William Inboden, a national security scholar and former White House adviser, has been appointed executive vice president and provost of The University of Texas at Austin. The announcement was made by UT Austin President Jay Hartzell on July 17.
Inboden is returning to the university after serving as founding director of the Clements Center for National Security from 2013 to 2022. He has held leadership roles in both academia and government, including senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush. Most recently, he served as director of the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at UT Austin.
“William is a proven leader, respected scholar, and trusted colleague,” Hartzell said in a statement. “His experience across academia and national policy gives him a unique perspective to help lead our academic enterprise.”
As provost, Inboden will oversee UT Austin’s academic programs and policies, faculty recruitment and retention, and the development of new initiatives. He succeeds interim provost Richard Flores, who will return to his faculty role after over a year in the position.
Inboden holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in history from Yale University and a B.A. from Stanford University. His appointment signals a strategic move by the university to align academic leadership with a broader vision of civic education, global engagement, and cross-disciplinary scholarship.
The appointment follows a period of national visibility for Inboden, who authored the 2022 book The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink and remains a frequent contributor to foreign policy and public affairs publications.
His new role takes effect immediately.
