Northwestern University names interim president amid leadership transition

Henry S. Bienen will serve as the university’s interim president, effective Sept. 16, following Schill’s announcement on Sept. 4. Bienen previously served as Northwestern’s 15th president from January 1995 to August 2009.

I am honored to be asked to serve Northwestern again, and I look forward to helping the University I love so dearly navigate what is a critical and difficult time for research universities,” Bienen said. “I care a great deal about the Northwestern community, which has been a major part of my life for more than 30 years.

“Our institution is resilient and embodies the very best of higher education and its endless promise to transform lives. As we start a new academic year, I am excited to build on the momentum created by Northwestern’s incredible faculty, students, staff and alumni.”

On Thursday, Sept. 4, Schill, the university’s 17th president, announced his plans to step down as the prestigious college institution deals with an ongoing federal funding freeze by the Trump administration and heated criticism from House Republicans over the university’s response to campus protests in 2024. 

In a statement announcing his resignation, Schill said it was the right time for new leadership, while also acknowledging pressures from the White House. Schill said he would take a sabbatical after the Board of Trustees named an interim president, but planned to return to the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law to teach.

Northwestern’s Board of Trustees stated that updates about the university’s next president would be provided when details become available.