Columbia University selected Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, as its next president, the school announced Monday. Mnookin will remain at UW–Madison through spring commencement and succeeds acting president Claire Shipman after a period of leadership turnover at Columbia that included federal research funding disputes and a high‑profile settlement with the federal government. Mnookin is credited with expanding UW–Madison research spending to nearly $1.93 billion and launching scholarship programs for Pell‑eligible and American Indian undergraduates while navigating contentious state politics over diversity initiatives. The Wall Street Journal reported Columbia chose her for experience managing polarized campus politics and federal interactions. Her appointment matters for research funding, federal compliance and campus governance: Columbia has faced federal grant cuts and protests in recent years, and the new president will be responsible for rebuilding institutional relationships with funding agencies and trustees. Observers will watch Mnookin’s first months for signals on admissions, academic freedom, and federal compliance.