The Queen Who Never Was : House Of Dragon

 

The current president of Stony Brook University, McInnis '96 Ph.D., will be Yale's 24th president.

Yale University has appointed Maurie McInnis ’96 Ph.D. to serve as its 24th president. McInnis, now president of Stony Brook University, was the unanimous choice of the Yale Board of Trustees, Josh Bekenstein ’80, senior trustee and chair of the presidential search committee, said Wednesday in a message to the Yale community. “A compelling leader, distinguished scholar, and devoted educator, she brings to the role a deep understanding of higher education and an unwavering commitment to our mission and academic priorities,” Bekenstein wrote on behalf of the full board. “Her experience and accomplishments over the past three decades have prepared her to lead Yale in the years ahead.”

 McInnis, a cultural historian, succeeds Peter Salovey, who is returning to the faculty fulltime after 11 years as president. She starts July 1. The search for Yale’s 24th leader was “robust” and designed “to cast a wide net and to gain different perspectives on the ideal qualities and qualifications of the next president,” Bekenstein said. The search committee received input from thousands of Yale students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the New Haven community through listening sessions, individual meetings, webform entries, and a student survey. It also consulted with leaders in and beyond higher education.

Bekenstein stated in the mail that "the committee's subsequent deliberations drew from all your comments and suggestions."The committee expressed great enthusiasm for McInnis, who enrolled at Yale as a graduate student in the Department of the History of Art in 1989. McInnis "cared deeply about the best of Yale's traditions" and provided fresh viewpoints from across the nation.

According to Bekenstein, McInnis has held leadership, teaching, and research posts during his three decades in higher education. He has also held a number of prominent positions at three "iconic universities" for almost two decades. She was the provost of the University of Texas in Austin before shaping undergraduate academic programs as an associate dean and vice provost at the University of Virginia. In addition, Bekenstein said that she is in charge of Long Island's "premier medical center," which serves the entire region, in her capacity as president of Stony Brook, as well as the academics, research, and operations of the state's flagship university.

Along with his duties at Stony Brook, McInnis is also part of the management team for Brookhaven National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy institution that specializes in data, quantum information sciences, and particle physics and nuclear energy. In addition, she oversaw the creation of a worldwide center for climate change solutions in New York City during her tenure as the first chair of the board of the New York Climate Exchange.

 Bekenstein said, "She has contributed to the creation of a vibrant center that will improve the environment in New York City and provide solutions to the climate crisis that cities around the world can adopt by working with universities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community leaders."Bekenstein pointed out that McInnis has made a substantial academic contribution to her field as well. She has won awards and other recognition for her work co-curating exhibitions and contributing research to archival projects. She has also authored and edited a number of books and articles about the politics of art and slavery in the American South during the 19th century.

Bekenstein stated that since graduating from Yale, the woman has upheld the university's goal by demonstrating an unwavering dedication to education and research for the benefit of society.Bekenstein stated that McInnis has demonstrated her commitment to Yale by becoming a trustee in 2022 and "volunteering her time and energy for our university's future."

He stated, "She understands what our community has accomplished in realizing the university's academic priorities from her service on the board." "She is dedicated to extending the momentum created by President Peter Salovey's leadership and coming up with fresh ideas to further the university's mission of outstanding teaching and research that benefits people all around the world. She has experience across the nation and at Yale, where she learned the value of fostering an atmosphere that fosters spirited discussion as well as a strong sense of inclusivity and belonging.

 "Maurie and I have worked together for many years. As fellow trustees on the Yale Corporation and as presidents of Association of American Universities members, we have collaborated on projects together. Her track record as a scholar, leader, and educator demonstrates a strong conviction in the ability of education to enhance people's lives and fortify communities.

She has defended faculty members and students in all of her leadership roles, creating new opportunities for scholarship, research, and instruction. She embodies Yale's purpose to make the world a better place for present and future generations. I'm excited to help Maurie in a position that means a lot to me.McInnis, together with her spouse Dean Johnson, who has retired from his business job, and their two kids, are returning to Yale and New Haven.

 McInnis wrote in her own letter on Wednesday that she was welcomed into a community that valued brilliance, influence, connection, and curiosity when she arrived at Yale 35 years ago as a graduate student. Faculty, students, staff, and alumni all promoted inquiry, linkages between individuals and academic subjects, and pushed each other to be the best in our fields while also using our skills to make the world a better place. I am thrilled and eager to share these attributes because they have molded my life and career as an educator and art historian who has assumed leadership responsibilities at institutions.After taking over as president of Yale, McInnis stated in her letter that her main goal is "to reconnect with those I know and to meet so many more of you." This university is what it is because of you. The community that attracted me to Yale was established by our forebears and has been maintained and enhanced by each of us."She has led and implemented keystone STEM-based research and educational initiatives both as president of Stony Book and as provost of the University of Texas at Austin," he said. "Yale is at a historic turning point in the science strategic initiatives' implementation, and President-elect McInnis's experiences and interests will help us continue to prioritize these areas and ensure their successful implementations."

The president-elect was hailed by Goldsby, the Thomas E. Donnelly Professor of African American Studies and English and Professor of American Studies in FAS, as a role model for both teachers and students.

"President-elect McInnis's approach to her role as a practicing humanist in all dimensions excites me," the woman stated. Her award-winning books on antebellum visual culture are an excellent example of the kind of sharp, thorough scholarship that Yale faculty members do and that we want our students to read. Additionally, she has opened up access to her work for a wide audience by participating in digital projects and exhibitions.

Yale stands to gain from the depth of her leadership expertise at large colleges as well as from her dedication as a researcher and educator. She possesses a remarkable capacity to strike a balance between supporting humanistic research and encouraging scientific innovation on a grand scale.Gonzalez, who is also in charge of Yale's Davenport College, stated, "She understands the power of education and is committed to continuing Yale's progress in expanding access and affordability for students." "She will undoubtedly provide kids with fresh opportunities to develop and prepare them to succeed and leave a lasting impression on the world. The way that President-elect McInnis launched and developed groundbreaking scientific projects like the New York Climate Exchange also struck me.

 "Based on her past achievements, I have no doubt that she will collaborate with Yale's academic staff, students, and alumni to realize our ambitious plans for the School of Engineering & Applied Science as well as our other strategic initiatives in the humanities, arts, and sciences."

In addition to praising McInnis as "an excellent president of SUNY's Stony Brook University," John King, chancellor of the State University of New York system, which includes Stony Brook, noted that she had secured a $500 million unrestricted endowment gift, hired "world-class faculty to accelerate Stony Brook's research leadership," and spearheaded Stony Brook's "successful application — as the lead institution of the New York Climate Exchange — to develop a $700 million climate resilience campus on Governors Island."

 "Maurie is a fantastic choice to lead Yale University because of her dedication to promoting academic excellence, guaranteeing diversity and inclusion, and assisting exceptional faculty in doing their best teaching and research," the speaker went on. Being a Yale alum, I am especially enthusiastic about the future implications for the school of Maurie's dedication to assisting Pell-eligible students and promoting social mobility.

"We look forward to Maurie's leadership of this institution, to working alongside you in supporting her, and to all that we will accomplish together in the years ahead," Bekenstein wrote in his address to the Yale community.