Barnard College names Laura Rosenbury, a legal theorist on women and gender, as its new president

Barnard College has named women and gender legal theorist Laura Rosenbury as its ninth college president, officials announced Thursday.

Rosenbury comes to Upper Manhattan Women’s College from the University of Florida, where she is currently dean of the law school.

“It is an honor to be named the next president of Barnard College,” Rosenbury said in a statement, “and I look forward to continuing its legacy as the premier academic institution for the advancement of women.”

Rosenbury succeeds Sian Beilock, who has led Barnard since 2017 but leaves this summer to become Dartmouth College’s first female president. Today’s announcement ends a months-long search process.

“Laura’s appointment is the culmination of a life and career dedicated to empowering women,” said Cheryl Milstein, President of the Board of Directors. “She is a committed leader and scholar whose values ​​and passions align with Barnard’s mission.”

Throughout her academic career, Rosenbury taught and was vice dean at the University of Washington School of Law and has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. She specialized in family law, sexual harassment and abuse, and reproductive rights.

Barnard has been one of the first to adapt reproductive health policies. Last October, the women’s college announced it would train providers to offer abortion medications on campus by this fall.

“Her expertise spans some of the most pressing women’s and gender issues of our time,” added Ann Sacher, co-chair of the search committee, “so we are fortunate to have her at the helm, ensuring students leave our campus prepared to meet up. the moment and leave your mark on the world.

Rosenbury has been Dean of Law at the University of Florida since 2015, during which time he jumped dozens of spots in US News’ law school rankings to 21st among all law schools.

Prior to that, he was a litigator at Davis Polk & Wardwell, and was a clerk at the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.