The Vanderbilt University Board of Trust has extended the contract of Chancellor Daniel Diermeier through 2035.
Diermeier, who joined the university in mid-2020 and replaced Nick Zeppos, was set to see his contract expire in 2027. Financial terms of the contract extension were not disclosed in a release.
Diermeier faces blowback from students, faculty and city leaders for protest crackdown
Board of Trust Chair Bruce Evans says in the release the board approved the “significant term extension ... as a demonstration of our confidence in Chancellor Diermeier’s leadership, and to support the realization of his long-term vision for the university.” Evans cites Diermeier’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, the university’s consistently positive operational performance and the ongoing updates to Vanderbilt athletics facilities as reasons for extending the contract.
The extension follows criticism from some students, faculty, alumni and city leaders for the university’s response to a sit-in held by students in late March and related to Israel's war with Hamas. Vanderbilt arrested four students related to the protests, with administrators initiating internal disciplinary processes against more than two dozen students. Nashville Scene reporter Eli Motycka was also arrested while covering the protests on Vanderbilt's campus, though he ultimately did not face any charges.
Diermeier came to VU from the University of Chicago, at which he served as dean of the Harris School of Public Policy. He assumed the role from then-interim chancellor Susan Wente, who in 2021 announced her departure to serve as chancellor of Wake Forest University.
Our reporter’s first-hand account of Tuesday’s events on Vanderbilt’s campus
Under Diermeier’s leadership, Vanderbilt has attracted a record number of admissions applications. It has also topped the $1 billion mark in research expenditures. Vanderbilt’s endowment has grown from $6.9 billion to more than $10 billion on Diermeier’s watch. Last year, Vanderbilt also set a single-year fundraising record — the same year it launched “Dare to Grow,” a $3.2 billion fundraising initiative. In 2021, the university launched Vandy United, a $300 million fundraising campaign for athletics that is the largest such undertaking in university history. Vandy United is supporting facilities and operational enhancements.
A version of this article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
