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Introducing Barnard College’s Ninth President

President-elect

Laura Rosenbury

On March 9, 2023, Barnard College introduced its ninth president, Laura Rosenbury. 

Learn more about Laura Rosenbury, President-elect
Introducing Laura Rosenbury, President-elect
President Laura A. Rosenbury 2023

Barnard College Names Distinguished Scholar Laura Rosenbury as its Ninth President

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Laura Rosenbury, 53, a distinguished scholar and currently the first woman dean at the University of Florida’s (UF) Levin College of Law, was enthusiastically elected by the Barnard College Board of Trustees to become the College’s ninth president in its 134-year history. Rosenbury will assume the new role on July 1, 2023.

Rosenbury — a leading women and gender legal theorist with expertise that spans reproductive rights, children’s rights, and sexual harassment and abuse — will succeed Sian Leah Beilock, who led Barnard from 2017 and is stepping down to become Dartmouth College’s first woman president. 

“It is an honor to be able to pass the baton to Laura Rosenbury, who has been a champion for women’s legal rights throughout her career as an attorney and as an academic,” said President Beilock. “I am thrilled to welcome her into this amazing community of students, faculty, alums, and staff and am confident that the College will continue to soar under her leadership.”

In addition to being the first woman at UF Law to hold the permanent position as dean, Rosenbury also served as Levin, Mabie & Levin Professor of Law, teaching feminist legal theory, employment discrimination, children and law, and family law. 

“We believe we found the most outstanding candidate to become the ninth President of Barnard College. Laura’s appointment is a culmination of a life and career dedicated to empowering women,” said Cheryl Glicker Milstein ’82, P’14, chair of Barnard’s Board of Trustees. “She is a committed leader and scholar whose values and passions align with Barnard’s mission. Our students will have the incredible privilege of being led and inspired by her.”

Search Committee co-chairs Ina Drew P’13 and Ann Sacher ’84 said Rosenbury’s appointment resulted from a comprehensive, community-wide process that launched last summer with a series of listening sessions to gain input from Barnard students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and parents. A 16-member Search Committee then began the rigorous search, which also considered hundreds of anonymous submissions to a community-wide survey, with the support of the leading global executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. 

“I could not be prouder of the process that led to Laura’s selection as our next president,” said Drew, who is also vice chair of the Board of Trustees. “It was not just her incredible biography and remarkable scholarship that led to the enthusiastic decision but also her character and belief in the mission of our liberal arts college. Her devotion to an arts and science education, thoughtful and strategic approach to leadership, and striking emotional intelligence demonstrated that Barnard and Laura Rosenbury are a perfect match.”

Sacher added, “We are a premier liberal arts and women’s college, and throughout Laura’s career she has consistently been at the forefront of championing both women’s interests and higher education. Her expertise spans some of the most pressing women’s and gender issues of our time, so we’re fortunate to have her at the helm ensuring students leave our campus prepared to meet the moment.”

“It’s an honor to be named Barnard College’s next president, and I look forward to carrying forth its legacy as the leading academic institution for the advancement of women,” Rosenbury said. “It was immediately clear how committed and close-knit the Barnard community is, and I’m deeply grateful to the Board of Trustees and Search Committee for entrusting me to continue its undeniable trajectory as a global frontrunner in preparing women to make their mark on the world.” 

Read the full article here.

A Letter to the Barnard Community

In a letter to the community, Cheryl Glicker Milstein ’82, P’14, Chair of the Barnard Board of Trustees, introduces Laura Rosenbury as the ninth president of Barnard College.

Read Here

Welcome, President-elect Rosenbury

Cheryl Glicker Milstein ’82, P’14, Chair, Barnard Board of Trustees

“We believe we found the most outstanding candidate to become the ninth President of Barnard College. Laura’s appointment is a culmination of a life and career dedicated to empowering women. She is a committed leader and scholar whose values and passions align with Barnard’s mission.”

Kent Fuchs, President Emeritus, University of Florida

“I have watched Laura Rosenbury take the Levin College of Law to remarkable heights, elevating its stature to among the top law schools in the country. She is student focused and truly a gifted leader who exceeds her stated goals in breathtaking fashion. I commend Barnard College for selecting Laura Rosenbury as its next president, and I eagerly look forward to seeing the great things she will accomplish there.”
 

Kent Syverud, Chancellor and President of Syracuse University

“Laura Rosenbury has been the most successful law dean of the decade in elevating both the academics and the student experience. She cares deeply about her students and her faculty and about enhancing the intellectual life and the education of all. I believe she will be a wildly successful president at Barnard.”
 

Sian Leah Beilock, President, Barnard College

“It is an honor to be able to pass the baton to Laura Rosenbury, who has been a champion for women’s legal rights throughout her career as an attorney and as an academic. I am thrilled to welcome her into this amazing community of students, faculty, alums, and staff and am confident that the College will continue to soar under her leadership.”

Joe Glover, Provost, University of Florida

“Dean Rosenbury has been intentional about strengthening equity outcomes and successfully cultivated a welcoming environment where all students, regardless of their background, can experience a deep sense of belonging and freely express their views. It’s impressive what UF Law has been able to accomplish to continue making its community more diverse and inclusive under her leadership.”

Linda A. Bell, Provost, Barnard

“I am excited to welcome Laura Rosenbury to Barnard as our next president, and I look forward to working with her in continuing to advance Barnard’s mission of academic excellence and our institutional leadership in educating women to lead.”

Ben Sasse, President, University of Florida

“Dean Rosenbury’s strategic focus and determined leadership elevated UF’s law school. I’m confident that President Rosenbury will do the same at Barnard College. We’ve got big shoes to fill in the upcoming dean search, but we’re proud of our friend and colleague.”
 

 

Barnard faculty, Peter Balsam, Christopher Baswell, Yvette Christiansë, Lisa Tiersten

“On behalf of the faculty who were on the presidential search committee, I would like to express our unreserved enthusiasm about our next president. In Laura, we have a feminist legal scholar whose research and perspective on scholarship and pedagogy are in complete alignment with the mission of Barnard. Along with my faculty colleagues, I look forward to working with the president-elect over the coming months as we listen and learn together.”

Lee C. Bollinger, President, Columbia University

“I am delighted to congratulate Laura Rosenbury on her appointment as president of Barnard. She is an experienced and successful university administrator and a wise and established legal scholar who has published extensively on issues of employment discrimination, children’s rights, and feminist jurisprudence, and I am confident she will be an excellent leader for Barnard. I wish President-Elect Rosenbury all the very best in this exciting new chapter.”
 

Martha Minow, 300th Anniversary University Professor, Harvard University

“Laura Rosenbury brings vibrancy, vision, clarity, and humanity to every interaction. That helps explain her spectacular achievements as a leader and her talents as a mentor. Her wisdom and contagious joy are true treasures!”

Marcia Sells, Trustee, Barnard College

“Laura Rosenbury’s legal scholarship shows a brilliant mind who has spent a lifetime devoted to women and their navigating the world through work and life. One that will help Barnard students continue to think about how women gain power, authority, and capture our own history.” 

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