A few weeks prior to Maurie McInnis being appointed as the new president of Yale University, she faced potential censure at Stony Brook University, where she served as president for four years. The university senate criticized Dr. McInnis for her decision to involve the police in dismantling a pro-Palestinian protest camp on the Stony Brook campus in Long Island on May 1. This incident exacerbated existing tensions between the faculty and the departing president regarding issues of policing and free speech, challenges she is anticipated to encounter at Yale.
Upon the announcement of her appointment at Yale, supporters of Dr. McInnis highlighted her achievements at Stony Brook, such as elevating the public university’s reputation, securing significant donations, and skillfully guiding the institution through the Covid-19 pandemic. With a background as a former provost at the University of Texas, Dr. McInnis is recognized for her scholarly work in early American art history, particularly focusing on art depicting the slave trade.
However, similar to many university leaders, Dr. McInnis has had to navigate a politically charged environment, especially amidst protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict that impacted various campuses, a situation likely to persist in the upcoming academic year. Even before the Gaza conflict, critics noted Dr. McInnis’s emphasis on security and policing, issues that frequently spark disputes within college communities. During her tenure at Stony Brook, her administration distanced itself from a professor critical of the local police and established an expanded safety department with intelligence capabilities.
