Davis has a bachelor’s degree from UT but does not have teaching experience, as the majority of the institution's 30 past presidents have had.

University of Texas System officials have named James E. Davis as interim president of the flagship, taking over for outgoing President Jay Hartzell immediately. Davis most recently served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at the University of Texas at Austin.

The University of Texas at Austin now has an interim leader. James Davis, the university's senior vice president and chief operating officer, has been named the interim president of UT, effective immediately,