William Inboden, the current director of the Alexander Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida, has been appointed executive vice president and provost at the University of Texas at Austin, the school announced Thursday.
The announcement comes nearly a month after Inboden was named the sole finalist for the position.
Inboden arrived at UF in 2023 to become director of the Hamilton School after 13 years working in the UT system.
The school, launched in 2022 amid some controversy over its funding and purpose, “is devoted to research and teaching on Western civilization and the principles of a free society,” according to the Hamilton School website.
During his tenure at the Hamilton School, Inboden oversaw the recruitment of more than 50 new faculty members, as well as the design and approval of four new multidisciplinary undergraduate majors and two new doctorate programs, according to a UT Austin press release. He also developed a university-wide core class in civil discourse.
The Hamilton School announced Monday the hire of 20 new faculty members, bringing the total number of instructors at the school to 53.
In a phone interview with Mainstreet, Inboden also highlighted the growing student interest in the Hamilton School’s classes and degrees.
The most current numbers at the school show 1,340 students enrolled at the Hamilton School, with another 1,500 expected to join by the start of the fall semester.
Inboden credited the Hamilton School’s inaugural director, Dr. John Stinneford, for the job he did in laying the foundation for the first year. He also praised several current and former UF leaders, including Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini, former Provost Dr. Scott Angle, former President Ben Sasse, Interim President Kent Fuchs, Interim Provost Dr. Joseph Glover and Robert Ingram for their support in the growth of the school.
“The Hamilton School is moving forward at lightning speed to hire top-flight faculty who are providing an outstanding educational experience for our students,” said Hosseini in Monday’s press release. “The University of Florida is leading the way in creating a model of classical education that other institutions will soon be emulating.”
UF announced in a July 10 administrative memo that Ingram would serve a one-year appointment as the interim director of the Hamilton School, effective Aug. 1.
Ingram, a humanities professor at the school, has served as the associate director of the Hamilton School since 2022.
According to the memo, Ingram came to UF from Ohio University, having spent two decades at the school as a history professor. He earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia in 2002.
Like Ingram, Inboden is also slated to start in his new role as UT Austin’s executive vice president and provost, effective Aug. 1.
In addition to this role, Inboden will also hold the William Powers Jr. Chair and a joint faculty appointment with the Department of History and the School of Civic Leadership, according to the release.
While he looks forward to his new opportunity in Texas, Inboden said he will miss the Gator Nation.
“I was warmly embraced by the Gator Nation, [and] it was a real honor to be a part of it,” he said. “I’ll be leaving a part of myself in Gainesville and at UF.”
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News.