List of Presidents of Columbia University
Encyclopedia
This is a list of Presidents of Columbia University
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Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
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- Also see Ivy League Presidents.
| President | Birth Year–Death Year | Years as President | Name of Institution; Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson (1696-1772) The Reverend Doctor Samuel Johnson was a clergyman, educator, and philosopher in colonial British North America... |
(1696–1772) | (1754–1763) | King's College |
| 2 | Myles Cooper Myles Cooper Myles Cooper was a figure in colonial New York. An Anglican priest, he served as the President of King's College from 1763 to 1775, and was a public opponent of the American Revolution.... |
(1735–1785) | (1763–1775) | King's College |
| 2.1 | Benjamin Moore Benjamin Moore Benjamin Moore was the second Episcopal bishop of New York.-Early life and family:Moore was born in Newtown, New York, in 1748, the son of Samuel Moore and Sarah Fish Moore and the great-grandson of John Moore, the first Independent minister allowed in New England... , A.B. 1768 |
(1748–1816) | (1775–1784) | King's College; acting |
| 2.2 | George Clinton George Clinton (vice president) George Clinton was an American soldier and politician, considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was the first Governor of New York, and then the fourth Vice President of the United States , serving under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He and John C... |
(1739–1812) | (1784–1787) | Columbia College "in the State of New York"; Chancellor (Regents government) |
| 3 | William Samuel Johnson William Samuel Johnson William Samuel Johnson was an early American statesman who was notable for signing the United States Constitution, for representing Connecticut in the United States Senate, and for serving as president of Columbia University.-Early career:... |
(1727–1819) | (1787–1800) | Columbia College "in the City of New York" (Trustees government) |
| 4 | Charles Henry Wharton Charles Henry Wharton Charles Henry Wharton was a clergyman.The family plantation, Notley Hall, was presented to his grandfather by Lord Baltimore... |
(1748–1833) | (1801–1801) | Columbia College |
| 5 | Benjamin Moore Benjamin Moore Benjamin Moore was the second Episcopal bishop of New York.-Early life and family:Moore was born in Newtown, New York, in 1748, the son of Samuel Moore and Sarah Fish Moore and the great-grandson of John Moore, the first Independent minister allowed in New England... |
(1748–1816) | (1801–1810) | Columbia College |
| 6 | William Harris William Harris (academic) William Harris , an Episcopalian minister, was the sixth president of Columbia College, serving from 1811 to 1829. In a compromise, John Mitchell Mason, a Presbyterian minister who was denied the presidency, became the university's first provost and chief operating officer.William Harris was born... |
(1765–1829) | (1811–1829) | Columbia College; shares authority with Provost John Mitchell Mason until 1816 |
| 7 | William Alexander Duer William Alexander Duer William Alexander Duer was an American lawyer, jurist, and educator from New York City. He was a president of Columbia University, then Columbia College.-Biography:... |
(1780–1858) | (1829–1842) | Columbia College |
| 8 | Nathaniel Fish Moore Nathaniel Fish Moore Nathaniel Fish Moore was the eighth president of Columbia College; he had earlier been a lawyer and served on the faculty. He was the nephew of the college's former president Benjamin Moore.-Notes:... |
(1782–1872) | (1842–1849) | Columbia College |
| 9 | Charles King Charles King (academic) Charles King was an American academic, politician and newspaper editor. He succeeded Nathaniel Fish Moore to become the ninth president of Columbia College , holding the role from 7 November 1849 to 1864... |
(1789–1867) | (1849–1863) | Columbia College; presides over move to Madison Avenue campus |
| 10 | Frederick Augustus Porter Barnard | (1809–1889) | (1864–1889) | Columbia College |
| 11 | Seth Low Seth Low Seth Low , born in Brooklyn, New York, was an American educator and political figure who served as mayor of Brooklyn, as President of Columbia University, as diplomatic representative of the United States, and as Mayor of New York City... , A.B., 1870 |
(1850–1916) | (1890–1901) | Columbia College; presides over move to Morningside Heights campus; name changes to "Columbia University in the City of New York" |
| 12 | Nicholas Murray Butler, A.B. 1882, M.A. 1883, Ph.D. 1884 | (1862–1947) | (1902–1945) | Columbia University |
| 12.1 | Frank D. Fackenthal Frank D. Fackenthal Frank Diehl Fackenthal was an American educator.Fackenthal graduated from Columbia University in 1906. He served Columbia as chief clerk , secretary , and provost . Between the retirement of Nicholas Murray Butler and the installation of General Dwight D. Eisenhower as president , Dr... , A.B. 1906 |
(1883–1968) | (1945–1948) | Columbia University (acting) |
| 13 | Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army... |
(1890–1969) | (1948–1953) | Columbia University; on leave while Supreme Commander of NATO, later 34th President of the United States President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... |
| 14 | Grayson L. Kirk Grayson L. Kirk Grayson Louis Kirk was president of Columbia University during the Columbia University protests of 1968. He was also a Professor of Government, advisor to the State Department, and instrumental in the formation of the United Nations.-Early life:Kirk was born to a farmer and schoolteacher in... |
(1903–1997) | (1953–1968) | Columbia University; resigned after 1968 protests Columbia University protests of 1968 The Columbia University protests of 1968 were among the many student demonstrations that occurred around the world in that year. The Columbia protests erupted over the spring of that year after students discovered links between the university and the institutional apparatus supporting the United... |
| 15 | Andrew W. Cordier Andrew W. Cordier Andrew Wellington Cordier was a United Nations official and President of Columbia University.-Early life:Cordier was born on a farm near Canton, Ohio and attended high school in Hartville, Ohio where he became quarterback of the football team and valedictorian of his graduating class... |
(1901–1975) | (1969–1970) | Columbia University |
| 16 | William J. McGill William J. McGill William James McGill was an American psychologist, author and academic administrator.-Biography:McGill was born in New York City to a musician and labor organizer. He attended parochial Catholic schools and in 1939 began his college education at Fordham University, where he earned bachelor's and... |
(1922–1997) | (1970–1980) | Columbia University |
| 17 | Michael I. Sovern Michael I. Sovern Michael Ira Sovern was the 17th president of Columbia University. He is currently the Chancellor Kent Professor of Law at Columbia Law School. He is a noted legal scholar of Labor Law and an expert in employment discrimination.... , B.A. 1953, J.D. 1955 |
(1931– ) | (1980–1993) | Columbia University |
| 18 | George Erik Rupp George Erik Rupp George Erik Rupp is an American educator and theologian, the former President of Rice University and later of Columbia University, and president of the International Rescue Committee since July 2002.-Biography:... |
(1942– ) | (1993–2002) | Columbia University |
| 19 | Lee C. Bollinger, J.D. 1971 | (1947– ) | (2002– ) | Columbia University |