UW-Madison Chancellor says her role prepared her for Columbia University job

On Sunday, the University of Wisconsin-Madison community learned that Columbia University selected Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin as its next president. Email“I well understand the significant uncertainties and heightened scrutiny many universities are now facing,” Mnookin wrote to members of the Columbia University community. UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin speaks during a Lunch with the Chancellor event held in Union South’s Varsity Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Oct. 9, 2025. At UW-Madison, Mnookin faced similar challenges, with student encampments, demands from the state Legislature to end DEI programs, and a loss of 145 federal awards. But Mnookin is likely to make more than three times that salary at Columbia University, plus perks, Wilde says.