Stanford has elevated its business school dean Jonathan Levin to lead the university as its new president, replacing an interim leader who took over after former president Marc Tessier-Lavigne resigned under a cloud amid academic misconduct claims.
Stanford board of trustees chair Jerry Yang said Levin, 51, was the unanimous choice for president of the search committee and trustees, the university said in a news release Thursday. Levin takes charge Aug. 1.
“Jon brings a rare combination of qualities: a deep understanding and love of Stanford, an impressive track record of academic and leadership success, the analytical prowess to tackle complex strategic issues, and a collaborative and optimistic working style,” Yang said in the news release. “He is consistently described by those who know him as principled, humble, authentic, thoughtful, and inspiring.”
Levin, an economist, had taken over the deanship of the Stanford Graduate School of Business eight years ago after the previous dean, Garth Saloner, resigned during a scandal over his relationship with a professor at the school who was married to another professor.
Levin becomes Stanford’s 13th president, succeeding Richard Saller, who took over when Tessier-Lavigne left the post in September 2023.
“I am grateful and humbled to be asked to lead Stanford – a university that has meant so much to me for more than three decades,” Levin said in a news release. “When I was an undergraduate, Stanford opened my mind, nurtured my love for math and literature, and inspired me to pursue an academic career. In the years since, it has given me opportunities to pursue ideas in collaboration with brilliant colleagues, teach exceptional students, and bring people together to achieve ambitious collective goals around the university.”
Check back on this developing story.