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UW Chancellor Leaves for Columbia University
The University of Wisconsin needs a new chancellor at its flagship campus.
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced over the weekend that she is leaving to become the new president at Columbia University.
“I am honored and thrilled to join Columbia University at this important moment,” Mnookin wrote 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.”
Mnookin came to UW-Madison in 2022, before that she was the dean of the UCLA Law School.
The university thanked her for her time, and praised her on her way out the door.
“During her tenure, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin brought unbounded energy, resilience and deeply thoughtful leadership to this great university. As she now takes on a new opportunity at another prestigious institution, we extend our substantial gratitude for her service and wish her continued success in the years ahead,” UW President Jay Rothman said in a statement.
Mnookin’s tenure saw battles with Wisconsin lawmakers over both university funding and university wokeness.
She also dealt with campus protests. In April of 2024, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters took over the UW-Madison campus. They camped-out, and held demonstrations against Israel and the UW’s connections to Israel.
By May, Mnookin authorized campus police to clear the protest camp, but allowed protesters to continue their protests within just a few days.
Mnookin made $892,663 in 2024. Her salary was structured to increase to over $1 million in 2025, including a $150,000 retention bonus if she stayed through the middle of the year.
Rothman said the university will name an interim chancellor soon, and then organize a search committee to find a permanent replacement. That process should begin later this year.
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