Lillian Mills, the first female to serve as permanent dean of the McCombs School of Business, announced she will step down after six years in the role when her term ends in May 2026.
Over her term, McCombs surpassed its $575 million “What Starts Here” campaign goal and has raised nearly $640 million to date. McCombs also exceeded the $425 million fundraising goal for Mulva Hall, a new undergraduate McCombs building currently under construction.
“Leading this exceptional community of 700 faculty and staff members and 7,000 students has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” Mills said in an email statement. “Some deans pace themselves for the long term, but I preferred sprinting at full speed — leading our community through COVID and those unprecedented challenges, launching Mulva Hall, championing our Human-Centered, Future-Focused mission and achieving fundraising successes that surpassed all records in McCombs history.”
Ethan Burris, senior associate dean for academic affairs, said in an email statement that Mills made the school better for students, faculty and staff by creating new initiatives and leading McCombs through the pandemic.
“Her legacy isn’t just in the buildings or fundraising numbers, though those are impressive. It’s in the countless students whose lives she’s touched, the faculty members she’s supported and the culture of excellence and innovation she’s embedded in McCombs,” Burris said.
Mills will take a break for the 2026-2027 academic year and plans to move back to the Department of Accounting, where she started her UT journey as an associate professor in 2006. Mills said she’s excited to dive back into teaching and researching.
“I am returning to the department I’ve always loved being a part of,” Mills said. “Accounting has been my academic home, and after this incredible journey as dean, I’m excited to return to my roots — to the discipline and colleagues that shaped my career and continue to inspire me.”
