joel towers begins as tenth president of the new school

NEW YORK, August 1, 2024 – Today, The New School community officially welcomes Joel Towers as the university’s tenth president. President Towers succeeds Donna E. Shalala, who has guided the university as Interim President since August 2023, and Dwight A. McBride, who served as the ninth President of The New School from 2020 - 2023. 

President Towers assumes the role of president at a pivotal moment for The New School and for higher education more broadly. Under his leadership, the university will seek to build on its mission and legacy as a preeminent academic center to ensure the university’s success and resilience for the future. The New School is the only university in the world with a large and comprehensive design school alongside outstanding schools in social sciences, humanities, and the performing arts.

“I am honored to begin as President of this extraordinary community of scholars, artists, designers and thought leaders,” said President Towers. “As I look to The New School’s future, I am excited by the work ahead and the opportunity to continue strengthening our commitment to academic excellence, open inquiry, robust debate, and diverse perspectives. I look forward to collaborating with all of our faculty, students and staff—and to what we will accomplish together.”

“We are delighted to welcome Joel Towers as our new President,” said Linda E. Rappaport, Chair of the Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “During his 20 years at The New School, President Towers has prioritized excellence in teaching and learning, with a deep commitment to our students and a passion for the mission of The New School. President Towers brings a clear understanding of both the complexities and possibilities of our storied and unique academic institution, as well as a track record of success in sound financial stewardship and consensus-building. In this pivotal moment for The New School and for higher education more broadly, he inspires enthusiasm and critical thinking for what our university can do as we build on our mission and many achievements. My Board colleagues and I look forward to working with President Towers and are grateful for the time and energy so many invested to help us reach this important decision.”

An architect by training, an educator at heart, and a passionate advocate for design-based solutions to climate change, President Towers has served at The New School for more than 20 years, including a decade as Executive Dean of Parsons School of Design. He also served as Parsons’ first Director of Sustainable Design and Urban Ecology and Dean of the School of Design Strategies. He was the university’s Associate Provost for Environmental Studies and founded The Tishman Environment and Design Center, which fosters the integration of bold design, policy, and social justice approaches to environmental issues. President Towers holds the faculty title of University Professor of Architecture and Sustainable Design.

Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to education, research, and collaboration oriented to environmental sustainability and resilience. In 2019, he was appointed by Mayor de Blasio to co-chair the New York City Panel on Climate Change. Prior to joining The New School, he worked as an architect focused on environmental thinking and healthier buildings. From 1992-2010, he was a principal at his co-founded architecture practice, Sislian Rothstein and Towers Architects (SR+T), a firm that completed award winning projects and was a testing ground for the integration of research, scholarship and creative practice.

President Towers received a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation. 

With its distinctive cores of excellence in design, the performing arts, the humanities, and social sciences, The New School draws students from around the world to its New York City and Paris campuses. Over the past 10 years, it has become more academically integrated and consolidated its New York campus in the heart of Greenwich Village so that students can benefit from all of The New School’s leading, innovative programs. The university continues to expand its offerings through new degree programs and interdisciplinary study options designed to equip graduates to succeed in a dramatically changing world.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of President Towers can be downloaded here.