Yale Incoming President’s Tenure Ends in Division at Stony Brook University

In a tenure marked by successful outward-facing initiatives but ending in campus division and discontent, Maurie McInnis is set to depart from Stony Brook University where she served as president since March 2020. The announcement of McInnis as Yale University‘s new president comes after a nine-month presidential search process.

McInnis, with a background in history of art from Yale and administrative roles at prestigious institutions like the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin, oversaw transformative growth at Stony Brook. Notable achievements include successfully guiding the university through the COVID-19 pandemic, obtaining flagship SUNY status, and securing a historic $500 million gift from the Simons Foundation in 2023.

However, her tenure was not without controversy. Recent clashes with faculty over free speech policies in the wake of campus activism, particularly relating to pro-Palestine protests, led to a faculty revolt. McInnis faced criticism over her handling of the arrests of protestors, leading to a motion to censure and allegations of aggressive policing and lack of transparency.

Richard Larson, the president of the University Senate, expressed both sadness and disappointment at McInnis’s departure, citing missed opportunities for creative solutions to challenges. Faculty members like Eric Zolov highlighted the impact of McInnis’s successes while also criticizing her decision to jump to Yale after declarations of commitment to public education.

The departure has left the Stony Brook campus culture in disarray, with faculty members expressing a mix of surprise and disappointment. Madeline Turan, chair of the University Senate’s Administrative Review Committee, commended McInnis as competent and open to different perspectives.

Perceived mishandling of student arrests stirred further campus dissent, resulting in a narrow vote against a censure motion. Debate centered on drop charges for arrested faculty and students, culminating in demands for an investigation into the university’s Enterprise Risk Management program led by Chief Security Officer Lawrence Zacarese.

The fallout from McInnis’s handling of campus protests and arrests has illuminated fractures in campus relations leading to her impending departure. Stony Brook University is gearing up for a new presidential search and an interim president appointment.