Jonathan R. Cole

Jonathan R. Cole is John Mitchell Mason Professor of the Universi ty at Columbia University. From 1987 to 1989 he was Vice President of Arts and Sciences, and from 1989 to 2003, he was Provost and Dean of Faculties at Columbia. For many years, his scholarly work and publications focused on development of the sociology of science as a research specialty. In recent years he addressed issues in higher education, particularly problems facing American research universities. His most recent book, Toward A More Perfect University (PublicAffairs, 2016) follows his earlier publication The Great American University: Its Rise to Preeminence, Its Indispensable National Role, Why It Must Be Protected (PublicAffairs, 2011), which has been translated into Chinese and Arabic. He recently co-edited the book, Whos Afraid of Academic Freedom? (Columbia University Press, 2015). He 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 in several schools of Columbia University.