R. Gerald Turner, the longest-serving president in Southern Methodist University’s history, recently announced his plans to step down at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Turner, who has been at the helm since 1995, shared the news through a heartfelt video message posted on social media earlier this week.
“It is with an incredible sense of gratitude to the SMU community, I am announcing today that the coming academic year, 2024-2025, will be my last to serve as the 10th president of Southern Methodist University,” Turner said via X.
Under Turner’s leadership, SMU revitalized its Lyle School of Engineering, established the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, and expanded campus facilities with new residential halls and a dining hall, according to The Dallas Morning News. These enhancements purportedly boosted enrollment and strengthened community support for the school.
SMU now ranks as the top university in North Texas and is 89th nationally, placing fourth in the state behind Rice University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Texas A&M University, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Earlier this year, the school announced that it is eliminating its application fee for new and transfer students to simplify the application process.
The search for Turner’s successor is already underway. A search committee has been formed to identify potential candidates, with the goal of appointing a new president by the end of the spring semester, according to a report by KERA News.
Reflecting on his time at SMU, Turner expressed deep gratitude for the university and the city of Dallas, while reaffirming his support for the university’s future progress.
“I think we will all agree that it’s best to transition out of the presidency when momentum is high, as it now is at SMU,” Turner wrote in a letter sent to the SMU community earlier this week.
Even as he steps down from the presidency, Turner plans to remain involved with SMU. As president emeritus, he will continue to offer support and guidance to the university’s board and his successor.
“There’s still much work to be done on the goals and objectives of the strategic plan. Therefore, the vice presidents and I would hope that this year will be, as much as possible, business as usual. There will be a time for reflections toward the end of the academic year,” he added.