Jonathan Cole

Jonathan R. Cole is the John Mitchell Mason Professor at Columbia University, where he served as provost and dean of faculties (1989–2003) and vice president of arts and sciences (1987–1989). In recent years, his scholarly work and publications have addressed issues in higher education, particularly problems facing American research universities. His most recent book, “The Great American University: Its Rise to Preeminence, Its Indispensable National Role, and Why It Must Be Protected” (2011), has been translated into Chinese and Arabic. He recently co-edited the book, “Who’s Afraid of Academic Freedom?” (forthcoming). Cole is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the Council on Foreign Relations, and a Commendatore in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy. He lectures throughout the world on topics related to higher education and continues to teach a variety of courses at Columbia.