The University announced Bienen’s appointment as interim president of NU on Sept. 9 in the wake of former president Michael Schill’s resignation. Getting involved in Chicago communitiesAlthough his extended family doesn’t live in Chicago, Bienen and his wife stayed in the city after his resignation. At the time of his resignation, Bienen was already serving on several boards. In 2011, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked Bienen to join the Chicago Public School’s Board of Education. He has also previously served on the Advisory Board for the Qatar Foundation, which, in partnership with NU, started NU-Q during Bienen’s presidency.