Taylor Randall will be the next University of Utah president

Photo: University of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — On Thursday, the Utah Board of Higher Education selected Taylor R. Randall, Ph.D., to become the seventeenth president of the University of Utah.

Randall was selected from a pool of three finalists, including UCLA Dean Jayathi Murthy and Carrie Byington, executive vice president for the University of California’s health enterprise.

The decision was made by a 32-member search committee that was co-chaired by Utah Board of Higher Education Chair Harris Simmons and University of Utah Board of Trustees Chair Christian Gardner.

Randall will assume the role on Monday, August 9.

“There are no better opportunities in higher education and health care in this country than what lies in front of the University of Utah. I am deeply humbled to lead and serve the U and its phenomenal faculty, staff and students as we seek to elevate our stature as a public university and health care system,” Randall said. “As a third-generation professor, my commitment to the university runs deep. The University of Utah transformed me as an undergraduate student and gave me a crucial head start in my career and sustained me as a researcher—a scenario I hope to replicate over and over again for future graduates of and faculty at the U.”

Randall joined the university in 1999 and has served as dean of the David Eccles School of Business since 2009. During his time as dean, Eccles garnered top 10 entrepreneurship rankings for both undergraduate and graduate programs.

“Dr. Randall is a seasoned administrator, and I am excited for him to bring his passion for the university’s mission and his proven track record of success from the David Eccles School of Business to the central administration of the university,” said Christian Gardner. “He is well prepared to lead the University of Utah, and I look forward to supporting his vision for the university in the years ahead.”