Maurie D. McInnis, the current president of Stony Brook University, will take over as the new president of Yale University on July 1, 2024. With a background in cultural history and a track record of academic leadership, McInnis aims to navigate the challenges facing higher education institutions in the current climate, including ensuring diversity and addressing campus protests.
Yale University has appointed Maurie D. McInnis, the current president of Stony Brook University in New York, as its new president. McInnis will succeed Peter Salovey, who retires after over a decade in the role, starting July 1, 2024. McInnis holds both master’s and doctoral degrees from Yale, earned in the 1990s, and will be the university’s first permanent female president.
During her tenure at Stony Brook, McInnis significantly raised the university’s profile, securing a $500 million donation and leading initiatives such as the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island. Her response to student protests by calling in police earlier this year drew faculty criticism.
McInnis, 58, is a cultural historian specializing in 19th-century American South art and politics, with significant academic contributions on the intersection of arts and slavery. She formerly held leadership positions at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas.
Her appointment comes at a challenging time for universities due to issues such as the Supreme Court’s ban on race-conscious admissions and ongoing campus protests over geopolitical conflicts. Despite these challenges, McInnis expressed commitment to maintaining diversity at Yale.