Brown University President Christina Paxson announced she will step down at the end of the 2026–27 academic year, ending a 15-year presidency that began in 2012. The Corporation of Brown University’s chancellor, Brian Moynihan, said the board agreed it was the right time for a new leader to oversee a multi-year strategic planning process. Moynihan said Brown will involve the campus community in a nationwide search for Paxson’s successor, who would become the university’s 20th president. Paxson’s tenure included major moments ranging from pandemic-era leadership to campus protests tied to the Israel-Hamas war and reported disruptions involving federal funding. The announcement also arrives as student support appeared to shift over time in response to affordability decisions and political controversies, including an encampment urging divestment. Paxson also had a contract extension expected to run until June 2028.