UT Dallas Names Indian American Prabhas Moghe as New President to Oversee 30,000 Students Across Seven Schools

The University of Texas System Board of Regents officially approved Prabhas Moghe as the next president of UT Dallas on Friday, following a national search process that concluded with his selection as the sole finalist in early May.

Moghe, currently the executive vice president for academic affairs and chief academic officer at Rutgers University in New Jersey, will assume the presidency on August 2, 2025, succeeding Richard Benson, who led the university for nearly nine years.

The new president brings extensive academic and administrative experience to the role. Since 2020, Moghe has overseen academic, research and faculty support programs at Rutgers across four campuses and 29 academic units. Under his leadership, according to the UT System, Rutgers rose in national rankings and increased research funding to nearly $1 billion.

Moghe’s academic background is rooted in engineering, similar to his predecessor. He holds two degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Bombay in India and the University of Minnesota, and completed postdoctoral training in bioengineering at Harvard Medical School. At Rutgers, he served as a distinguished professor of biomedical engineering and chemical and biochemical engineering before taking on his current administrative role.

Moghe and his wife Ameena are expected to be welcomed to campus in the coming months as the university continues its upward trajectory in research and enrollment.

Born in Bombay, Moghe came to the United States as an international student. “I had flown thousands of miles from the warmest place on the planet, to a country I had never visited,” he told Rutgers Today. “But I always knew that I had to keep moving on and I was going to the top graduate program in the world at the time for chemical engineering.”

Taking Over a Growing Institution

Moghe will oversee nearly 30,000 students across seven schools at UT Dallas, which has emerged as a top research institution and one of the fastest-growing universities in the nation. The Richardson-based university enrolled 29,886 students in fall 2024, including students from 130 countries.

Moghe assumes the presidency during a period of increased scrutiny of higher education institutions. The Trump administration’s potential cuts to federal funding could impact research efforts, while college officials are navigating international students’ concerns about visa policies and deportation fears.

UT Dallas, which has more than 5,500 international students from over 110 countries—more than any other UT institution—recently faced visa challenges when at least 19 students had their visas revoked and then restored. This occurred amid broader federal actions targeting international students, some of whom had participated in pro-Palestinian protests, though many affected students had not protested.

The university also faces the evolving landscape of state oversight. Republican lawmakers are pushing for increased accountability of state colleges, with proposals to give more control to governor-appointed regents over curriculum and hiring decisions. Public universities already operate under a 2023 state law that banned diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Leadership Transition

UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife praised the selection, stating that “with Dr. Moghe’s distinguished background as an educator, researcher, and administrator, UTD is poised to continue its great trajectory forward.”

Chancellor James Milliken, who chaired the presidential search advisory committee, highlighted Moghe’s qualifications: “Dr. Moghe’s record of strengthening educational pathways and propelling research agendas forward reflect many of UT Dallas’s strengths and continued aspirations. He has a deep appreciation for UTD’s mission and extraordinary ascendancy among top universities.”

Moghe and his wife Ameena are expected to be welcomed to campus in the coming months as the university continues its upward trajectory in research and enrollment.