Hopkins New Leadership
Dear colleagues,
We congratulate Provost Ray Jayawardhana on his new role as president of the California Institute of Technology, and thank Dr. Lainie Rutkow for stepping in to serve as interim provost. We have worked closely with Provost Rutkow on many issues of importance to our community and appreciate our open conversations and her diligence and dedication. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to serve our community and protect the university and its mission.
Provost Jayawardhana's departure triggers a university process to select and name a new provost. As chief academic officer, the provost is central to academic policy and to upholding Hopkins' mission. In these challenging times, we need a leader committed to academic freedom, free inquiry, the university's mission and independence, and resisting political and financial pressures.
Now more than ever, the search process must involve meaningful faculty engagement and represent the diverse constituencies, units, schools, and divisions of the Hopkins community.
The Hopkins Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (Hopkins AAUP) will take the following steps in the coming weeks to ensure a transparent and effective recruitment process for Hopkins' new chief academic officer:
We will work with the university administration to ensure a transparent process with meaningful community engagement. This includes effective representation of faculty and staff on the search committee, as well as holding town halls, conducting surveys, and providing other opportunities for faculty and staff to voice their opinions.
We will collaborate with experts from the National AAUP, other universities, and national/international higher education specialists, along with Hopkins experts and political allies (Maryland Senators and Representatives), to create a Principles and Priorities Statement. We believe this statement will help the search process and inform candidates about community priorities.
We believe that well-informed faculty and staff are necessary for an effective university. Therefore, we will hold a series of events titled The Informed Shared Governance Series. The first event, Understanding the University Structure and Finances, will be held on Tuesday, February 24th. More information will follow.
We will hold one or more town halls and events and conduct broad polling and discussions to gather diverse views and inform broader faculty discussion on the topic.
At this crucial time for Hopkins, higher education, and the country, we need a leader who can fight for our independence, identity, diversity, and mission. We anticipate working with the administration, faculty, and staff to ensure an effective and productive search.
Click here to learn about the many ways you can get involved.
In solidarity,
Hopkins AAUP leadership team
[Email sent on Mon, Feb 2, 2026]
