Rakesh Khurana announced Thursday that he is stepping down next June, making the 2024-25 academic year his last as dean of Harvard College. In a letter addressed to the University community, Khurana revealed that he had initially intended to depart this summer, but changed his plans. From 2010 to 2020, he also served as faculty dean of Cabot House. In the decade since becoming dean, Khurana helped steer the institution through periods of significant turbulence, including the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s upheavals in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war. In his letter, Khurana praised the College, “this vibrant, dynamic, and diverse community,” as “truly the heart” of the University.