ByMichael T. Nietzel,
Senior Contributor.
Columbia University has selected Jennifer Mnookin, currently the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to be its new president, ending a months-long national search. Mnookin, an extremely well-credentialed legal scholar who has held the top post at UW-Madison since August 2022, will assume the job on July 1, 2026.
Calling Mnookin “an exceptional leader for Columbia’s future,” David J. Greenwald and Jeh C. Johnson, Co-Chairs of the Columbia University Board of Trustees, said in the university’s announcement, “she is a distinguished scholar who now leads a complex institution with clarity and vision. She understands the essential role that higher education and research play in advancing knowledge, serving the public good, and addressing our most pressing challenges.” They added, "she is also a keen listener who builds consensus and does not shy away from making difficult decisions when necessary. As president, she will lead Columbia forward with strength and a firm commitment to the University’s cherished values.”
“I am honored and thrilled to join Columbia University at this important moment,” Mnookin said in a statement. “Columbia is defined by rigorous scholarship, a deep commitment to open inquiry, world-class patient care, and an inseparable and enduring connection to New York City, the greatest city in the world. I look forward to working closely with faculty, students, and staff, and with both our local and global community of alumni and friends, to advance the University’s critically important mission and to ensure that its teaching and research continue to contribute meaningfully to society.”
