Taylor Eighmy officially named president of UT San Antonio ahead of historic merger of the UT System’s two San Antonio institutions

Austin, TX - The University of Texas System Board of Regents has officially named Taylor Eighmy, PhD, as the inaugural president of the new University of Texas at San Antonio, the result of the merger between The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio). The appointment comes at the end of a year-long process to combine the talents and resources of both institutions into a single large university - one that will elevate UT San Antonio to the nation's forefront in education, discovery, health care, and innovation. It will also position the university to propel its significant contributions to the region's economic growth.

UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife lauded the achievement. "Just one year ago, the regents charged UTSA and UT Health San Antonio with fully maximizing the potential of both institutions to have the highest degree of impact on its students and patients and people across Texas. President Eighmy has guided the integration process with remarkable leadership, and he and his team have created great enthusiasm among both campuses and across the San Antonio community," Eltife said. "We are proud of President Eighmy and his leadership of UTSA over the past eight years. He has consistently demonstrated that he is the best person to lead the new integrated institution going forward."

Eighmy has served as President of UTSA since 2017, leading transformative initiatives that propelled the university to Carnegie R1 research status, launched Texas' first College of AI, Cyber and Computing, and positioned the institution as a driver of San Antonio's booming technology and national security sectors. In February, he was appointed Acting President of UT Health San Antonio, which he held alongside his presidential role at UTSA, and has guided the complex integration process of merging the two institutions. On September 1, 2025, the two institutions will officially become UT San Antonio, creating the third-largest research university in Texas, trailing only UT Austin and Texas A&M in enterprise size.

John M. Zerwas, MD, chancellor of the UT System, congratulated Eighmy. "During the UT System's work with President Eighmy on this incredible opportunity, we always admired his deep attention to every step along the way. He has inspired everyone to come together with the highest degree of collegiality and determination to move this work forward with all deliberate speed and creativity," said Zerwas. "We thank President Eighmy and the many individuals who have contributed to this effort to date, and we also appreciate the excellent partnership between President Eighmy and Francisco Cigarroa, MD, who will lead UT San Antonio's critically important health enterprise, UT Health San Antonio."

UT San Antonio launches with over 40,000 students, 320 academic programs, $486 million in annual research expenditures, 500+ active clinical trials,17,000 faculty and staff, and over $7 billion per year in economic impact.

The new institution's strengths in AI, computer science, and engineering and biomedical education, research, and clinical care are already inspiring new programs, such as the nation's first MD/MSAI dual degree, which trains physicians to lead in applying AI to improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes.

President Eighmy thanked the regents for their support. "I am deeply grateful to Chairman Eltife and all the regents for bestowing upon me the privilege of leading the most exciting initiative in American higher education, said Eighmy. "We've combined two superb institutions to form a new model for public research universities. UT San Antonio has unmatched opportunity, talent and momentum. We are uniquely positioned to become one of the most consequential and forward-driving universities in the United States."