Columbia University's Trustees have unanimously appointed Jennifer L. Mnookin, the current chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to be its next president, effective July 1, 2026.
Mnookin, who is Jewish, will be the fourth president in just over two years.
She said she is “honored and thrilled" to join Columbia, a university which she said 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."
“Jennifer will be an exceptional leader for Columbia’s future,” said David J. Greenwald and Jeh C. Johnson, Co-Chairs of the Columbia University Board of Trustees. “She is a distinguished [legal] scholar who now leads a complex institution with clarity and vision."
They noted that, as a current chancellor, Mnookin understands higher education and how to lead a college through difficult times.
"She is also a keen listener who builds consensus and does not shy away from making difficult decisions when necessary," they said, adding "As president, she will lead Columbia forward with strength and a firm commitment to the University’s cherished values."
Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman also praised Mnookin as an "outstanding" leader whose "scholarship and leadership set her apart."
Prior to her appointment at UW–Madison, Mnookin served for seven years as Dean of UCLA School of Law, following nearly two decades on the UCLA and UVA Law faculties. Mnookin received her AB from Harvard University, her JD from Yale Law School, and a PhD in history and social study of science and technology from MIT. She and her husband, political scientist Joshua Foa Dienstag, have two children.
Two years of campus unrest
Mnookin's appointment comes after almost two and a half years of unrest and scandal in relation to Columbia's handling of pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism post October 7.
This came to a head during April 2024, when protesters established a "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia. This is widely seen as the first encampment, and it set off a wave of similar camps across the US. On April 18, 2024, then Columbia President Minouche Shafik authorized the NYPD to clear the initial encampment, and dozens of protesters were arrested. It also marked the first time the NYPD was brought in to break a campus protest since the Vietnam War protests in 1968.
Following the arrival of the Trump administration, the US federal government cut significant funding to Columbia, linking it to allegations about inadequate protection of Jewish students and tolerance of antisemitism. Then, for the 2025-6 academic year, Columbia announced its “Zero Tolerance for Antisemitism and Hate” policy and stated it will not recognize Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD).
Mnookin however has been consistent in her handling of both the protests and antisemitism.
On October 11, 2023, just four days after the massacre, Mnookin sent a message to the UW–Madison community condemning the "vicious terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians last weekend."
She expressed fear for the "terrifying inevitability of a great many further deaths, of Israelis and Palestinians, of civilians and soldiers" and likely increase of both antisemitism and Islamophobia.
"To the great many people in our community who have friends, family and loved ones in Israel or the Palestinian Territories: my heart goes out to you."
Mnookin is known for her decisive dealings with the leaders of the UW-Madison "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" after it occupied a main section of campus in April 2024. After asking the protesters to disperse, Mnookin authorized the police to dismantle the encampment.
When the protesters reinstated their camp, Mnookin negotiated with them and reached an agreement with the students to end the encampment peacefully. In return for their cooperation, she pledged to treat the protesters fairly and host at least three guest scholars from Palestinian universities.
“As we have navigated this past week, I have endeavored to listen to the concerns of the many people we have heard from and the many perspectives that have been represented," she told her community in a letter.
She has been known for her dialogue with Jewish and Muslim or Arab students.
Brian Cohen, the director of Columbia's Hillel, said he is "hopeful" about Mnookin's appointment and that Hillel is looking forward to working with her.
"The last few years have been difficult for the Jewish and Israeli communities at Columbia. While challenges remain, there is a vibrant, joyful, proud Jewish community," he said,