New University of Minnesota president to start Monday
Rebecca Cunningham at her first press conference on Feb. 26, 2024, after being named U of M president-designate. (FILE/KSTP)
Dr. Rebecca Cunningham will take on the role of University of Minnesota President on Monday.
RELATED: U of M Board of Regents selects Dr. Rebecca Cunningham as new president
Cunningham was previously the vice president for research and innovation at the University of Michigan. She will be the 18th president of the University of Minnesota.
Joan Gabel, the former U of M president and the first woman to hold the position, was named chancellor at the University of Pittsburgh on April 3 last year.
Jeff Ettinger, the former CEO of Hormel, took on the role of interim president in July of 2023 when Gabel officially left.
The U of M Board of Regents approved a contract for Cunningham in March. As part of the five-year deal, she’ll get a base salary of $975,000, plus annual increases, as well as standard benefits and yearly supplemental retirement dividends starting at $120,000 and ranging up to $150,000 in 2029 for a total of $675,000.
Cunningham has said some of her initial priorities will be around the health system and campus safety.