5 Questions for American University’s New President

Jonathan Alger became American University’s 16th president on July 1, following 12 years at the helm of James Madison University in Virginia. A lawyer by training, he previously served as senior vice president and general counsel at Rutgers University and assistant general counsel at the University of Michigan. He has written and spoken extensively on higher education policy and legal issues surrounding diversity and free speech, among other things. He stopped by Inside Higher Ed’s D.C. office on Wednesday—which he informed us was World Kindness Day—to introduce himself and answer a few questions. Then he headed back to the AU campus to hand out cookies and gift cards.