Yale’s Outgoing FAS Dean Says She Is Interested in Harvard Presidency

Tamar S. Gendler, Yale University’s outgoing Faculty of Arts and Sciences dean, expressed interest in becoming the next president of Harvard, a sign that she may be a serious contender for the role when the University’s next search launches in 2026.

Gendler’s comments were made during an October interview with the school’s student newspaper, the Yale Daily News, that was only published on Wednesday.

Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 will serve in his current role through the 2026-27 academic year. The Harvard Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, is expected to begin the search for Garber’s successor in spring 2026, one year before Garber will leave office.

Gendler, who will step down as FAS dean at the end of the month, said she was interested in presidential appointments at several Ivy League universities without permanent presidents, listing Harvard alongside Cornell University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Though Harvard technically has a permanent leader in Garber, his three-year term limit will end in June 2027.

Gendler also revealed that she was a finalist for Yale’s presidential search, which ended with Maurie McInnis’ selection in May.

Gendler, however, said she thought that a perceived lack of media training left her at a disadvantage during the process. Gendler also speculated that Yale’s trustees might have also been considering the impact that a second Trump administration could have on the university when they selected McInnis.

“If you’re trying to do a bet-hedging, risk-averse response to a possible hostile administration, you might not want somebody who is particularly public in the world, who’s particularly outgoing,” Gendler told the Daily News.

“I would say I have lots of things in my background that make me, in an abstract sense, the ideal leader,” Gendler added.

Gendler declined to comment for this article. She will go on sabbatical in Palo Alto, California after her term ends.

Gendler’s public declaration of interest in an Ivy League presidency is exceptionally rare, especially from an experienced administrator like Gendler who has already been considered for senior positions.

However, Gendler’s background does make her a likely candidate for the Harvard presidency, having served as Yale’s inaugural FAS dean since 2014 and boasting a degree from Harvard.

She previously served as Yale deputy provost for humanities and initiatives as well as chair of the Philosophy department. After receiving her bachelor’s degree at Yale, she completed her Ph.D. at Harvard in philosophy.

Gendler was floated as a contender to succeed former University President Lawrence S. Bacow in 2022. Her name was also mentioned as a contender for the role after former Harvard President Claudine Gay’s resignation.

Before Harvard’s next presidential search process begins, the Corporation has convened a committee to recommend reforms to its current processes.

It remains unclear whether the Corporation will lean toward a seasoned Harvard insider or look for someone outside of the administration.

When asked about the qualities she was looking for in Harvard’s next president, Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny S. Pritzker ’81 said she was waiting for the recommendations from the committee to reform the search process.

“I don’t think we know yet,” Pritzker said.

—Staff writer Emma H. Haidar can be reached at emma.haidar@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @HaidarEmma.

—Staff writer Cam E. Kettles can be reached at cam.kettles@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @cam_kettles.