Brown University President Christina Paxson announced on Monday, August 3, 2026, that she will step down at the end of the academic year, concluding a 15-year tenure that began in 2012. Paxson cited that stepping down is the “right decision” for her and her family and the “best path” forward for the Ivy League institution.

During her presidency, Paxson led the university through significant challenges, including negotiations with the Trump administration over the past 18 months. In April 2025, the administration halted over $500 million in federal research funding to Brown and initiated multiple investigations into the university’s compliance with antidiscrimination laws. These probes focused on Brown’s handling of campus protests related to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, admissions policies, and transgender student policies.

As part of a settlement, Brown agreed to pay $50 million over ten years to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island, maintain separate men’s and women’s sports facilities based on sex assigned at birth, and prohibit programs aimed at achieving race-based outcomes deemed unlawful.

In a letter to the Brown community, Paxson reflected on her tenure, stating, “Fifteen years is a significant tenure for any president, and in that time, this amazing community of faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and friends showed up in so many ways to achieve the bold aspirations in the strategic plan we developed together near the beginning of my presidency.”

Brown Chancellor Brian Moynihan, who is also CEO of Bank of America, praised Paxson as an “amazingly steadfast and stalwart leader” and announced that the Brown Corporation will conduct a national search for her successor.

Upon her departure in June 2027, Paxson will relinquish her title as the longest-tenured Ivy League president, a mantle expected to be assumed by Christopher Eisgruber, president of Princeton University since 2013.

Despite the challenges, Paxson noted that Brown continues to receive major grants for pioneering research that promises significant innovation for the country, even as the “federal landscape remains volatile for all colleges and universities.”