University of Texas selects new director -- and new name -- for its conservative institute

by Kate McGee, Texas Tribune


The University of Texas at Austin on Monday named a director to head its new conservative-backed center — The Civitas Institute — which will “focus on the teaching, understanding and appreciation of American values.”

Justin Dyer, the founding director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri will lead the new UT-Austin center, which had been previously called the Liberty Institute.

Dyer, who received his doctorate in government at UT-Austin, starts on July 1. In addition to running the new institute, he will be a professor in the university’s government department.

“We are so pleased to welcome Professor Dyer back to Austin, and I want to commend the faculty-led search committee for recommending someone with such an impressive record as a scholar, teacher and leader,” UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell said in a statement. “His deep expertise in American political thought, coupled with his leadership experience, integrity and proven ability to work with others across a university campus, all make him an exceptional choice to build this exciting institute here.”

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/13/ut-austin-liberty-civitas-institute/