Jennifer L. Mnookin will leave her position as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison to become the president of Columbia University in New York City at the conclusion of the academic year. Mnookin has held the chancellorship since August 4, 2022, and her tenure has been marked by significant achievements in student support, institutional fundraising, and academic performance.
In her time at UW–Madison, Mnookin implemented several initiatives aimed at improving educational accessibility. Notably, she launched the Bucky’s Pell Pathway, which guarantees full financial support for Pell Grant-eligible in-state students, covering tuition, fees, housing, meals, and educational supplies. Since the program’s inception, more than 7,800 students have benefited from this initiative. Additionally, the Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise was established to provide scholarships and grants for undergraduates from federally recognized Wisconsin American Indian tribes.
Mnookin’s leadership has also led to notable improvements in student success metrics. The average time to degree for undergraduates dropped to 3.78 years, while the six-year graduation rate reached 89.5 percent, both representing historic highs for the institution. In May 2025, UW–Madison awarded a record 13,733 degrees, and the percentage of undergraduates graduating debt-free reached 66 percent.
Strategic Initiatives and Research Advancements
Recognizing the university’s research capabilities, Mnookin initiated the Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative in early 2024. This program focuses on three critical areas: artificial intelligence, environmental sustainability, and human health. The goal is to recruit 250 new faculty members, with half expected to be hired by the end of 2025. In December 2025, UW–Madison was ranked among the top five universities in the United States for annual research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey.
Under Mnookin’s guidance, the university also launched an ambitious sustainability initiative, achieving gold status in the STARS ranking for the first time. This initiative has led to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and has facilitated the establishment of the Sustainability Research Hub, which has secured over $20.4 million in new funding for research.
In response to the increasing focus on entrepreneurship, Mnookin established the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub in July 2025, aiming to consolidate the university’s various entrepreneurial efforts and support innovation among students.
Legacy and Future Directions
Throughout her tenure, Mnookin has also prioritized civil discourse on campus. In 2025, she founded the Wisconsin Exchange, aimed at fostering respectful dialogue among students, faculty, and staff. This initiative includes various programs, such as Deliberation Dinners and national speaker events, encouraging constructive discussions on diverse viewpoints.
Despite facing political challenges, including negotiations for funding and adjustments in campus policies following significant national events, Mnookin has maintained a focus on academic freedom and student support. Her ability to raise private donations has also been remarkable; during her time at UW–Madison, she helped secure $1.6 billion in contributions from over 127,000 donors.
As Mnookin prepares for her transition to Columbia University, she expressed her gratitude for her time at UW–Madison. “My time at UW–Madison has been life-changing,” she stated, highlighting the contributions of the faculty, students, and staff in achieving the university’s goals.
With her departure, Jay Rothman, president of the Universities of Wisconsin, announced that an interim leader will be appointed soon, and a search for a permanent successor will begin later this year. Rothman emphasized the importance of ensuring a smooth transition as the university looks to uphold the momentum gained during Mnookin’s leadership.
