Laura Rosenbury has been chosen to serve as the ninth president in the 134-year history of Barnard College in New York City. She will take office on July 1.
Barnard is a highly selective liberal arts college for women that is affiliated with Columbia University. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education, the college enrolls just over 3,000 students.
Rosenbury – a leading women and gender legal theorist with expertise that spans reproductive rights, children’s rights, and sexual harassment and abuse – currently serves as the first woman dean at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. From 2002 to 2015, Professor Rosenbury served on the faculty at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
“It’s an honor to be named Barnard College’s next president, and I look forward to carrying forth its legacy as the leading academic institution for the advancement of women,” Rosenbury said. “It was immediately clear how committed and close-knit the Barnard community is, and I’m deeply grateful to the board of trustees and search committee for entrusting me to continue its undeniable trajectory as a global frontrunner in preparing women to make their mark on the world.”
Professor Rosenbury is a graduate of Harvard University, where she majored in women’s studies. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was primary editor of the Harvard Law Review.