A New Approach to Academic Leadership Review at Columbia

Columbia University has completed the inaugural year of a newly structured decanal review process designed to strengthen the University’s approach to assessing academic leadership and supporting long-term institutional excellence. The first cycle included reviews of Deans Troy Eggers, Amy Hungerford, and Keren Yarhi-Milo, all of whom will be reappointed for additional terms and continue to lead their respective schools. Additional information regarding their reappointments will be shared with those communities directly.

At the start of the 2025–26 academic year, Acting President Claire Shipman asked Provost Angela V. Olinto to pilot an academic leadership review process to complement Columbia’s existing framework for evaluating schools and academic programs. While the University has long employed a variety of mechanisms to assess institutional performance, including the Academic Review Committee (ARC) process and various accreditation processes, the focused decanal review process introduces a more structured and consistent review of academic leadership, aligning Columbia with practices adopted by many of its peer institutions.

“Regular review is a hallmark of strong academic institutions,” said Olinto. “The same principles that guide excellence in research and teaching, careful evaluation, thoughtful feedback, and a commitment to continuous improvement, should also guide how we assess our academic leadership. This process helps ensure that our schools remain vibrant, forward-looking, and responsive to the evolving needs of our students, faculty, staff, and society. We ourselves plan to learn from this year’s reviews and will continue to refine the process for the future.”

Reviews typically occur at the end of a dean’s fourth year or beginning of their fifth and take approximately a semester to complete. These confidential reviews are led by a small advisory committee of faculty from the school or unit, together with a faculty member from another Columbia school or unit. The committee reviews a self-study prepared by the dean, gathers input from the community through written feedback and individual conversations, and meets with a range of stakeholders, including faculty leaders, students, senior staff, collaborators across Columbia, and administrative colleagues. The process culminates in a report from the committee to the president and provost that synthesizes feedback for the dean. The reviews do not make a recommendation regarding reappointment but can provide important input for the reappointment process. 

“I want to thank Deans Eggers, Hungerford, and Yarhi-Milo for their thoughtful engagement in this process and for their continued leadership,” said Shipman. “Universities are strongest when they embrace a culture of reflection, accountability, and continuous improvement. This process provides an opportunity not only to recognize strong leadership, but also to ensure that we are planning intentionally for the future and supporting our academic communities in the most effective way possible.”

At Columbia, decanal reviews complement ARC reviews as part of a continuum of academic evaluation. Typically conducted after an ARC review, they build on that assessment to examine leadership in the context of a school’s current position and future trajectory. ARC reviews draw on internal and external experts to assess the school’s program, its position in the broader landscape, and opportunities and challenges. Decanal reviews focus on leadership effectiveness and institutional stewardship. They consider the dean’s role in shaping progress to date, leadership needed for the next phase, and the feedback and support necessary to help a dean succeed. These processes should be mutually reinforcing and complement the conversations academic leaders are having regularly at the school, University, and societal level to ensure that our ambitions are clear and our communities are empowered to achieve them.

As Columbia completes the first year of piloting this review program, the process will become a regular component of the University’s broader framework for academic assessment and institutional planning. Together with existing review mechanisms, it reflects Columbia’s commitment to maintaining strong academic leadership, fostering institutional excellence, and ensuring that its schools are positioned to thrive in a rapidly changing world.