President Rosenbury announces three new senior leadership appointments amid administrative turnover, financial challenges
- Giselle Bradshaw
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Barnard President Laura Rosenbury introduced multiple changes to Barnard senior leadership via email to the Barnard community.
Photo by Merielen Espino/The Barnard Bulletin
April 14, 2025
On April 2, President Laura Rosenbury announced to the Barnard community that Mike Farley, Vice President for Development and Alumnae Relations, and Sandra Kim, Interim Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, would be leaving their roles at Barnard. Rosenbury also notified the Barnard community of three additions to senior leadership: Marykate O’Neil will be the College’s Director of Nondiscrimination, Sobana Prasad will serve as Controller, and Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz will take on the position of Dean of the Library.
These leadership updates come amidst a period of administrative transition at the College since Rosenbury began her tenure in June 2023. In January of this year, A-J Aronstein, who also oversees Beyond Barnard, BarnardNext, and Summer@Barnard, joined the senior leadership team as Vice President for Community Engagement and Lifelong Success. In June 2024, Rebecca L. Walkowitz succeeded Linda A. Bell as the Provost and Dean of the Faculty.
The departure of Farley and Kim after just one year in their respective development and financial roles is particularly significant, coming at a time when Barnard faces a projected debt of $252 million. In her announcement, Rosenbury highlighted that Kim undertook her interim role “during a challenging financial period for the College.” She also noted that Farley, who accompanied Rosenbury from the University of Florida, “expand[ed] our fundraising capacity, and la[id] the groundwork for long-term success.”
In her previous role as Dean of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Rosenbury demonstrated her fundraising expertise, securing over $100 million in donations for the University of Florida.
Since beginning her tenure at Barnard, Rosenbury has actively engaged in and led some of the College’s fundraising efforts by meeting with donors during the 2024 Barnard Annual Gala, which raised $3.4 million for financial aid despite disruption by protesters, and appearing in a video for Barnard’s 2024 Giving Day campaign where she expressed appreciation for the “generosity” of the Barnard community. During Giving Day 2024, Barnard reportedly raised $1.6 million, an amount that was short of the College’s $2 million goal and represented a 23.6% drop in donations from Giving Day 2022.
Rosenbury has also overseen the opening of the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being, as well as the renovation of the new Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Center, which was supported by the largest donation ever received by the College in its over 100 year history. However, funding for both centers was secured during the tenure of her predecessor, former President Sian Beilock.
Under Rosenbury’s leadership, Barnard has also launched a campaign to grow the College’s endowment to $1 billion by 2030.
Despite these ambitious financial goals, Rosenbury’s administration has faced obstacles to its fundraising efforts. Campus unrest and criticism of the senior leadership’s response to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests have contributed to donor hesitancy, particularly among alumnae. After over 50 Barnard students were suspended for their involvement in the April 2024 encampments, a letter signed by over 700 alumnae was delivered to Rosenbury, stating, “Until ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ students’ demands [...] are met; and until students who have been suspended are reinstated, we the undersigned pledge to withhold donations to the College and pledge to boycott Barnard and Columbia sponsored events including, but not limited to, reunion.”
Amid these challenges, Rosenbury also shared in the same April 2 announcement that Barnard is conducting a national search for a new Vice President of Advancement, led by the search firm Howe-Lewis. Until a suitable candidate is found, other members of the development and alumnae relations team will “robustly continue” the College’s fundraising and reunion efforts, as the College navigates a critical period of transition in both leadership and donor relations.
