Columbia University announced on Monday that it has elected a new president who will begin his term in July 2026.

“The Columbia University Board of Trustees has appointed Jennifer L. Mnookin, a nationally recognized legal scholar and chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as the next president of Columbia University, effective July 1, 2026,” Monday announcement Graduated from Columbia University. “This appointment is the result of an extensive national search led by a committee of trustees and faculty that solicited input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and other members of the Columbia community.”

Before becoming the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mnookin served as dean of the UCLA School of Law, where he taught for 17 years, and previously served as a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law and a visiting law professor at Harvard Law School.

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Columbia University announced Monday it has elected a new president, who will begin his term in July 2026. (iStock)

Mnookin’s biography page on the UW-Madison website says she is “committed to pushing boundaries and taking the university to new levels of excellence in research and education.”

2025, Mnookin told the New York Times Universities pay too much attention to identity diversity”, he said, “I think a lot of universities, not all, but a lot, have been very focused on identity diversity for a while and not really focused on viewpoint diversity or belief diversity. “

She added, “I think the pendulum is in danger of swinging too far in the other direction, and we need to worry about that. But I think universities should be places where ideas and different ideas come together as embodied by people from different backgrounds, and while that’s not always comfortable, we can learn from that engagement and do better.”

In early 2025, Mnookin announced that the university’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement would be “decommissioned as a stand-alone department” and that the office would be “moved to the teaching and learning department, along with the leaders and academic advisors who support this work.”

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She expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement while serving as dean of the UCLA School of Law and the Ralph Shapiro and Shirley Shapiro Professor of Law. (Stanton Sharp/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Federal campaign finance records show Mnookin has donated to Democratic campaigns, including $2,000 to former President Barack Obama in 2008, $500 to former President Joe Biden in 2020 and $250 to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Mnukin also outspoken Support of the Movement for Black Lives in 2020 while serving as dean of UCLA Law School

“As a law school Especially in communities, we must recognize and address the complicity of the legal system and law enforcement in racism and violence. Sadly, these recent horrific events are not an anomaly; Our legal system is an important part of our country’s shameful history of institutionalized racism,” she wrote.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R. Criticism of Mnookinthanked her for her service in a statement Monday.

“I want to thank Chancellor Mnookin for her service to UW-Madison and commend her for her commitment to our students,” Voss said.

“President Mnookin has accomplished many great things during her tenure, such as bringing more free speech to campus and closing the DEI department,” Voss added. “I enjoy working with her because we both want students to reach their full potential and have successful and impactful lives after graduation.”

Mnukin’s appointment comes as Colombia continues to face Increase federal scrutiny.

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Protesters demonstrate near Columbia University in New York City on February 2, 2024. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

In July, President Donald Trump proposed a $221 million settlement with Columbia University to solve various federal civil rights investigationincluding allegations of discriminatory practices against Jewish teachers following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and allegations of anti-Semitic employment discrimination.

Mnookin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.