USC Appoints Beong-Soo Kim President After Service

Appointed interim president in June 2025,  former General Counsel Beong-Soo Kim was appointed to the post permanently this month. The Trustees conducted a competitive search before elevating Kim, noting that,  “Kim's career spans multiple sectors, including higher education, health care, legal practice and public service. Before becoming general counsel at USC, he served in senior roles at Kaiser Permanente, worked as a partner in an international law firm and served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.”

Much attention has been focused lately on whether at this point in time in higher education, lawyers are particularly well-suited to the role as campus President.  The announcement suggests this might be the case at USC as one commentator noted, “The appointment comes after USC navigated a turbulent period that included the departure of former President Carol Folt and challenges related to campus protests and administrative controversies.”

Jennifer Mnookin Named President of Columbia University

University of Wisconsin Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin has been named the next President of Columbia University.

Mnookin had a successful 8-year tenure at UCLA prior to joining UW as the 30^th chancellor.

Prior to joining UCLA she taught at the University of Virginia School of Law and at Harvard Law School.

She received her J.D. from Yale Law School, and a Ph.D. in History and Social Study of Science and Technology from M.I.T.

Seasoned President Kent Syverud Appointed 16th President of the University of Michigan

Kent Syverud, a former law school dean and chancellor and president of Syracuse University, returns to the University of Michigan where he has been named the 16th president on January 12, 2026.   He begins his 5-year term on July 1, 1026.

Prior to his most recent presidency at Syracuse University, Kent Syverud was dean at the School of Law at Washington University in St. Louis and the Ethan A.H. Shepley Distinguished University Professor. Before Washington University, Syverud was dean at Vanderbilt University Law School.  He also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Michigan.

President Syverud earned his JD from Michigan Law.  He also holds a master’s in economics from the University of Michigan. 

After graduating from law school, Syverud served as a clerk for United States District Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  He went into academia where he taught complex litigation, insurance law, and civil procedure at Vanderbilt University and at the University of Michigan.