DENTON, Texas — The University of North Texas System Board of Regents has appointed Dr. Harrison Keller as the new president of the University of North Texas (UNT). The decision was made unanimously after Texas’ mandatory 21-day waiting period for a presidential appointment.
Dr. Keller, who is currently the commissioner and chief executive officer of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, will assume his new role on August 1, succeeding Dr. Neal Smatresk, who has served as UNT’s president since 2014. This marks Dr. Keller as the 17th president in UNT’s history.
Chancellor Michael R. Williams praised Dr. Keller’s commitment to Texas higher education and his potential to lead UNT to new heights. “Dr. Keller will bring new opportunities and national awareness to UNT that will help advance the university to its next tier of success,” Williams stated.
Dr. Keller has been at the helm of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board since 2019, managing an annual budget exceeding $1.7 billion and spearheading significant initiatives to improve college readiness and student success. His efforts have particularly focused on supporting low-income and first-generation students.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Dr. Keller said, “I am honored by the opportunity to lead the state’s third-largest and fastest-growing university. 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 search for UNT’s new president was led by the UNT Presidential Search Advisory Committee, chaired by Board of Regents Chair Laura Wright and Vice Chair Chancellor Williams. Chair Wright expressed confidence in Dr. Keller’s ability to build strategic partnerships and advance UNT’s role in addressing regional, state, and national needs.
Dr. Keller brings over 25 years of experience in state budget and policy, university administration, and educational coalition building. He has been recognized for his innovative approaches to higher education, including the creation of the OnRamps dual enrollment initiative and Texas OnCourse, both aimed at enhancing college readiness and career advising for high school students.
A sixth-generation Texan, Dr. Keller holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s and Ph.D. in philosophy from Georgetown University. He has previously held positions at the University of Texas at Austin, Georgetown University, and St. Edward’s University, among others. Dr. Keller also served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2005 to 2015.
Dr. Keller will be moving to Denton with his wife, Gena Nivens Keller, and their three children as he prepares to lead UNT into its next chapter.