Chancellor Mnookin: My next chapter

Last night, Columbia University announced my appointment as their next president, beginning July 1, 2026. Today, I want to express my enormous gratitude to this extraordinary community.

The following message was sent to all students, faculty and staff on Jan. 26, 2026.

Dear campus community,

Last night, Columbia University announced my appointment as their next president, beginning July 1, 2026. Today, I want to express my enormous gratitude to this extraordinary community. Since I arrived in 2022, you have embraced my family and me (and even our aging dog, Plato), and you have welcomed me into the essential work of this great university.

While I am very excited about this next opportunity, this moment is filled with mixed emotions for me, both personally and professionally. There is so much I love about UW- Madison and about our shared commitments - to higher education, to the Wisconsin Idea and to one another.

I will proudly continue to serve as chancellor at UW-Madison through Spring Commencement, and Universities of Wisconsin President Rothman will, well before the semester ends, share plans for interim leadership. I recognize that there are questions to be answered, and we will communicate more as details become available.

I will forever treasure the experiences and people that have shaped my time here: wading into a cranberry bog at one of our agricultural research stations, visiting remarkable labs and facilities across campus (and admiring instruments like our next generation neutrino detectors, our high-fusion plasma device, and so many more), watching stunning performances in Vilas Hall, spending summer evenings at the Terrace (and yes, joining Lady Liberty out on the frozen lake), listening to students engage with one another in Deliberation Dinners, and feeling the joy of Camp Randall on a Saturday.

These are just a few of the thousands of snapshots of what has been, for me and my husband, Joshua Foa Dienstag, a life-defining chapter here at UW-Madison.

What I've treasured most is the chance to work alongside such talented, committed, deeply engaged faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university, and alongside the people of Wisconsin, who take deserved pride in their flagship university.

UW-Madison is beautifully broad in its excellence and unwavering in its mission to advance knowledge, educate students, serve the public, and improve lives in our state and around the world. I'm proud of what we have accomplished together, especially during a time of real challenge for universities and for higher education.

Between now and the end of the semester, there is important work ahead for us to do together. I will remain fully focused on this work - from bringing our current provost search to a conclusion, to engaging with lawmakers in Wisconsin and in Washington, D.C. to bolster support for our mission and the academic freedom that underpins it, to ensuring we are on a strong path toward launching the College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, the first new school or college at UW-Madison in decades, and so much more.

I look forward to connecting with many of you - most of all, to say thank you - in the weeks ahead. It has been a true honor to serve as your chancellor for the past three and a half years.

When it comes time to say farewell, I will carry with me deep affection for UW-Madison, enduring gratitude for this community and profound faith in the promise of higher education.

Thank you - and On, Wisconsin.

Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin