Dallas, TX
R. Gerald Turner’s service to SMU was a gift to Dallas
In an era when university presidents and higher education itself are under evermore intense scrutiny, it was too easy to take for granted the work R. Gerald Turner did for Dallas.
In a deliberate, strategic and almost quiet way, he has been building up a university in the center of our city, quite literally brick by red brick.
Turner’s decision to step down next year as president of Southern Methodist University is a historical mark for our region. His three decades of service have accrued to the benefit of Dallas, even to those who have never set foot on the hilltop.
We would proffer this idea: great cities cannot exist without great universities. The ideas and energy such institutions produce, the minds they attract, the young people they shape — these are each at the foundation of a true city, a true polis, as the ancient Greeks would have called this organization of human lives that becomes a society.
With his wife, Gail Turner, as a partner at his side, Turner led the transformation of SMU into a nationally ranked university with increasing standing in the humanities, the arts and the sciences.
He has been driven in seeing its athletics thrive, with a focus on restoring its football team to national prominence.
He worked to increase the share of underrepresented populations in the student body, a crucial part of any serious university’s success.
And he was the leader most responsible for putting SMU on sound financial footing for generations to come by building up its endowment to an enviable $2.03 billion.
We are unabashed in cheering on SMU’s success, because when a city’s universities are strong and vibrant, so too will that city be.
There is more to be done still. We know how hard Turner and the faculty and staff at SMU have worked to achieve R1 research status. That classification marks a university that, in an average year, spends $50 million on research and development and that produces at least 70 research doctorates. Schools that achieve this ranking demonstrate that they can attract and support top research talent.
SMU would be only the second private university in the state, after Rice University, to achieve R1 status.
Turner has put SMU in a position to do just that even as he has seen it expand need- and merit-based scholarships for deserving students who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend.
If we know Turner, we know his move to president emeritus will be, let’s call it what it is, a well-deserved semi-retirement.
Because Turner will always be a part of SMU, and everyone who knows his love for the school welcomes that with open arms.
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Jeff Kolb and Sam Gannon welcome Cowboys insiders Clarence Hill (All City Dallas) and Calvin Watkins (Dallas Morning News) for a hilarious breakdown of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Giving insight, arguments, and plenty of laughs as two of the best Dallas Cowboys writers in the business go head-to-head on what Dallas should do next.
Dallas, TX
New video of Lake Dallas explosion draws focus on order decades ago to remove old plastic pipes
The search for the next general manager or president of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks has begun. They terminated Nico Harrison in November, which was about nine months too late, and gave any available candidates clear notice that they were open for business.
The plan was always to wait until after the season to start the search. While names popped up as the season reached an end, they didn’t begin turning over the staff until the Monday after the season ended. However, Dallas Mavericks fans are not going to like how the team is going about the search.
Patrick Dumont Leading Search for General Manager
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks are not hiring a search firm in their hunt for a new lead executive. Instead, team governor Patrick Dumont is “acting as his own point person.”
This is an… interesting decision, to say the least. Dumont is not a basketball person whatsoever, and most organizations usually hire a search firm. The Chicago Bulls hired one as they look for their replacement for Arturas Karnisovas. Just because a firm is hired doesn’t mean a team will listen, though.
The Mavericks hired a firm in their last search for a GM. They let Donnie Nelson go in 2021 after a long tenure with the Mavs. Instead of listening to the firm, though, Mark Cuban ignored it to hire Nico Harrison, who had no previous NBA front office experience. Harrison had been an executive with Nike, which gave him connections with players like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and plenty of others.
For a while, that seemed to be working out okay. While he still had some questionable transactions, such as trading for Christian Wood and letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, they were still able to make a run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Then, he blew it all up, trading away Luka Doncic for an older and injured Anthony Davis, and the team hasn’t been the same since.
It’s imperative that the Mavericks get this hire correct. The interim Co-GM setup with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley has performed admirably, but the 2026 NBA Draft is important for the Mavs to get right. It’s their best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with another young star, as they don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031 after this.
Hiring the right GM could help bring in more draft capital by bringing in bad contracts or flipping veterans into picks.
Dumont was able to convince Rick Welts, a Hall of Famer, to come out of retirement to be the CEO and lead the charge for a new arena. Maybe Dumont pulls another rabbit out of his hat for the GM.
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