and efficiency in decision making at the system level. Each campus will see more supportive resources being allocated where they are most needed, and in return create greater value for everyone."
Dr. Williams noted that the Board of Regents has reviewed and enthusiastically approved the goals and rationale supporting the organizational changes.
The new structure, which eliminates a limited number of UNT System leadership positions, is expected to streamline lines of communication, and create greater opportunities for innovation, while reallocating resources to deliver greater value as well as cost savings.
Dr. Williams became chancellor on Jan. 1, 2022 and continues to serve as President of the UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC). He has served as the HSC’s president since 2012, and previously served on the UNT System Board of Regents. Under his leadership, the HSC saw record enrollment without raising tuition since 2013, created more than 650 new medical residency slots for the DFW region, opened a new Pharmacy School and established a Lena Pope Early Learning Center on campus, all while growing research awards by more than $115 million. Under Dr. Williams’ leadership, HSC also ranked first among U.S. medical schools for innovation and research impact by the George W. Bush Institute.
The University of North Texas System Board of Regents today appointed Dr. Michael R. Williams – current President of the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) – as UNT System Chancellor, effective Jan. 1, 2022. At the request of the Board of Regents, Dr. Williams will continue to serve as President of HSC to lead the search for the next President of the graduate academic medical center and support its leadership transition.
The appointment of Dr. Williams as Chancellor was made official during a special board meeting held late Monday afternoon following the mandatory, 21-day waiting period from the time Dr. Williams was announced as sole finalist to become the system’s fourth chancellor on Nov. 8. The Board of Regents unanimously selected Dr. Williams, a Health Science Center alumnus, to become Chancellor after a months-long search process following the announcement of current Chancellor Lesa Roe’s retirement plans.
Dr. Williams has served as HSC’s President since 2012, and previously served on the UNT System Board of Regents. Under his leadership, HSC saw record enrollment without raising tuition since 2013, created more than 650 new medical residency slots for the DFW region, opened a new Pharmacy School, established a Lena Pope Early Learning Center on campus, all while growing
research awards by more than $115 million. HSC also ranked first among U.S. medical schools for innovation and research impact by the George W. Bush Institute under Dr. Williams’ leadership.
Dr. Williams practiced anesthesiology and critical care medicine in Texas for more than 20 years and is an experienced business executive and entrepreneur. Dr. Williams served as Chief Executive Officer of Hill Country Memorial Hospital, during which time the hospital received numerous state and national awards, becoming a Truven Top 100 U.S. hospital in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and earned the 2014 Malcolm Baldrige National Presidential Quality Award.
The Chancellor is the chief executive officer of the UNT System and is responsible for all aspects of the System’s operations, including management of 13,000+ employees and oversight of the three UNT System campuses.
