University President Jim Davis defended recent curriculum changes, reiterated many of his administration’s principles and announced a new college at his 2026 State of the University address Wednesday afternoon.
Davis’s 20-minute address focused on actions his administration had taken since his 2025 confirmation. He described building a culture of “mission, decision and action” to combat what he depicts as an “all-time low” in public trust for higher education institutions.
Davis announced the creation of a new academic unit, the “University College,” which will oversee administration of the new core curriculum that Davis presented to the UT System Board of Regents in August. Government professor Devin Stauffer, who previously served as chair of the faculty task force that helped develop the new core curriculum, will lead the college.
“The University College will work closely with all of our faculty across the colleges and schools to ensure that the core provides a common learning experience for all of our students,” Davis said.
The college will include three committees formed to oversee the new core curriculum’s three academic pillars: arts & humanities, social sciences and STEM. Davis said he invites all faculty members to get involved in the core development process, and praised members of the core curriculum task force for their work.
“The new core is clear, focused (and) rigorous. It’s a foundational education,” Davis said. “It gives every Longhorn a common code of experience and builds judgment and character, … it will prepare them for a modern world.”
Davis defended the creation of the new core, which he announced in August as an overhaul of the current system designed to address student confusion. The proposed core has received attention for its “Western Civilization” class and a “Great Questions of Human Life” class, based on the works of primarily Western male authors.
“Revisiting the core wasn’t just required, it was necessary,” Davis said. “Our core had devolved into an incoherent collection of more than 1,000 courses. It was a chore for our students to navigate. Many of our students thought it had little value beyond checking the box to graduate.”
Davis also discussed his goals for UT Dell Medicine, the health institution under development at the University that seeks to integrate student learning and research with patient care in what Davis called a new “technology platform.”
“UT Dell Medicine is no longer a vision,” Davis said. “It is real, and it will change UT and human health for (the) better.”
Davis also announced the creation of the Frontiers of Science Building, a new on-campus facility dedicated to interdisciplinary research independent from any one college or school. Davis said the building will house projects combining knowledge and technology from different fields of science, including AI, computation and robotics.
Davis also focused on achievements made since his appointment in August 2025, including a record number of degrees and student and faculty applications. Davis also celebrated increased financial support for the University, both in research funding and donations.
“The word is out,” Davis said. “Texas is the place to be. Texas is the place to thrive. We are stable, we are flourishing and we are ready for what’s next.”
In response to concerns over academic freedom and responsibility, Davis voiced appreciation for faculty on the Faculty Advisory Board and working committees for building cooperation between University leadership and staff. Davis expressed optimism and a willingness to celebrate what he hopes the University can be moving forward.
“The state of the university is clear,” Davis said. “Texas is on the rise.”
