Jonathan Fanton

Jonathan F. Fanton served as the president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from September 1, 1999 until 2009. "Previously, he had been president of the New School for Social Research in New York City for 17 years.

"At Yale University, Mr. Fanton earned a baccalaureate degree in 1965, a master’s in philosophy in 1977, and a doctorate in American History in 1978. At Yale, he taught American history, was special assistant to president Kingman Brewster from 1970 to 1973 and associate provost from 1976 to 1978.  From 1978 to 1982, he was vice president for planning at the University of Chicago, where he also taught American history.

"As president of the New School for Social Research from 1982 to 1999, he led the integration and enhancement of the seven divisions of the university and expansion of the Greenwich Village campus. During his tenure, the New School merged with the Mannes College of Music, established a drama school in partnership with the Actor’s Studio, merged with the World Policy Institute, added a jazz and contemporary music program, a teacher education program, a creative writing program, and an architecture department at Parsons School of Design.

"Mr. Fanton is a board member of Human Rights Watch, the largest U.S.-based human rights organization, which operates in 70 countries. He served as Chair of HRW’s board for six years, stepping down at the end of 2003.  He is also an advisory trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Historical Society, and the founding Board Chair of Security Council Report. He served as chair of the New York Committee on Independent Colleges and Universities, as co-chair of the 14th Street/Union Square Local Development Corporation, and was of member of the Board of the Partnership for Public Service.

"Mr. Fanton is the author of The University and Civil Society, Volumes I and II and co-editor of John Brown: Great Lives Observed and The Manhattan Project: A Documentary Introduction to the Atomic Age.

"Mr. Fanton's wife, Cynthia Greenleaf Fanton, is Director of Partnerships for the Chicago Public Schools, and prior to their move to Chicago, was assistant provost at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Mrs. Greenleaf Fanton was born in Chicago and educated at Smith, Harvard, and Georgetown Law School." 

"As president of the New School for Social Research from 1982 to 1999, he led the integration and enhancement of the seven divisions of the university, expansion of the Greenwich Village campus, and development campaigns that increased the university’s endowment ten-fold. During his tenure, the New School merged with the Mannes College of Music, established a drama school in partnership with the Actor’s Studio, merged with the World Policy Institute, added a jazz and contemporary music program, a teacher education program, a creative writing program, and an architecture department at Parsons School of Design."

In 2000, he was cochair of the Human Rights Watch Academic Freedom Committee. He also serves on the board of governors of the Partnership for Public Service and on the Human Rights Watch Africa Advisory Committee.


 * Faculty, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute
 * Director, Millennium Promise