Northwestern University’s president, who led the school during a period of extraordinary growth but faced withering criticism from student activists and some faculty, plans to step down from his post, the university announced.
Morton Schapiro, who has overseen the university since 2009, will leave when his third contract expires in August 2022. The search for his successor will begin soon. Schapiro, formerly the president of WIlliams College, has no immediate plans after his departure from Northwestern.
During Schapiro’s tenure, Northwestern catapulted to among the top ten highest ranked universities in the country, with its applications nearly doubling and its acceptance rate dropping to 7%. At the same time, the university more than doubled its endowment to $12.2 billion, embarked on a building spree and grew funding for sponsored research by 86%.
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