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List of presidents of the University of Chicago

Heads of the University of Chicago From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The university was incorporated on September 10, 1890, and its trustees elected William Rainey Harper as the first president eight days later. Harper assumed his duties on July 1, 1891, which is the date the university recognizes as its official founding, and classes began on October 1, 1892.[1][2][3]

Appointer
Termlength
  • At the pleasure of the Board
InauguralholderWilliam Rainey Harper
FormationSeptember 18, 1890
(136 years ago) (1890-09-18)
Quick facts President of the University of Chicago, Appointer ...
President of the University of Chicago
Color portrait of Paul Alivisatos wearing round glasses and a dark jacket
since September 1, 2021
Appointer
Term length
  • At the pleasure of the Board
Inaugural holderWilliam Rainey Harper
FormationSeptember 18, 1890
(136 years ago) (1890-09-18)
Websitepresident.uchicago.edu
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The president is the university's chief executive head and serves as a trustee while in office. Under the university's bylaws, the Board of Trustees elects the president at its annual meeting by a majority vote. The president serves at the Board's pleasure and continues in office until a successor is elected; vacancies may be filled by permanent or acting officers for periods determined by the Board. Subject to the Board's supervision and reserved powers, the president appoints academic and nonacademic staff, oversees the university's physical plant and business activities, carries out measures enacted by the Board and faculties, and serves as the official intermediary between the Board and the faculties and students.[4]

The university's original articles of incorporation required the president and two-thirds of the trustees to be members of Baptist churches. The presidential requirement was removed in 1923, and Max Mason, elected two years later, was the first president selected from outside the university's original faculty.[2] The head of the university was titled president until an administrative reorganization in 1945, when Robert Maynard Hutchins became chancellor and Ernest Cadman Colwell became president as the subordinate administrative chief. The chief-executive title remained chancellor after Hutchins's departure. Under Kimpton, the subordinate presidency was discontinued. The Board restored "president" as the chief executive's title in October 1961, early in George W. Beadle's administration.[5][6]

Since Harper assumed office, fourteen individuals have served as the university's permanent chief executive. The university's official numbering excludes acting service. Hutchins held the chief-executive office for more than 21 years, the longest tenure, and Hanna Holborn Gray, who took office in 1978 as the first female president of the university, was among the first women to lead a major research university.[7] The incumbent, Paul Alivisatos, became the university's fourteenth president on September 1, 2021. In 2025, the Board extended his term through June 2030.[8]

Presidents

More information No., Portrait ...
Chief executives of the University of Chicago
No. Portrait Name Office Term start Term end Ref.
1 Black-and-white portrait of William Rainey Harper wearing a suit and round eyeglasses. William Rainey Harper President July 1, 1891 January 10, 1906[a] [9][2]
— Harry Pratt Judson Acting president January 16, 1906 February 20, 1907 [10]
2 Black-and-white portrait of Harry Pratt Judson wearing a dark suit, tie, and round eyeglasses. Harry Pratt Judson President February 20, 1907 February 19, 1923 [10][11]
— Ernest DeWitt Burton Acting president February 20, 1923 July 12, 1923 [11][12]
3 Black-and-white portrait of Ernest DeWitt Burton wearing a suit and pince-nez glasses. Ernest DeWitt Burton President July 12, 1923 May 26, 1925[b] [12][13]
— James Hayden Tufts Acting president May 1925 September 1925 [13][14][15]
4 Black-and-white portrait of Max Mason wearing a dark suit and tie. Max Mason President October 1, 1925 June 15, 1928 [16][17]
— Frederic C. Woodward Acting president June 15, 1928 June 30, 1929 [17][18]
5 Black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of Robert Maynard Hutchins wearing a suit and tie. Robert Maynard Hutchins President (1929–1945);
chancellor (1945–1951)		 July 1, 1929 June 30, 1951[c] [18][19][6]
— Ernest Cadman Colwell Acting chancellor[d] January 1, 1951 April 12, 1951 [19][20][5]
— Lawrence A. Kimpton Acting chancellor April 12, 1951 October 18, 1951 [20][21]
6 Lawrence A. Kimpton Chancellor October 18, 1951 September 7, 1960 [21][22]
— R. Wendell Harrison Acting chancellor September 8, 1960 March 1961 [22][23]
7 Black-and-white photograph of George Beadle wearing a suit and tie at a public meeting. George W. Beadle Chancellor (March–October 1961);
president (October 1961–1968)		 March 1961 November 14, 1968 [23][24][25]
8 Black-and-white photograph of Edward H. Levi wearing a dark suit and tie. Edward H. Levi President November 14, 1968 February 1975[e] [25][26]
— John T. Wilson Acting president February 1975 December 9, 1975 [26]
9 John T. Wilson President December 9, 1975 July 1, 1978 [26][27][28]
10 Photograph of Hanna Holborn Gray wearing a dark jacket and pearl necklace. Hanna Holborn Gray President July 1, 1978 June 30, 1993 [28][29]
11 Hugo F. Sonnenschein President July 1, 1993 June 30, 2000 [29][30]
12 Don Michael Randel President July 1, 2000 June 30, 2006 [30][31]
13 Photograph of Robert Zimmer wearing a dark suit and patterned tie. Robert J. Zimmer President July 1, 2006 August 31, 2021 [31][32]
14 Color portrait of Paul Alivisatos wearing round glasses and a dark jacket. Paul Alivisatos President September 1, 2021 Incumbent [32][8]
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Notes

  1. [a]
    Died in office
  2. [b]
    Died in office
  3. [c]
    Hutchins went on leave on January 1, 1951. Colwell and then Kimpton led the university in acting capacities before Hutchins's resignation took effect on June 30.
  4. [d]
    Colwell held the subordinate presidency beginning in 1945 and simultaneously served as acting chancellor during this interval.
  5. [e]
    Resigned to become United States Attorney General in the Ford administration

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